Dibbler
Parantechinus apicalis
States and territories: Western Australia.
Regions: Currently in mainland south-western Western Australia this species is only known between Fitzgerald River National Park and Torndirrup National Park in south-western Western Australia, with the only known natural mainland population in Fitzgerald River National Park (Woolley 2008). It also occurs on Boullanger and Whitlock Islands (Jurien Bay) and has been recently successfully introduced to Escape Island (Woolley 2008). Formerly this species was more widespread, occurring from the Moore River region to King George Sound.
Habitat: Old-growth mallee heath on mainland Western Australia, and low heath on islands.
Habit: Ground-dwelling.
Avg. body weight: Body ranges from 60 to 125 g in males and 40 to 73 g in females, with island individuals being much smaller (Woolley 2008).
Activity pattern: Nocturnal.
Diet: Insectivore. Dietary generalist and opportunist (Miller et al. 2003).
Breeding: Mates in February to April, with up to eight young remaining dependent for between three and four months (Wolfe et al. 2000).
Description
The dibbler previously ranged from Shark Bay in Western Australia to Coffin Bay on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. The species’ range gradually contracted to the southern coasts of Western Australia, and by 1904 the dibbler was assumed to be extinct. However, since 1967 a number of dibblers have been recorded on the mainland at south-western Western Australia (Muir 1985), and on Boullanger and Whitlock Islands (in Jurien Bay) in 1985 (Dickman 1986; Fuller & Burbidge 1987).
Dibblers have also been successfully reintroduced to Escape Island in Western Australia (D. Moro Australian Mammal Society presentation 2003) and to several areas on the mainland including Stirling Range National Park (Woolley 2008). Eighty-eight captive born individuals were released onto Escape Island between 1998 and 2000. Four years after the initial release, fourth generation wild-bred dibblers were captured from the population. Escape Island was selected for the translocation program because it comprises similar habitat characteristics as other islands where extant populations are found. Importantly, the island does not currently support the house mouse Mus musculus which is thought to compete with and transfer diseases to dibblers (D. Moro Australian Mammal Society presentation 2003). The successful translocation has added to the conservation of this species by increasing the distribution, and therefore reducing the likelihood that all populations may be wiped out by a catastrophic event.
On the basis of previous surveys, the following survey techniques are recommended to detect the presence of the dibbler in areas up to 5 hectares in size:
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daytime searches for potentially suitable habitat resources, such as densely vegetated habitats (description of the survey technique and recommended effort is provided in Section 3.1)
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daytime searches for signs of activity, such as tracks or scats in the sandy substrates available in the coastal habitats (description of the survey technique and recommended effort is provided in Section 3.2)
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collection of predator scats, owl casts or remains in predatory bird/mammal nests/dens (description of the survey technique and recommended effort is provided in Section 3.2)
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possibly hair sampling device surveys (description of the survey technique and recommended effort is provided in Section 3.3.7), as the dibbler is included among those species known to be distinguishable from hair samples (see Table 2, Section 3.3.7)
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pitfall trap surveys conducted according to the technique and recommended effort described in Section 3.3.8
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Elliott A trapping survey using a mixture of peanut butter, sultanas and bacon for bait (description of the survey technique and recommended effort is provided in Section 3.3.9)
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consider the placement of camera traps in suitable habitat as this technique is ideal for cryptic species occurring at low densities, particularly as this species can be relatively easily separated from other sympatric species such as the house mouse.
Where the house mouse and the Boullanger Island dunnart are present on the Jurien Bay islands, two Elliott traps may need to be placed at the same trap station to increase the trapping effort.
Similar species in range
There are no similar species within (or out) of the species range. It can be readily separated from other sympatric small mammal species by its tapering hairy tail, white eye ring and grizzled appearance of the fur (Woolley 2008).
References
Bencini, R., McCulloch, M., Mills, H. and Start, A.N. 2001. Habitat and diet of the Dibbler (Parantechinus apicalis) on two islands in Jurien Bay, Western Australia. Wildlife Research 28: 465-468.
Dickman, C.R. 1986. Return of the phantom Dibbler. Australian Natural History 22: 33.
Fuller, P.J. and Burbidge, A.A. 1987. Discovery of the Dibbler Parantechinus apicalis, on islands at Jurien Bay. The Western Australian Naturalist 16: 177-181.
Miller, S., Bencini, R., Mills, H. and Moro, D. 2003. Food availability for the Dibbler (Parantechinus apicalis) on Boullanger and Whitlock Islands, WA. Wildlife Research 30: 649-654.
Mills, H. and Bencini, R. 2000. New evidence for facultative male die-off in island populations of dibblers, Parantechinus apicalis. Australian Journal of Zoology 48: 501-510.
Muir, B.J. 1985. The Dibbler (Parantechinus apicalis: Dasyuridae) found in the Fitzgerald River National Park, Western Australia. Western Australian Naturalist 16: 48-51.
Wolfe, K.M., Robertson H. and Bencini R. 2000. The mating behaviour of the Dibbler, Parantechinus apicalis, in captivity. Australian Journal of Zoology 48: 541-550.
Woolley, P.A. and Valente, A. 1982. The Dibbler, Parantechinus apicalis (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae): failure to locate populations in four regions in the south of Western Australia. Australian Mammalogy 5, 241-245.
Woolley, P.A 2008. The Dibbler Parantechinus apicalis. In ‘Mammals of Australia’ (Eds. S. Van Dyck and R. Strahan) pp. 65-66. (Reed New Holland, Sydney).
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