What is "antechinus"

n. Any species of the genus ''Antechinus'' of small carnivorous marsupials that resemble shrews.

Antechinus // ('ant+echinus' – resembling a mouse with the bristly fur of a hedgehog) is a genus of dasyurid marsupial that is indigenous to Australia (including Tasmania and some outlying islands) and New Guinea. The majority of Antechinus species occur in Australia and only two species (currently with a putative third) have been described in New Guinea. Members of this species have been called broad-footed marsupial mice, pouched mice, route rat or antechinus shrews. However, these common names are to be considered either regional or archaic and the modern common name for animals of this genus is 'antechinus'.

Antechinuses are small, carnivorous, shrew-like animals that primarily prey on invertebrates such as spiders, beetles (including larvae), and weevils. Some are strictly terrestrial and hunt only at ground level, while others are highly scansorial (climbing) in nature. Most species nest communally in tree-hollows.

Their habitat is primarily: temperate rainforest, dry and wet eucalypt forest, healthy woodlands (A. agilis / A. stuartii); temperate rainforest (A. swainsonii); swamps, wet heaths (A. minimus); disturbed or open woodlands, dry/wet, tropical/subtropical/temperate eucalypt forest/rainforest, healthy woodlands (A. flavipes [highly widespread]); tropical rainforest (A. godmani, A. leo); tropical/subtropical vine-forests (A. subtropicus, A. adustus); monsoonal open forest (A. bellus).

Antechinuses have short hair and vary from grey-cinnamon-brown-black in colour depending on the species. They have prominent whiskers, large ears and a pronounced, pointed snout, giving them an overall shrew-like appearance. Species vary from 80–120 mm, nose-to-tail (80 mm = female A. agilis, 120 mm = male A. swainsonii) and weight 16–170 g (16 g = female A. agilis, 170 g = male A. swainsonii) when fully grown.

Sexual dimorphism occurs in most species for both weight and skeletal measurements, with males being typically larger and heavier. A. agilis is the smallest known species, and A. swainsonii the largest. Species in Papua New Guinea are not well documented and unknown Papuan species and subspecies likely await discovery.