The search for GUID 4e4cb037-96ac-4e56-a09f-c1c1a85d782d has not been successful. The taxon associated with this GUID has been replaced by this taxon. This changed occured on 05-11-2010 at 12:09:39.
Order PERAMELEMORPHIA
Compiler and date details
October 2010 - Updated by Stephen M. Jackson, c/- Queensland Museum, Brisbane, following Van Dyck & Strahan (2008)
1999 - Updated by Barry J. Richardson, Centre for Biostructural and Biomolecular Research, University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury, NSW, Australia
31 December 1998 - Data taken from J.A. Mahoney & W.D.L. Ride (1988)
Introduction
Representatives of Peramelidae occur throughout mainland Australia, Tasmania, several offshore islands and New Guinea. On the basis of an analysis of morphological characters, Grove & Flannery (1990) separated several New Guinea genera, including Echymipera, which is also found in Australia, from the remaining peramelids and placed them in a new family, the Peroryctidae. DNA hybridisation studies (Kirsch et al. 1997), however, whilst supporting the dichotomy, do not support separation at the family level. Consequently, previous usage has been maintained in this work.
In the bandicoots, hind limbs are longer than forelimbs and are syndactylous, the second and third digits being conjoined. There are five digits on the manus and four on the pes, except in Chaeropus which has four digits on the manus and three on the pes. The tail is hairy and non-prehensile. The hair forms a dorsal crest in some species. The rostrum of the skull is narrow and pointed. The incisor formula is 4/5 or 3. The marsupium is well developed and opens posteriorly.
Bandicoots are terrestrial and primarily nocturnal. Their diet, from what is known, consists largely of insects, but other invertebrates, fungi, and even small vertebrates are taken. Shallow burrows and surface nests are made. Peramelids are highly vulnerable to predation by introduced predators and to habitat modification.
General References
Gordon, G. & Hulbert, A.J. 1989. Peramelidae. pp. 603-624 in Walton, D.W. & Richardson, B.J. (eds). Fauna of Australia. Mammalia. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service Vol. 1B 827 pp.
Groves, C.P. & Flannery, T.F. 1990. Revision of the families and genera of bandicoots. pp. 1-11 in Seebeck, J.H., Brown, P.R., Wallis, R.L. & Kemper, C.M. (eds). Bandicoots and Bilbies. Chipping Norton : Surrey Beatty & Sons 392 pp.
Kirsch, J.A.W., Lapointe, F-J. & Springer, M.S. 1997. DNA-hybridisation studies of marsupials and their implications for metatherian classification. Australian Journal of Zoology 45: 211-280
Seebeck, J.H., Brown, P.R., Wallis, R.L. & Kemper, C.M. (eds) 1990. Bandicoots and Bilbies. Chipping Norton : Surrey Beatty & Sons 392 pp.