BioQuakes

AP Biology class blog for discussing current research in Biology

Tag: marsupials

Recently discovered mammal suffers from parenthood…

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On February 27, 2014

In Student Post

For a recently discovered species of marsupials, the Black-tailed Antechinus, it seems that parenthood is the highest cause of death. The Black-tailed Antechinus was discovered in Queensland’s Springbrook National Park, Australia by Dr. Andrew Baker. He laid 300 traps of oats and peanut-butter to catch the marsupial. After putting the marsupials through a multitude of tests they found that all the males died after mating. The stress hormone levels in the males, post mating, would steadily increase until eventually the males bodies would simply shut down. In this species of marsupials the males never live to see their young be born.

New Species Discovered in a Famously Sexual Animal Family

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On February 27, 2014

In Student Post

The Antechinus family of rodents has one of the most peculiar sex lives in the animal kingdom, and just recently another species was discovered. These small  dasyurid marsupial are carnivores who live in Australia and New Guinea. The most extraordinary aspect of the Antechinus family is their sexual cycle. Most males live only long enough to breed, being born in November and reaching sexual maturity around August of the following year. By the time the males are old enough, they cease to function except for the sole purpose of finding a mate. The shrews stop eating and sleeping and begin to shut down bodily functions deemed ‘unnecessary’ so as to save energy for finding a mate and passing on genetic material. This ‘sacrifice’ of bodily functions goes so far as to shut down the immune system and strips the body of vital proteins. As a result of these sacrifices, the males do not long outlive their first sexual experience, which can last about 12 hours. The females live slightly longer, lasting the entire mating season and storing all of the semen within their bodies until ovulation at the end of the season, producing liters with children from various fathers. Although some females manage to survive up to 3 seasons, most die after their first litter.

A relative of the new species from the genus Antechinus

The new species, the black-tailed antechinus, was previously thought to be part of the dusky antechinuses species which is significant in that males are larger and commonly live for multiple mating seasons. It is unknown at this point whether the black-tailed antechinus shares that advantage or if the males simply die after their first season like most of the members of their genus. Other than their peculiar mating habits, the fact that a previously unknown species was discovered in Australia is remarkable, because new mammal species are extremely rare. However finds such as this of new species demonstrate how many new and interesting species of mammals and other organisms may still be out there.

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