Potorous tridactylus Female Skull Replica or Long-Nosed Potoroo Skull Replica measures 3.0 inches. Potoroo Skull is museum quality polyurethane cast. 2-part skull (separate cranium & jaw). Made in USA. Cast of an original California Academy of Sciences specimen.
The Long-Nosed Potoroo (Potorous tridactylus) is a small, hopping mammal native to forests and shrubland of southeastern Australia and Tasmania.
A member of the potoroo and bettong family (Potoroidae), it lives alone and digs at night for fungi, roots, or small insects.
It is also a marsupial (like kangaroos) and carries its young in a pouch. The Long-Nosed Potoroo is threatened by habitat loss and introduced species such as cats or foxes.
Population has declined since European settlement; predation by the red fox and domestic cat, as well as the loss of suitable habitat for agriculture, are the main causes of these declines.
Populations tend to be at higher, more natural levels in Tasmania due to the historic absence of foxes.
At first glance, the Potorus tridactylus or Long-Nosed Potoroo with its pointed nose and grey-brown fur looks very much like a bandicoot, until it hops away with its front feet tucked into its chest, revealing its close relationship with the kangaroo family.
The P. tridactylus or Long-Nosed Potoroo exhibits many morphological specializations such as an elongated pointed rostral region (nose), erect ears, large eyes, claws for digging, and long robust hind legs.
It is a small marsupial, with a body length between 13 to 15 in., and a semi-prehensile tail length of 5.9–9.4 in.
The long-nosed potoroo is nocturnal, spending much of its time within the shelter of understorey vegetation.
Potorus tridactylus or Long-Nosed Potoroo uses long, slightly curved claws on its front feet to dig up its food. It is an omnivore and eats underground fruiting bodies of fungi, roots, fruit, flowers, seeds, and insects and their larvae.
Fungi are the main dietary component, and are a very important resource in the potoroo’s diet, with at least 50 species consumed depending on seasonal variation.
During the fall and winter months, potoroos primarily consume fungi and seeds, while in the spring and summer months, the amount of arthropods, plant tissue, fruits, and flowers consumed increases.
The long-nosed potoroo sniffs the ground with a side to side motion near the vicinity of food. Once the long-nosed potoroo has located a possible food source (with its sense of smell), it positions itself to begin excavating with its forepaws.
