About Antechinus agilis Dickman, Parnaby, Crowther & King, 1998
The agile antechinus (Antechinus agilis) is nearly indistinguishable from the brown antechinus, differing only in being slightly smaller and having fur with a more greyish tinge. It feeds mostly on invertebrates, including beetles, spiders, and cockroaches, but may also eat small lizards and soft berries. The species is known to enter torpor when facing food shortages. Like all antechinuses, the agile antechinus has a short, intense breeding season, after which all males die. Females give birth after a 27-day gestation, and groups of up to 20 individuals have been recorded nesting together. This species inhabits wet or moist forest in the southeastern corner of Australia. It is widely abundant, though populations have declined in some areas due to forest clearing, establishment of plantations, harvesting, controlled burning, and the introduction of cats and red foxes. Despite these threats, there is no indication the species is currently threatened.
