Cinnamon antechinus vs

Antechinus leo compared with Comatricha tenerrima

Key Differences

  • Cinnamon antechinus is Least Concern while is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank Cinnamon antechinus
Kingdom Animalia (Animals) Protozoa (protozoa)
Phylum Chordata (Chordates) Mycetozoa
Class Mammalia (Mammals) Myxomycetes (Myxomycetes)
Order Dasyuromorphia (Dasyuromorphia) Stemonitidales
Family Dasyuridae Stemonitidaceae
Genus Antechinus Comatricha
Species Antechinus leo Comatricha tenerrima

Conservation Status

Cinnamon antechinus

LC — Least Concern

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute Cinnamon antechinus
Diet
Average Lifespan
Average Length
Average Weight

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cinnamon antechinus

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Habitat

Native to Asia and Europe and South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (4 countries), and South America (Brazil).

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.

<em>Comatricha tenerrima</em> is a myxomycete belonging to the genus <em>Comatricha</em>, class Myxomycetes, order Stemonitidales. The species epithet tenerrima, meaning very delicate, likely refers to the particularly fine structure of its capillitium or sporangial walls. Like other members of the genus, <em>C. tenerrima</em> inhabits moist, decaying substrates such as rotting wood and leaf litter in forest environments, where the plasmodial feeding stage actively moves across surfaces to consume bacteria, yeasts, and organic particles. The transition to the reproductive stage results in the formation of stalked sporangia releasing spores for aerial dispersal. No geographic range information is provided in the current record. The species does not possess conventional biological traits such as body size or mass, and no quantitative data are available. <em>C. tenerrima</em> has not been assessed on the IUCN Red List.

Nature FYI Family

Explore more of the natural world across our sister sites.

Part of the Nature FYI family — FYIPedia