Phascogale

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The phascogales (members of the eponymous genus Phascogale), also known as wambengers or mousesacks,[1] are carnivorous Australian marsupials of the family Dasyuridae. There are three species: the brush-tailed phascogale (Phascogale tapoatafa), the red-tailed phascogale (P. calura), and the northern brush-tailed phascogale (P. pirata). As with a number of dasyurid species, the males live for only one year, dying after a period of frenzied mating. The name wambenger comes from the Nyungar language.[2] The term Phascogale was coined in 1824 by Coenraad Jacob Temminck in reference to the brush-tailed phascogale, and means "pouched weasel". All three species are listed as either Near Threatened or Vulnerable by the IUCN.

Phylogeny

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Species

File:Phascogale calura (cropped).jpg
Captive P. calura

The genus consists of the following three species:

Image Scientific name Distribution
File:Phascogale 4.jpg Brush-tailed phascogalePhascogale tapoatafa southeast Australia from South Australia to mid-coastal Queensland, Western Australia
File:Phascogale calura close.jpg Red-tailed phascogalePhascogale calura south-western Western Australia
Northern brush-tailed phascogalePhascogale pirata northern Australia.

Life cycle

Mating generally happens between May and July. All males die soon after mating. Females give birth to about 6 young ones about 30 days after mating. Phascogales do not have the true pouch that is found in most other marsupials [1][2]. Instead, they form temporary folds of skin - sometimes called a "pseudo-pouch" [3] around the mammary glands during pregnancy. Young stay in this pseudo-pouch area, nursing for about 7 weeks before being moved to a nest where they stay until they are weaned at about 20 weeks of age. Females live for about 3 years, and generally produce one litter.

References

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  1. A Hollow Victory - The Morabool News
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External links

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  • Brush-tailed Phascogale fact sheet: [4]. Also: [5]
  • Red-tailed Phascogale fact sheet: [6]. Also: [7]

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