The dasyurid marsupial genus Pseudantechinus comprises five currently recognised species: Ps. bilarni, macdonnellensis, mimulus, ningbing and woolleyae. The status of another species (Ps. roryi) erected by Cooper et al. (2000) has been questioned by Westerman et al. (2008) on the basis of DNA sequence data. To resolve this question we have extended the molecular study to include animals from a greater part of the species’ range as well as the holotypes of ‘macdonnellensis’ and ‘roryi’ sensu Cooper et al. (2000). We include DNA from both mitochondrial (mitDNA) and nuclear (nDNA) genes but can find no molecular evidence for the continued recognition of ‘roryi’ as a separate species within Pseudantechinus. Patterns of genetic variability in other species of Pseudantechinus will be discussed.
Cooper, N.K., Adams, M and Aplin, K.P. (2000). A new species of false antechinus (Marsupialia: Dasyuromorphia: Dasyuridae) from the Pilbara region, Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum 20: 115-136.
Westerman, M., Young, J., and Krajewski, C. (2008). Molecular relationships of species of Pseudantechinus, Parantechinus and Dasykaluta (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae). Australian Mammalogy 29: 201-212.