Planigales (Marsupialia : Dasyuridae) of eastern Australia’s interior: a comparison of morphology, distributions and habitat preferences, with particular emphasis on South Australia

Mark J. Blacket; Catherine Kemper; Robert Brandle

doi:10.1071/ZO08057

RESEARCH ARTICLE

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Planigales (Marsupialia : Dasyuridae) of eastern Australia’s interior: a comparison of morphology, distributions and habitat preferences, with particular emphasis on South Australia

Mark J. Blacket ^A ^D , Catherine Kemper ^B and Robert Brandle ^C

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Department of Genetics, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Vic. 3086, Australia. Present address: Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia.

^B South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.

^C National Parks and Wildlife South Australia, Kensington, SA 5068, Australia.

^D Corresponding author. Email: mblacket@unimelb.edu.au

Australian Journal of Zoology 56(3) 195-205 https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO08057
Submitted: 10 July 2008 Accepted: 1 October 2008 Published: 27 November 2008

Abstract

Correct species identification is an essential step in characterising an organism’s geographic range and ecological requirements. In this study the morphology, distribution and habitat preferences of eastern Australia’s three species of inland planigales, Planigale ingrami, P. tenuirostris and P. gilesi, were compared, particularly to establish consistent differences between the morphologically similar Planigale ingrami and P. tenuirostris, which earlier molecular evidence had suggested were easily misidentified. Specimens that had previously been characterised genetically were examined to find diagnostic morphological characters for each species. External measurements indicated that P. tenuirostris was larger than P. ingrami, but size ranges overlap considerably. Several external characters, including basal width of the supratragus and foot morphology, differentiate each species; however tail length was not a reliable distinguishing character. Bivariate plots of several skull characters also enabled species identification. Competition within each species may be reduced by sexual dimorphism in dental morphology, while differences in skull shape may indicate past character displacement between Planigale species. In South Australia P. ingrami and P. tenuirostris are broadly sympatric with P. gilesi but not with each other. There appears to be ecological habitat separation between all three species, with P. ingrami being the most restricted in distribution and habitat requirements, P. gilesi occurring in similar habitats but in a wider range of vegetation communities, and P. tenuirostris being the least tied to flood-prone habitats.

Acknowledgements

During the course of this study MB was supported by an Australian Museum Collection Fellowship. Michael Archer, Sandy Ingleby and Tish Ennis (Australian Museum) kindly provided assistance and access to specimens, Mathew Crowther (University of Sydney) and Michael Kearney (University of Melbourne) provided assistance with statistics, Nicole Kearney (Museum of Victoria) assisted with measuring specimens, and Kate Blacket assisted in preparing Fig. 5. Clayton Glen photographed the pes in Fig. 6. We also thank Michael Westerman (La Trobe University) and anonymous referees for their constructive comments.

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Appendix 1. Details of specimens examined from the collections of the Australian (AM) and South Australian (SAM) Museums

■ = external characters examined, ◆ = skull examined and included in PCA (Fig. 2), ● = molecular examination performed (Blacket et al. 2000). Holotypes of each species are indicated in bold. Data provided are: registration number, locality, sex

Planigale ingrami

SAM M17886■◆●, Dudinna Well, SA, M; SAM M17887■◆●, Dudinna Well, SA, M; SAM M17888■◆●, Dudinna Well, SA, M; SAM M17892■●, Kachumba Waterhole, SA, F; SAM M17907■◆●, Elbow Well, SA, F; SAM M18158■◆●, MacLennan Tank, SA, F; SAM M19729■◆●, Murda Hill, SA, F; SAM M19734■●, Murda Hill, SA, M; SAM M14031■, Coongie Homestead, SA, M; SAM M14032■, Coongie Homestead, SA, F; SAM M17893■, Kachumba Waterhole, SA, F; SAM M17906■, Elbow Well, SA, M; SAM M17908■, Elbow Well, SA, M; SAM M18159■, MacLennan Tank, SA, M; SAM M19122■◆, Table Hill, SA, M; AM M4744■◆, 200 km west of Burketown, NT; AM M5021■◆, 200 km west of Burketown, NT; AM M2174■◆, Wyangarie, Qld; AM M29105◆, Cannington Station, Qld; AM M34153■◆, Near McKinlay, Qld.

Planigale tenuirostris

SAM M17139■◆●, Cockrum Dams, SA, F; SAM M17473■●, Mt Crispe, SA, F; SAM M17871■●, Toopawarinna Hill, SA, M; SAM M18253■●, Apollo Bore, SA, F; SAM M18446■●, Mungutana Dam, SA, M; SAM M18480■◆●, Binda Bounda Hill, SA, M; SAM M18558■●, Mount Goodiar, SA, M; SAM M18745■◆●, New Years Gift Bore, SA, F; SAM M18865■●, Wompinie, SA, M; SAM M18866■●, Old Lake Dismal, SA, M; SAM M19090■●, Laurie Bank, SA, F; SAM M19101■●, Welcome Well, SA, F; SAM M19215■●, Parks Camp Waterhole, SA, M; AM M3933■◆, Bourke or Wilcannia, NSW; AM M6957■◆, Cunnamulla, Qld; AM M10600◆, Near Moree, NSW; AM M10601■◆, Near Narrabri, NSW; AM M10610■◆, Near Hillston, NSW; AM M22114◆, Near Tibooburra, NSW; AM M25720■◆, Weddin Mountains NP, NSW; AM M33522◆, Near Belah, NSW.