Phascogale tapoatafa (Meyer, 1793)

Body Coloration

Phascogale tapoatafa, the brush-tailed phascogale, has a grey body.

Tail Morphology

Its lower half of the tail is covered in long black hairs that can stand erect, giving the tail a bottle-brush-like appearance.

Body and Tail Length

Body length ranges from 16 to 27 cm (6.3 to 10.6 in), and the tail measures between 16 and 24 cm.

Weight and Sexual Dimorphism

Males are larger than females, growing up to 310 grams (11 oz), while females typically weigh less than 210 g.

Distribution Range

This species has a widespread but fragmented distribution across every Australian state except Tasmania.

Range Decline Causes

Due to habitat destruction and predation by red foxes and feral cats, the brush-tailed phascogale is thought to have been lost from approximately half of its former range.

Local Extinction Risk

It is considered highly vulnerable to localized extinction.

New South Wales Conservation Status

In New South Wales, it is listed as a vulnerable species on Schedule 2 of the 1995 Threatened Species Conservation Act (TSC Act).

National and Global Conservation Status

The IUCN Red List, however, classifies it as near threatened, and it holds no protected status under the EPBC Act.

Breeding Period

Breeding takes place between June and August, when females enter estrus.

Wild Male Lifespan

Almost all wild male brush-tailed phascogales die before they reach one year of age, typically from stress-related illnesses caused by the high energy expenditure of intense mating activity.

Captive Male Lifespan and Reproduction

A small number of captive males have survived to age three, but these males became reproductively non-viable after their first year.

Female Reproduction and Juvenile Development

Females nest inside tree hollows, and give birth to litters of 7 to 8 young that remain in the nest until they are 5 months old.