Wongai Ningaui
Encyclopedia
The Wongai Ningaui also known as the Inland Ningaui, is a small carnivorous marsupial
native to Australia
.
(N. timealeyi) were the two species of ningaui
described by Australian biologist
Mike Archer when the genus
was erected in 1975 (the Southern Ningaui
, N. yvonneae, would be described in 1983), although the Pilbara Ningaui was designated the type species
. The Wongai Ningaui was described from two subadult specimens collected near Laverton in Western Australia
. The scientific name of this species honours the Australian naturalist
W. D. L. Ride.
word for tiny mythological beings that are hairy, have short feet and only come out at night.
Ningauis use their sharp teeth to kill their insect prey by swiftly biting them around the head. They hunt by night and rest among the spinnifex hummocks by day. The females have as many as five to seven young, the breeding season beginning in October.
, or grasslands and trees such as desert oak, mulga
, Australian Cypress Pine and dry heath
. Its range begins west of Kalgoorlie
in Western Australia
across northern South Australia
and southern Northern Territory
to southwestern Queensland
.
Marsupial
Marsupials are an infraclass of mammals, characterized by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young. Close to 70% of the 334 extant species occur in Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands, with the remaining 100 found in the Americas, primarily in South America, but with thirteen in Central...
native to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Taxonomy
The Wongai Ningaui and the Pilbara NingauiPilbara Ningaui
The Pilbara Ningaui , sometimes known as Ealey's Ningaui, is a tiny species of marsupial carnivore found in Australia. It rarely exceeds 5.8cm in body length, with a tail 6-7.6cm long and a weight of 5-9.4g...
(N. timealeyi) were the two species of ningaui
Ningaui
Ningauis, members of the genus Ningaui, are small members of the dasyurid family. Along with the planigales, they are among the smallest marsupials. They are related to the dunnarts and are restricted to arid regions of Australia....
described by Australian biologist
Biologist
A biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of life. Typically biologists study organisms and their relationship to their environment. Biologists involved in basic research attempt to discover underlying mechanisms that govern how organisms work...
Mike Archer when the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
was erected in 1975 (the Southern Ningaui
Southern Ningaui
The Southern Ningaui , also known as the Mallee Ningaui, is a tiny species of marsupial carnivore and a member of the family Dasyuridae...
, N. yvonneae, would be described in 1983), although the Pilbara Ningaui was designated the type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
. The Wongai Ningaui was described from two subadult specimens collected near Laverton in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. The scientific name of this species honours the Australian naturalist
Naturalist
Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...
W. D. L. Ride.
Description
The Wongai Ningaui has a head and body length of 64 mm, tail length of 65 mm and weight of 9.75g. Even smaller than a house mouse, the Wongai Ningaui is greyish above and lighter below. It has a semi-prehensile tail, needle sharp teeth and a long snout. The name derives from an AboriginalIndigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
word for tiny mythological beings that are hairy, have short feet and only come out at night.
Ningauis use their sharp teeth to kill their insect prey by swiftly biting them around the head. They hunt by night and rest among the spinnifex hummocks by day. The females have as many as five to seven young, the breeding season beginning in October.
Distribution and habitat
The Wongai Ningaui lives mostly in the interior of Australia, in deserts that have spinifexTriodia (plant genus)
Triodia is a large genus of hummock-forming grass endemic to Australia; they are commonly known as spinifex, although they are not a part of the coastal genus Spinifex. There are currently 64 recognised species...
, or grasslands and trees such as desert oak, mulga
Mulga
Acacia aneura, commonly known as Mulga or True Mulga, is a shrub or small tree native to arid outback Australia of areas such as the Western Australian Mulga shrublands.-Description:...
, Australian Cypress Pine and dry heath
Epacris
Epacris is a genus of about 35-40 species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae, though formerly often treated in a separate family Epacridaceae. The genus is native to eastern and southeastern Australia , New Caledonia and New Zealand...
. Its range begins west of Kalgoorlie
Kalgoorlie, Western Australia
Kalgoorlie, known as Kalgoorlie-Boulder, is a town in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia, and is located east-northeast of state capital Perth at the end of the Great Eastern Highway...
in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
across northern South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
and southern Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
to southwestern Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
.