Scientific name:
Phascogalinae

Natural spread:
Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea

the multiplicity of the small Raubbeutler is summarized in the subfamily of the bag-mice. they are mouse - until rat-big and lives mainly predatorily. The muzzle is pointed. The ears are small or moderate-sized and almost bare or only very thinly hairy. The bag can be missing, or it is frequent fully trained only during the reproductive-time. The big-toe doesn't carry any claw and wasted away or is missing completely. Because of its low size and the secret way of life, the observation of these animals is difficult. Until now, there are only few reports over its life in freedom. The subfamily of the bag-mice includes 9 quite different types with 39 types.

System, types The width-foot-bag-mice (type Antechinus) are Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea spread with 11 types over whole. they have a head-torso-length between 7 and 17 cm. The 6-14 cm long tail is shortly hairy and seems almost bare. A bag can have developed differently well or is missing completely. The short, wide feet carry sharp claws and can be turned at the side with the mountaineering to the back. So, the animals move fast and certainly, also with the head downward, on rocks and trees. they live above all from insects, also eats meat gladly, however.

The most frequent type is the Gelbfüßige width-foot-bag-mouse (Antechinus flavipes). it almost occurs on the whole Australian mainland, particularly in the rain and hard-foliage-forests. In crevices, Erdhöhlen or branch-holes, they build themselves foliage-nests where they are sure before its enemies. After a Tragzeit of approximately one month, it was born 10-12 kids. they arose with one year. The smallest type of the type is the dwarf-width-foot-bag-mouse (Antechinus maculatus) with approximately 7 cm of length. The pointed head, the small ears and the thin tail give you deep affinity with a shrew. The Swainson-Breitfuß-Beutelmaus (Antechinus swainsoni) lives preferentially in cool-moist habitats, in the mountains or near waters. The dun or black fur of these animals therefore is especially dense and long. A showy face-drawing shows the eye-stain-width-foot-bag-mouse (Antechinus bellus). Over and under each eye, a light stain clearly ever takes off from the otherwise brightly light reddish brown fur-color. Fat-storage in the fore tail-half positions the fat-tail-width-foot-bag-mouse (Antechinus macdonnellensis). With good nutrition, the tail is kolbig thickened there. Step food-lack one, so the animal can live off these reserves.

The smallest living marsupial-type belongs to the type of the flat-head-bag-mice (plan-y-ale). The dwarf-flat-head-bag-mouse (plan-y-ale subtilissima) is only 4,5 cm long and weighs approximately 5 g. it belongs to the bedrohtesten types of animal together with the southern flat-head-bag-mouse (plan-y-ale tenuirostris) and is subject to the regulations of the Washingtoner Artenschutzübereinkommens. Foxes, who were abandoned by the Europeans, and neglected cats follow them very strongly. The flat-head-bag-mice owe its name to the unusually flat skull. A skull-height of 3-5 is even for animals, who measure only between 4,5 and 10 cm in the length, mm extremely few. The flat head probably is a special adaptation to the around-slip in narrow splits and between strong, dry grass-tufts. they are pure ground-inhabitants and eat insects mainly. they can consume more than its own weight from it on the day. its way of life is largely unknown.

The brush-tail-bag-mice (type Phascogale) have severe similarity with croissant-good animals. However, its ferocity and its sharp denture mark it as carnivores. They got its name after the long tail, that is busy bushy at its rear half with long, black hair. With arousal, they resist and give it the look of a bottle-brush, in silence against it is to be done it like with a brush. The big brush-tail-bag-mouse (Phascogale tapoatafa) is the biggest bag-mouse-type with a total-length of approximately 46 cm. Pinselschwanzbeutler have similarity with martens in its way of life. They spend the day in nests, that they frequently build in tree-caves. At night, they go on food-search.

The New Guinea-bag-mice (type Murexia) and the strip-bag-mice (type Phascolosorex) live on New Guinea and the offshore islands with two types each. They are in the look and in the way of life as far as it is known until now, the brush-tail-bag-mice quite similar.

In the deserts and semi-squandering central, south, and Westaustraliens live rat-similar bag-mice. they belong to the comb-tail-bag-mice (type Dasycercus). The tail is thickened at the root and serves as fat-storage. On its end, it carries an upright hair-line, that gave the name to the animals. Oberseits gray or brown colored, they adapt themselves well to the surroundings. Mulgaras, as they are called in its home, are Tagtiere. During the hottest time of day, however, they remain in its Erdhöhlen. Mainly in the morning and in the late afternoon, they go to the hunt. Mice are its main-loot, but occasionally they attack also rats. Although even only 13-15 cm long, they are carnivores of remarkable ferocity and aggressiveness. Fearlessly they attack its loot and kill it through bite fast as lightning.

Two raised hair-notes oberseits and unterseits on the tail-end gives the doubles-comb-bag-mice (type Dasyuroides) its name. they are similar for the comb-tail-bag-mice. Also they are inhabitants of the deserts and semi-deserts of Australia. As ground-inhabitants, they usually have its hiding places in Erdhöhlen.

Also, the narrow-foot-bag-mice (type Sminthopsis) with 12 types live in the deserts, semi-deserts and bush-steppes. they are mouse - until rat-big, slim and spitzschnäuzig. The reaches, narrow rear-feet, to which they owe its German name, attract attention particularly. The tail can be quite long and serves some types as fat-storage. These marsupials live mainly from insects, however, also small mammals, particularly mice, attack. During the day, they sleep in Erdhöhlen or other hiding places, at night, they go at loot-catch. Some types can become addicted into a stiffness, that helps them, to the sleep or with food-lack to save valuable energy. The long-tail-narrow-foot-bag-mouse (Sminthopsis longicaudata) is threatened by the extinction and falls under the regulations of the Washingtoner Artenschutzübereinkommens. Foxes and neglected cats are the most severe danger for it.

The Springbeutelmäuse (type Antechinomys) remind very much of African or Asian Springmäuse in its look. its disjointed movements are so fast that one can hardly follow them with the eyes. The long tail carries a black Endquaste. One assumed long time that jumps itself these animals like small kangaroos on two legs, moves. First exact evaluations of film-receptions and new examinations of the footprints yielded in most recent time that they move in a type Galopp on 4 legs. The tail is used as Balancierorgan and taxes on that occasion. In order to only be able to overlook a bigger terrain to its security, they straighten up steeply and support itself with the tail on that occasion. The eastern Springbeutelmaus (Antechinomys laniger) also is on the list of the bedrohtesten types of animal of the Washingtoner Artenschutzübereinkommens. Introduced placenta-animals like foxes and neglected house-cats are a much more severe danger than the native carnivores also for it.