contains two families (Peramelidae and Peroryctidae) Nasenbeutler the order and is marked also as bag-badgers.
Shape The head-torso-length of these animals is between 17 and 50 cm. The hind legs are usually clearly longer than the fore ones. In this characteristic, they have severe similarity with rat-kangaroos. They got the name "Nasenbeutler" because of its long, pointed muzzle. The ears are shortly until very long. The tail can shortly or long is, smooth hair or a hair-tassel carries. There are forms beside it, whose tail almost bare and beschuppt is. Some types have short, hard, almost spiky fur, with others against it is it long and soft. The coloring of the upper side extends to gray from sallow over brown; unterseits are it colored white, sallow or gray. Some types carry dark cross-ribbons on the croup.
The 2.-4. Toe of the front-feet is long and powerfully bekrallt; the 4 are only with the Schweinsfußnasenbeutler (Chaeropus ecaudatus). Toe shortly and without claw. The 1. and 5. Front-foot-toe always is short and claw-loose. The Schweinsfußnasenbeutler lacks both completely. At the rear-feet, the metarsus of the Stachelnasenbeutler (type Echymipera) becomes more narrowly as far as to the Schweinsfußnasenbeutler (type Chaeropus) over the Neuguineanasenbeutler (type Peroryctes), the Langnasenbeutler (type Perameles) and the Kaninchennasenbeutler (type Macrotis) and stretched. The 4. Toe becomes longer and more powerfully on that occasion and finally carries the main-load of the body.
Kaninchennasenbeutlern and Schweinsfußnasenbeutlern lack the big-toe of the rear-feet completely. With the remaining, it is stunted and without nail. As is the 2 with the Zehenbeutlern (marsupials). and 3. Toe of the rear-feet small and with a common skin umwachsen. Only the two claws remain free. These "Putzkrällchen" are used for the fur-care as comb. The 5 are with most types. Rear-toe clearly more weakly than the 4.; with the Schweinsfußnasenbeutler, it only is quite small and without claw. This degeneration of the toes and the stretching in the metarsus reminds at the rear-feet of the kangaroos.
Way of life The bag-badgers are pure ground-inhabitants. One finds it in open, almost squander-good landscapes as well like in densely forested areas, in levels and in the mountains as far as in heights of 5000 m. Nasenbeutler are twilight and night-animals. During the day, they hide in burrows, myself-dug tubes and caves between tree-roots, under stones or in crevices. In wetlands, they hide in grass or brushwood-pile.
Nasenbeutler are good runners. Despite its extended hind legs, it never was observed that they jump like kangaroos. they live above all from Kerbtieren and their larvae, worms, snails and small mammals; however, they pick up also vegetable food. Some types are frequent also in populated areas as Kulturfolger. they rummage in gardens and plantations after food and exterminate considerable quantities of damaging insects and mice. Because however, they dig on that occasion and beets agitate occasionally, these useful animals are very unpopular with garden-owners. they are pursued bitter, and some types are strongly endangered despite the enacted protection-regulations in its survived. they come easily to each aggressor to the victim since they don't defend themselves also in topmost danger.
Nasenbeutler live usually individually or in pairs, rarely sociable. Opposite same-sex Artgenossen, they often are very intolerant and expel these from its surroundings.
Reproduction After a Tragzeit of 1-2 weeks, it was born 2-6 kids. they must find the way in the maternal bag alone. Is well developed its front-extremity to it and bekrallt. Some types throw off the claws soon after they reached the bag.
Enemies Nasenbeutler have many enemies. they are pursued by snakes, neglected dogs and cats and from foxes. The natives hunt it as food-animals, and many fall victim to the pure shooting-desire. The human being and its pets destroy the natural habitat of the Beutler and take its life-basis from them through it.
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