Isoodon fusciventer Gray, 1841

Taxonomy and Basic Appearance

Quenda (scientific name Isoodon fusciventer Gray, 1841) are small marsupials with a long, pointed muzzle. They are typically stockily built, with short limbs and a short neck.

Size Measurements

Their head and body length ranges from 40 to 50 cm (16 to 20 in), their tail is around 13 cm (5.1 in) long, and their weight is between 1.2 and 1.85 kg (2.65 to 4.08 lb).

Dentition

Their teeth are small, relatively uniform in size, and pointed, matching the typical tooth structure of insectivores.

Digging Adaptations

As a bandicoot, this species has a body built primarily for digging in soil to get invertebrate food. Its elongated muzzle and strong front claws are used to probe crevices, root through soil, and dig.

Primary Habitat Characteristics

Their habitat consists of scrubby, often swampy vegetation with dense cover up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) high.

Foraging Areas

They often forage in adjacent regularly burned forest and woodland, as well as in pasture and cropland areas located close to dense cover.

Forest Habitat Associations

Populations living in Jarrah and Wandoo forests are usually associated with watercourses.

Open Habitat Survival

Quenda can successfully survive in more open habitats when control measures for introduced predators are in place.

Swan Coastal Plain Distribution

On the Swan Coastal Plain, quenda are often found associated with wetlands.