Sminthopsis murina

17 Common Dunnart at Nanima, NSW

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Identification history

Sminthopsis murina	16 May 2023	DonFletcher
Sminthopsis murina	11 May 2023	michaelb
Unidentified	11 May 2023	81mv

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7 comments

MatthewFrawley wrote:

11 May 2023

Interesting find, what's the story here? Guessing it could be a Common Dunnart?

81mv wrote:

11 May 2023

Caught in our shed and released into the bush. Second one we have ever seen here (in 10 years).

MatthewFrawley wrote:

16 May 2023

@DonFletcher is this one a Common Dunnart?

DonFletcher wrote:

16 May 2023

Yes Matthew it appears to be. In a photo, the bi-coloured tail of Dunnarts (not included in this photo) and their deep ear-notch distinguish them from the House Mouse. The only Dunnart recorded here to date is the Common (S. murina) but White Footed and Fat Tailed are not far away in opposite directions. Common and White Tailed are distinguished by the interdigital foot pads being striated V granular.
For ID purposes, I encourage people to photograph every surface of a small mammal, including good photos of the hind foot pads, tail, tail in relation to body and ears. Also count the No. of teats. We were lucky this time that the ID was so clear.

DonFletcher wrote:

16 May 2023

And the teeth

MatthewFrawley wrote:

16 May 2023

Great information there @DonFletcher on what to photograph to assist in identification of a small mammal when presented with the opportunity.

DonFletcher wrote:

17 May 2023

Thanks @MatthewFrawlay. The info is given in dot points under a heading 'How to photograph small mammals' at the start of the section of CNM on small native mammals.

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