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The golden bandicoot (''Isoodon auratus'') is a short-nosed bandicoot found in northern Australia. It is the smallest of its genus . The golden bandicoot is now a threatened species. It was once found throughout much of northwestern Australia, with even a patch on the New South Wales/South Australia border,〔Ellis, M., Wilson, P. and Hamilton, S. (1991). The Golden Bandicoot, Isoodon auratus Ramsay 1887, in western New South Wales during European times. Australian Zoologist. 27:36-37.〕 but it is now restricted to the Kimberley region of Western Australia, and to Augustus, Barrow and Middle Islands off of Western Australia (''I. auratus barrowensis'') and Marchinbar Island of Northern Territory. It is distinguished from the brown bandicoots by its golden colouring and much smaller size.〔 It averages about 35 cm (or 14 in.) in length from head to tail and weighs between 260-655g (or 9-23 oz) with an average of 310 g (11 oz).〔()〕〔()〕〔Survey guidelines for Australia's threatened mammals PDF from www.environment.gov.au › EPBC Act › Publications and resources〕 It is the smallest of the short-nosed bandicoots with a golden color back, hence the name, finely streaked with black fur. The sides and face are a faded light rust color, and the underbelly is pale amber. The feet are the same color as the underbelly and have sharp claws. The species was first described in 1897 from a specimen collected near Derby, Western Australia.〔Palmer, Carol, R. Taylor, and Andrew A. Burbidge. Recovery Plan for the Golden Bandicoot Isoodon Auratus and Golden-backed Tree-rat Mesembriomys Macrurus, 2004-2009. Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment, 2003.〕 As with most bandicoots, the golden bandicoot has a rather long, flat, pointy nose. It is an omnivore, consuming succulents, insects, plant bulbs, and small reptiles. The golden bandicoot is nocturnal, foraging at night by digging small holes in the ground to find food.〔 The largest golden bandicoot population lives on Barrow Island because no cats or foxes have been introduced to the island,〔 and other populations exist on Middle, Marchinbar, Augustus Islands.〔 Small populations on mainland Australia are located in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.〔 The golden bandicoot once lived all throughout Central Australia, but by 1992 it had been reduced to a small area in northwest Kimberly and Arnhem Land.〔()〕 In 2000, it was assumed that the species was extinct on the mainland.〔 Birds are the main threat to the species, and bandicoots must compete with rabbits for resources.〔 ==Taxonomy== Recent genetic evidence suggests that the not only is the golden bandicoot (''I. auratus'') closely related to the southern brown bandicoot (''I. obesulus''), but that they may in fact be the same species.〔〔River, South Alligator. "GOLDEN BANDICOOT Isoodon auratus." PDF from ()〕 Mitochondrial DNA evidence suggests that these two species ought to be grouped into one species with 3 distinct subspecies, ''I. obesulus obesulus'', ''I. o. peninsulae'', and ''I. o. fusciventer''. ''I. auratus'' would be included in the ''I. o. fusciventer'' subspecies,〔Zenger, Kyall R., Mark DB Eldridge, and Peter G. Johnston. "Phylogenetics, population structure and genetic diversity of the endangered southern brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus) in south-eastern Australia." Conservation Genetics 6.2 (2005): 193-204〕 but these changes have yet to be accepted. These two appear to have been allopatric ever since the Pleistocene, long before the arrival of Europeans.〔 The golden bandicoot is also superficially similar to the relatively common northern brown bandicoot (''I. macrourus''), but it can be distinguished by its smaller size, the shape of its hairs, and its more elongated head.〔 In the current classification, three subspecies are recognized: ''I.a. auratus'', ''I.a. arnhemensis'', and ''I.a. barrowensis''.〔〔〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Golden bandicoot」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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