Potorous longipes

Long-footed potoroo – Potorous longipes – is a small marsupial found in southeastern Australia, restricted to an area around the coastal border between New South Wales and Victoria. It was discovered in 1967 when an adult male was caught in a dog trap in the forest southwest of Bonang, Victoria. It is classified as endangered. Potorous longipes is the largest species of Potorous, resembling the long-nosed Potorous tridactylus. It is a solitary nocturnal creature, feeding on fungi, vegetation and small invertebrates. It differs from the P. tridactylus in its larger feet and longer tail. Current threats to the species include predation by introduced feral cats and foxes, as well as logging within its limited range. The scientific name of the animal commonly known as the long-footed potorro is Potorous longipes. Potoroo is the common name for all of the three other species belong to the genus Potorous, Gilbert's potoroo, P. gilbertii, the broad-faced P. platyops and long-nosed P. tridactylus. Potorous longipes is the largest potoroo, and most resembles Potorous tridactylus. The species was first noticed in 1967 in the East Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. The formal description was published in 1980. Remains of the long-footed potoroo were found in a predator droppings in 1986 The long-footed potoroo is a very rare marsupial only found in Australia. A potoroo is a small type of kangaroo-like marsupial. They are about the size of a rabbit and their common name suggests, these animals have very long hind feet. These feet have long toes with very strong claws. They are the largest potoroos with males weighing up to 2.3 kg and females 1.4 kg. The entire body length is between 380–415 mm. The tail can be between 315-325mm in length while the hind foot between 103-114mm. This animal can be differentiated from other potoroos by its long back feet. Their long hind feet are the same length relative to their head. On their feet they have an extra footpad called the hallcual pad. The long-footed potoroos hop in a similar fashion to a kangaroo, yet they can use their tails to grasp objects. They have a soft dense coat with coloration of grayish brown fur that slowly fades into a lighter color on the feet and belly. The long-footed potoroo lives in a range of montane forests. It has also been found in the warmer temperate rainforest. This species lives where the soil is constantly moist. It spends its day time sleeping in a nest on the ground in a hidden, sheltered area. An essential feature of the long-footed potoroo's habitat is the dense vegetation cover that supplies protection and shelter from predators. This species was discovered less than 30 years ago so historically, it is inadequately understood. It is native to Australia and has a very restricted area where it lives. The main populations can be found in Victoria, in the Barry Mountains, which is in the northeast part of the state and in the East Gippsland located in the far east. A smaller population lives north of the Victorian border in the south east forest of New South Wales. The long-footed potoroo is very difficult to find in the wild due to its shy behavior. The National Recovery Plan states that it is unlikely that there are a few thousand individuals in the wild as of now. It might be only a few hundred long-footed potoroos but it is difficult to truly say. The long-footed potoroo normally eats up to 91% of its diet consisting of fruiting fungi that are found underground. They are known to consume up to 58 different species of fungi as part of their diet. These underground fungi are also called sporocarps or truffles. If necessary, they may also eat fruits, plant material and soil-dwelling invertebrates. The jaw of this animal has shearing premolars and molars that are rounded at the top, indicating a varied diet is consumed. The long-footed potoroo plays a part in the symbiotic relationship between the fungi (ectomycorrhizae) and the trees. The long-footed potoroo help this relationship by releasing the spores of the fruiting fungi through its fecal material. In turn this helps keep the forest healthy benefiting both the fungi and the forest. The species of fungi that are eaten in the winter and summer are similar; however, the amount of each type of fungi species varies between seasons and years. They have a sacculated forestomach in which bacterial fermentation occurs. This aids in the breakdown of fungal cell walls.