Planigale tenuirostris

Planigale tenuirostris NatureServe Explorer Species Reports — NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports — ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

FWS Digital Media Library — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video. Planigale tenuirostris The narrow-nosed planigale was described by Ellis Le Geyt Troughton in 1928, separating it from the common planigale (P. maculata) with which it had previously been associated. The scientific name for the species means “slender-snouted flat-weasel”

Planigales are small rodent-like marsupials no greater than 7.5 cm, and weighing less than 10 g. The narrow-nosed planigale differs from other planigales in its more rufous colouring and smaller size – only the long-tailed planigale is smaller. It is an active hunter of various invertebrates, and is known as a fearless and pugnacious predator. Its flattened head is used as a wedge to prize apart grass stems and turn over leaves in the leaf litter. It will often attack prey larger than itself.