Researchers describe the kultarr as “Australia’s cutest mammal”: It’s eyes are quite large for its mouse-like head, it’s ears are perky and it has long, thin legs that allow it to run so fast that it looks like it’s hopping. A recent study has now confirmed that the insect-eating marsupial is not one, but three distinct species. Previously, scientists considered Antechinomys laniger — referring only to the kultarr — as the sole species under the genus Antechinomys. But in 2023, a genetic study reclassified another marsupial, the long-tailed dunnart (previously Sminthopsis longicaudata), as a second species under Antechinomys (A.  longicaudatus). The study also showed genetic differences between some kultarr specimens. Building on that study, researchers examined kultarr specimens collected in museums in Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth over the past century. Genetic analysis of the tissue samples along with the specimens’ body measurements confirmed that the kultarr, A. laniger, was actually three separate species. “The three species of kultarr live in different regions of Australia and have different habitat preferences,” Cameron Dodd, study’s lead author from the University of Western Australia, told Mongabay by email. “Identifying them as different species will allow for more targeted conservation approaches that best suit the unique biology of each species, rather than a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach which might not be optimal for any of the species.” The eastern kultarr (A. laniger) is the smallest of the three species, with an average body length around 7.5 centimeters (3 inches). It is darker, has smaller…This article was originally published on Mongabay

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