Autecology of a new species of carnivorous marsupial, the endangered black-tailed dusky antechinus (Antechinus arktos), compared to a sympatric congener, the brown antechinus (Antechinus stuartii)

Vegetation structure and ground cover attributes describe the occurrence of a newly discovered carnivorous marsupial on the Tweed Shield Volcano caldera, the endangered black‐tailed dusky antechinus (Antechinus arktos)

“…Research indicates climate change is increasing atmospheric temperatures, in turn reducing the home ranges of many animal species, particularly those confined to montane habitats (Colloff et al, ; Gray, Baker, & Firn, ; IPCC, ). With increasing change, conservation management priorities for threatened and rare species within these habitats must be flexible and strategically tailored to meet the needs of the species in question, maximizing the chances of successful preservation (Ceballos et al, ).…”

“…Forested environments, such as the Gondwanan rainforest relics of the Tweed Shield Volcano caldera, harbor much of the endemic and endangered faunal species occurring in Australian states (Figgis, ; Scarlett et al, ). Since description of A. arktos in 2014, the species has been listed as endangered under both state and federal legislation, due to its highly fragmented, high‐altitude habitat, limited potential for distribution on the caldera, extremely low apparent abundance, and a range of threats exacerbating these problems (Baker et al, ; Gray, Baker, et al, ; Gray, Burwell, & Baker, ; Gray, Dennis, & Baker, ). However, these factors remain poorly understood and need urgent research to ensure effective conservation management (Baker et al, ; Gray, Baker, et al, ; Gray et al, ; Gray, Dennis, et al, ).…”

“…Since description of A. arktos in 2014, the species has been listed as endangered under both state and federal legislation, due to its highly fragmented, high‐altitude habitat, limited potential for distribution on the caldera, extremely low apparent abundance, and a range of threats exacerbating these problems (Baker et al, ; Gray, Baker, et al, ; Gray, Burwell, & Baker, ; Gray, Dennis, & Baker, ). However, these factors remain poorly understood and need urgent research to ensure effective conservation management (Baker et al, ; Gray, Baker, et al, ; Gray et al, ; Gray, Dennis, et al, ). Foundational studies have been conducted on the species' taxonomy by Baker et al () and reproductive biology, population dynamics, and dietary preference by Gray et al (), Gray, Baker, et al (), and Gray, Dennis, et al ().…”

“…However, these factors remain poorly understood and need urgent research to ensure effective conservation management (Baker et al, ; Gray, Baker, et al, ; Gray et al, ; Gray, Dennis, et al, ). Foundational studies have been conducted on the species' taxonomy by Baker et al () and reproductive biology, population dynamics, and dietary preference by Gray et al (), Gray, Baker, et al (), and Gray, Dennis, et al (). Information on the species' habitat use and preference represents a crucial knowledge gap.…”

“…Therefore, the present study aims to produce a fine‐scale habitat description of known A. arktos sites and relate these findings to mark–recapture information of the species (see Gray, Baker, et al, ). Antechinus arktos has apparently retracted altitudinally in recent decades and is threatened with imminent extinction under various climate change scenarios (Baker et al, ).…”