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Long-tailed planigale Facts

Long-tailed planigale Facts
Long-tailed planigale is very small marsupial that belongs to the family Dasyuridae. There are three subspecies of long-tailed planigale that can be found in the northern parts of Australia. Long-tailed planigale inhabits grasslands, black soil plains and wooded savannas. Major threats for the survival of long-tailed planigale are habitat destruction (as a result of grazing and wild fires) and increased number of introduced predators. Despite these factors, long-tailed planigales are widely spread and numerous in the wild (they are not on the list of endangered species).
Interesting Long-tailed planigale Facts:
Long-tailed planigale is the smallest marsupial in the world. It can reach 0.12 to 0.16 inches in length (not including the tail of the same size) and up to 0.15 ounces of weight. Males and females are roughly the same in size.
Long-tailed planigale has grey-brown fur with a tinge of yellow on the back and pale-colored fur on the belly.
Long-tailed planigale has flattened head, pointed muzzle, needle-sharp teeth, mouse-like body and long, thin, hairless tail.
Long-tailed planigale is nocturnal creature (active during the night).
Long-tailed planigale is a carnivore (meat-eater). Its diet is based on insects (such as grasshoppers and crickets), insect larvae, lizards and small mammals.
Long-tailed planigale prefers areas with deep cracks in the soil, where it can find plenty of food. It uses its extremely flat head to extract prey from the crack or it hides inside the crack and waits for the prey to appear. Despite its small size, long-tailed planigale can easily kill prey of its own size.
Long-tailed planigale rests and hides inside the cracks in the soil, in the grass or under the leaf litter during the day. It enters the torpid state (period of dormancy, characterized by decreased body temperature and metabolic rate) each day to conserve energy.
Natural enemies of long-tailed planigales are domestic cats, cane toads and snakes.
Long-tailed planigale is solitary creature. Territorial behavior has not been documented for this species.
Mating season of long-tailed planigale takes place all year round and reaches the peak during the wet season.
Long-tailed planigales are promiscuous animals. That mean that males and females mate with multiple partners during the mating season.
Pouch on the female's belly opens at the rear end. That way, female can dig the soil (in search for food) and keeps its pouch clean.
Little is known about pregnancy in females, except that it ends with 4 to 8 babies. Underdeveloped babies complete their embryonic development attached to one of the 10 nipples inside the pouch during the next 6 weeks.
Young long-tailed planigales become ready for the independent life at the age of 3 months. Until that time, they hide in the nest in the grass.
Long-tailed planigale can survive up to 1.3 years in the wild.


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