ash vs Cinnamon antechinus

Fraxinus excelsior compared with Antechinus leo

Key Differences

  • ash is Vulnerable while Cinnamon antechinus is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank ash Cinnamon antechinus
Kingdom Plantae (Plants) Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants) Chordata (Chordates)
Class Magnoliopsida (Dicots) Mammalia (Mammals)
Order Lamiales (Lamiales) Dasyuromorphia (Dasyuromorphia)
Family Oleaceae Dasyuridae
Genus Fraxinus Antechinus
Species Fraxinus excelsior Antechinus leo

Conservation Status

ash

VU — Vulnerable

Cinnamon antechinus

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute ash Cinnamon antechinus
Diet
Average Lifespan
Average Length
Average Weight

Habitat & Geographic Range

ash

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, tundra, and tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the Australasia and Oceanian and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Libya), Europe (7 countries), North America (Canada, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia, New Zealand), and South America (Chile). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Cinnamon antechinus

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

ash

Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) is a species in the genus Fraxinus. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, tundra, and tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the Australasia and Oceanian and Palearctic realms. Pop

Cinnamon antechinus

The cinnamon antechinus (Antechinus leo) is a small marsupial in the family Dasyuridae, endemic to northeastern Queensland, Australia, particularly the Cape York Peninsula. It inhabits tropical and subtropical rainforest and forest margins at low elevations, sheltering in tree hollows, dense vine tangles, and fallen logs. Like all antechinuses, it is a specialist insectivore, consuming beetles, cockroaches, moths, and other invertebrates, and occasionally small lizards. The cinnamon antechinus is named for its rich cinnamon-brown dorsal fur. A remarkable feature shared by all antechinus species is semelparous reproduction: males undergo a catastrophic physiological decline and die shortly after a brief, intense mating season in winter, leaving only the pregnant females to carry the population into the next generation. This extreme reproductive strategy results in completely male-free populations for most of the year. The species is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with populations within Cape York's relatively intact tropical forest. However, like all antechinuses, it faces threats from feral predators (cats and foxes), habitat degradation, and altered fire regimes. Climate change poses a long-term risk by shrinking the cool, moist forest habitats this species depends on. Genetic studies of Australian antechinuses have revealed considerable cryptic diversity.

Nature FYI Family

Explore more of the natural world across our sister sites.

Part of the Nature FYI family — FYIPedia