Taxonomy [top]
Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family
ANIMALIA CHORDATA MAMMALIA PERAMELEMORPHIA THYLACOMYIDAE
Scientific Name: Macrotis leucura
Species Authority
Infra-specific Authority: (Thomas, 1887)
Common Name/s:
English – Lesser Bilby, Lesser Rabbit-eared Bandicoot, White-tailed Rabbit-eared Bandicoot, Yallara
French – Bandicoot-lapin Mineur, Bandicoot-lapin À Queue Blanche, Petit Bandicoot-lapin, Petit Péramèle-lapin
Spanish – Cangurito Narigudo Coliblanco
Assessment Information [top]
Red List Category & Criteria: Extinct ver 3.1
Year Assessed: 2008
Assessor/s Burbidge, A., Johnson, K. & Dickman, C.
Evaluator/s: Lamoreux, J. & Hilton-Taylor, C. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)
Justification:
Listed as Extinct because it has not been located since the last specimen was collected in 1931. Aboriginal records indicate populations possibly survived into the 1960s, but there are no indications that it still persists.
History:
1996 – Extinct (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)
1994 – Extinct (Groombridge 1994)
1990 – Extinct (IUCN 1990)
1988 – Extinct (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1988)
1986 – Extinct (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1986)
1982 – Extinct (Thornback and Jenkins 1982)
Geographic Range [top]
Range Description: This species was endemic to the deserts of central Australia. The last confirmed collection of a specimen was in 1931 near Cooncherie in north-eastern South Australia (Johnson 2008). A skull of unknown age was found in 1967 in a Wedge-tailed Eagle's nest south-east of Alice Springs (Johnson 2008). Aboriginal oral history suggests survival possibly into the 1960s (Johnson 2008).
Countries:
Regionally extinct:
Australia
Population [top]
Population: This species is presumed to be extinct. It died out completely only about 35 years after Hedley Finlayson considered it to be common (Johnson 2008).
Habitat and Ecology [top]
Habitat and Ecology: The species occurred in sandy and loamy deserts with Triodia hummock grassland and sparse low trees and shrubs (A. Burbidge pers. comm.).
Systems: Terrestrial
Threats [top]
Major Threat(s): Predation from introduced species such as cats and foxes, as well as competition with rabbits for food and degradation of habitat is thought resulted in the extinction of this species. They were also possibly affected by changes in fire regime.
Conservation Actions [top]
Conservation Actions: There are no conservation measures pertaining to this species.
www.iucnredlist.org/details/12651
