Species Dasycercus cristicauda (Krefft, 1867)
Crest-tailed Mulgara
- Chaetocercus cristicauda Krefft, G. 1867. On the classification of the small Dasyuridae of Australia, with descriptions of two new genera and one new species. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1866: 431-435 [publication date established from Duncan, F.M. 1937. On the dates of publication of the Society's 'Proceedings', 1859–1926. With an appendix containing the dates of publication of 'Proceedings', 1830–1858, compiled by the late F.H. Waterhouse, and of the 'Transactions', 1853–1869, by the late Henry Peavot, originally published in P.Z.S. 1893, 1913. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 107: 71–84 [71–84]] [435].
Type data:
Holotype AM M11342 mounted skin, probably the neighbourhood of Lake Alexandrina, SA
Comment: The type locality has been considered unlikely by subsequent authors (see Woolley 2005, and Parnaby et al. 2017). The type locality has since been listed as the "North Spencer Gulf around Port Augusta region, South Australia (see Newman-Martin et al. 2023).Type locality references:
Woolley, P.A. 2005. The species of Dasycercus Peters, 1875 (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae). Memoirs of Museum Victoria 62(2): 213-221; Parnaby, H.E., Ingleby, S. & Divljan, A. 2017. Type specimens of non-fossil mammals in the Australian Museum, Sydney. Records of the Australian Museum 69(5): 277–420; Newman-Martin, J., Travouillon, K.J., Warburton, N., Barham, M. & Blyth, A.J. 2023. Taxonomic review of the genus Dasycercus (Dasyuromorphia: Dasyuridae) using modern and subfossil material; and the description of three new species. Alcheringa 47(4): 624–661.
Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy
- Ride, W.D.L. 1970. A Guide to the Native Mammals of Australia. Melbourne : Oxford University Press xiv 249 pp. 62 pls. [114, 242]
- Woolley, P.A. 2005. The species of Dasycercus Peters, 1875 (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae). Memoirs of Museum Victoria 62(2): 213-221 (notes cristicauda Kreft is the older available name, and therefore the valid name)
Generic Combinations
- Dasycercus cristicauda (Krefft, 1867). —
Peters, W. 1875. in Anon. (1875). [untitled]. Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin 1875: 73
Distribution
States
Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Extra Distribution Information
Historically far more widespread.
Australian Endemic.
IBRA
NT, Qld, SA, WA: Burt Plain (BRT), Channel Country (CHC), Central Ranges (CR), Finke (FIN), Gibson Desert (GD), Great Sandy Desert (GSD), Little Sandy Desert (LSD), MacDonnell Ranges (MAC), Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields (SSD), Stony Plains (STP)
Distribution References
- Newman-Martin, J., Travouillon, K.J., Warburton, N., Barham, M. & Blyth, A.J. 2023. Taxonomic review of the genus Dasycercus (Dasyuromorphia: Dasyuridae) using modern and subfossil material; and the description of three new species. Alcheringa 47(4): 624–661 [627]
- Start, A.N., Burbidge, A.A., Kendrick, P.G. & McKenzie, N.L. 2013. Terrestrial mammals of the south-western Little Sandy Desert, Western Australia. Australian Mammalogy 35(54-64)
Ecological Descriptors
Arthropod-feeder, burrower, desert sand dunes, low shrubland, noctidiurnal, predator, terrestrial, tussock grassland.
General References
Archer, M. 1979. The status of Australian dasyurids, thylacinids and myrmecobiids. pp. 29-43 in Tyler, M.J. (ed.). The Status of Endangered Australasian Wildlife. Adelaide : Royal Zoological Society of South Australia.
Chen, X., Dickman, C.R. & Thompson, M.B. 1998. Diet of the mulgara, Dasycercus cristicauda (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae), in the Simpson Desert, central Australia. Wildlife Research 25: 233-242
Cooper, D.W. & Woolley, P. 1983. Confirmation of a new species of small dasyurid marsupial by electrophoretic analysis of enzymes and proteins. Australian Journal of Zoology 31: 743-751
Ellis, M. 1992. The mulgara, Dasycercus cristicaudata (Krefft, 1867): A new dasyurid record for New South Wales. The Australian Zoologist 28: 57-58
Geiser, F. & Masters, P. 1994. Torpor in relation to reproduction in the mulgara, Dasycercus cristicauda (Dasyuridae: Marsupialia). Journal of Thermal Biology 19: 33-40
Gibson, D.F. & Cole, J.R. 1992. Aspects of the ecology of the mulgara, Dasycercus cristicauda, (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae) in the Northern Territory. Australian Mammalogy 15: 105-112
Jones, F.W. 1949. The study of a generalised marsupial (Dasycercus cristicauda Krefft). Transactions of the Zoological Society of London 26: 409-501
Masters, P. 1993. The effects of fire-driven succession and rainfall on small mammals in spinifex grassland at Uluru National Park, Northern Territory. Wildlife Research 20: 803-813
Masters, P. 1998. The mulgara Dasycercus cristicauda (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae) at Uluru National Park, Northern Territory. Australian Mammalogy 20: 403-407
Maxwell, S., Burbidge, A.A. & Morris, K. 1996. The 1996 Action Plan for Australian Marsupials and Monotremes. Canberra : Wildlife Australia 234 pp. (as D. hillieri)
Morton, S.R. 1982. Dasyurid marsupials of the Australian arid zone: an ecological review. pp. 117-130 in Archer, M. (ed.). Carnivorous Marsupials. Sydney : Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales Vol. 1 i-vi, 396 pp. (especially bibliography)
Pearson, D. 1991. First records of the mulgara, Dasycercus cristicaudata, from the Gibson Desert and Queen Victoria Spring Nature Reserves. Western Australian Naturalist 18: 159-161
Thompson, G.G. & Thompson, S.A. 2007. Shape and spatial distribution of Mulgara (Dasycercus cristicauda) burrows, with comments on their presence in a burnt habitat and a translocation protocol. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 90: 195-202 (once found throughout WA, geographic range now reduced)
Woolley, P.A. 1987. Phallic morphology of Dasyuriodes byrnei and Dasycercus cristicauda (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae). Australian Journal of Zoology 35: 535-540
Woolley, P.A. 1990. Mulgaras, Dasycercus cristicauda (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae); their burrows, and records of attempts to collect live animals between 1966 and 1979. Australian Mammalogy 13: 61-64
Woolley, P.A. 1995. Mulgara Dasycercus cristicauda. pp. 55-56 in Strahan, R. (ed.). The Mammals of Australia: The National Photographic Index of Australian Wildlife. Sydney : Reed New Holland 756 pp.
Woolley, P.A. 2005. The species of Dasycercus Peters, 1875 (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae). Memoirs of Museum Victoria 62(2): 213-221 (recognised Dasycercus blythi as a valid species)
Woolley, P.A. 2006. Studies on the crest-tailed mulgara Dasycrcus cristicauda and the brush-tailed mulgara Dasycercus blythi (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae). Australian Mammalogy 28: 117-120 (comments on confusion and misidentification of species in past studies)
Common Name References
van Dyck, S. & Strahan, R. 2008. The Mammals of Australia. Third Edition. Sydney : Reed New Holland 887 pp. [49] (Crest-tailed Mulgara)
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07-Feb-2024 | DASYUROMORPHIA | 17-Jan-2024 | MODIFIED | |
| 15-Oct-2010 | 15-Oct-2010 | MOVED | ||
| 07-Feb-2024 | 15-Oct-2010 | MOVED | ||
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |