Myrmecobius fasciatus

The myrmécobie with bands or numbat ( Myrmecobius fasciatus ) is small a endemic Marsupial of the Western Australia. The numbat is the only member of the kind Myrmecobius and of the family Myrmecobiidae , one of the three families which compose the order of the Dasyuromorphia , gathering the carnivorous whole of the S marsupials.

Description

The average length of the myrmécobie is of 24,5 cm., its tail measures 17,7 cm., and it weighs 0,5 kg. for the male or 0,4 kg. for the female. Its peeling comprises black and white transverse lines on its croup, which are erased gradually on the back and the shoulders where peeling is brown-russet-red. A white line bordered of dark, connects the base of the ears, pointed, with the muzzle lengthened while passing under the eyes. The tail is long and bulky.

Food

The myrmécobie is a very specialized animal, nourishing exclusively Termite S, and which, because of its mode, is the only Australian marsupial completely Diurne. It passes the essence of its time of day before in the search of food, going, stopping and setting out again, reniflant the ground with the research of the not very deep underground galleries of termites. When it located some, it is squatted on its back legs and quickly digs the ground with its forefeet provided with robust claws. It recovers then the termites with its narrow language which it introduces into the galleries. It can eat between 10.000 and 20.000 termites per day.

Social behavior

The myrmécobie remains solitary most of the year, each individual occupying a territory which can reach 150 hectares. During the most cold months, male and female can share the same field, but they seldom together are observed. It uses hollow stocks as shelter and refuge all the year, even if it spends the night during the most cold months in burrows which it digs. The burrows and certain shelters contain a nest containing sheets, graminaceous and barks. In summer, the myrmécobie takes the sun on stocks. The female low puts four small between January and May, which stick to its nipples because it does not have a Marsupium. It deposits them in a burrow in July or April, nursing them during the night. As of October, the young people are with half of their growth and consume already termites while remaining in the field of their parents. They disperse at the beginning of the summer (December).

Future

The myrmécobie was formerly widespread in the south and the center of Australia, of the west coasts at the steppe zone of the west of the News-Wales-of-South. He does not live any more from now on but in some forests of Eucalyptus and the wooded areas of the south-west of Western Australia. Its rarefaction must mainly with the destruction of its habitat for the agricultural needs and with the predation of the Renard S. In spite of the fact that the essence of their current habitat is not likely any more to be deforested, the populations which remain are so reduced that the species is regarded as vulnerable.

External bonds

Photographs

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