Planigale

Planigales
	Common planigales
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Infraclass:	Marsupialia
Order:	Dasyuromorphia
Family:	Dasyuridae
Subfamily:	Sminthopsinae
Tribe:	Planigalini; Archer, 1982
Genus:	Planigale; Troughton, 1928
Type species
	Planigale brunneus; Troughton, 1928; (= Phascogale ingrami Thomas, 1906)
Species
	P. gilesi; P. ingrami; P. kendricki; P. maculata; P. novaeguineae; P. tealei; P. tenuirostris;

The genus Planigale are small carnivorous marsupials found in Australia and New Guinea. It is the only genus in the tribe Planigalini of the subfamily Sminthopsinae. The genus has long been known to contain several cryptic species. Of the five Planigale species currently recognized, two (P. ingrami and P. maculata) are known species complexes.^[1]

The seven species currently recognized are:

Paucident planigale, Planigale gilesi
Long-tailed planigale, Planigale ingrami
Orange-headed Pilbara planigale, Planigale kendricki^[1]
Common planigale, Planigale maculata
New Guinean planigale, Planigale novaeguineae
Cracking-clay Pilbara planigale, Planigale tealei^[1]
Narrow-nosed planigale, Planigale tenuirostris

Species identification

Planigales are the smallest of all marsupials, some members of this carnivorous group weighing less than 5 grams. Being small, nocturnal and secretive, they are rarely seen; however, they are generally common in many parts of the arid interior of Western Australia. Their small size and cryptic nature make the various species difficult to tell apart, with head length and shape, body weight, footpad shape and granulation, fur colour, location, and habitat all being important aids to live identification.^[1] The Western Australian Museum has taken a series of footpad photos to aid in identification of Planigale species.^[2]