Sminthopsis virginiae

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	DASYUROMORPHIA	DASYURIDAE

Scientific Name:

Sminthopsis virginiae

Species Authority:

(Tarragon, 1847)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Red-cheeked Dunnart
French	–	Souris Marsupiale À Joues Rouges

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

Helgen, K., Dickman, C., Lunde, D., Burnett, S., Woinarski, J. & Woolley, P.

Evaluator/s:

Lamoreux, J. & Hilton-Taylor, C. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)

Justification:
Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, lack of major threats, and because it is unlikely to be declining at nearly the rate required to qualify for listing in a threatened category.

History:

1996

–

Lower Risk/least concern

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is present on the Aru Islands of Indonesia, the southern Trans-Fly regions of the island of New Guinea (Indonesia and Papua New Guinea), and from northern Australia where it exists as distinct populations in north-eastern Queensland, the Northern Territory (including Melville and Bathurst Islands), and northern Western Australia (Flannery 1995a,b; Woolley 2008).
Countries:	Native: Australia; Indonesia; Papua New Guinea
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	It is believed to be common in New Guinea, but uncommon and localised in Australia. In the Aru Islands, it is known only from a single specimen.
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	In New Guinea it occurs in grassland savanna (Flannery 1995a). In Australia they are associated with woodland savanna and grassland, and swampy areas and wetland habitats; also found in agricultural landscapes such as sugar cane plantations. Teat number varies between populations and females may have up to six or eight young in the pouch (Woolley 2008).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	There are no major threats, although in Australia the species is thought to be subject to predation by feral and domestic cats.

Major Threat(s):

There are no major threats, although in Australia the species is thought to be subject to predation by feral and domestic cats.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	It occurs in a single protected area on the island of New Guinea; present in numerous reserves in Australia. Further taxonomic studies of this species are needed (the species having once been separated into a number of distinct species).

Conservation Actions:

It occurs in a single protected area on the island of New Guinea; present in numerous reserves in Australia. Further taxonomic studies of this species are needed (the species having once been separated into a number of distinct species).

Citation:	Helgen, K., Dickman, C., Lunde, D., Burnett, S., Woinarski, J. & Woolley, P. 2008. Sminthopsis virginiae. In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 09 February 2010.
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