Previously, scientists considered Antechinomys laniger \u2014 referring only to the kultarr \u2014 as the sole species under the genus Antechinomys.<\/p>\n
But in 2023, a genetic study<\/a> reclassified another marsupial, the long-tailed dunnart (previously Sminthopsis longicaudata), as a second species under Antechinomys (A.\u2009 longicaudatus). The study also showed genetic differences between some kultarr specimens.<\/p>\n Building on that study, researchers examined kultarr specimens collected in museums in Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth over the past century. Genetic analysis of the tissue samples along with the specimens\u2019 body measurements confirmed that the kultarr, A. laniger, was actually three separate species.<\/p>\n \u201cThe three species of kultarr live in different regions of Australia and have different habitat preferences,\u201d Cameron Dodd, study\u2019s lead author from the University of Western Australia, told Mongabay by email. \u201cIdentifying them as different species will allow for more targeted conservation approaches that best suit the unique biology of each species, rather than a \u2018one-size-fits-all\u2019 approach which might not be optimal for any of the species.\u201d<\/p>\n The eastern kultarr (A. laniger) is the smallest of the three species, with an average body length around 7.5 centimeters (3 inches). It is darker, has smaller ears and a less elongated snout as well. The eastern kultarr is found in parts of central New South Wales and southern Queensland.<\/p>\n The gibber kultarr (A. spenceri) is the largest and stockiest among the three, with an average body length of 9 cm (3.5 in). It has a bigger head and thicker, longer legs than the others. It inhabits the stony deserts of the \u201cgibber plains<\/a>\u201d in southwest Queensland and northeast South Australia.<\/p>\n The long-eared kultarr (A. auritus) is sized between the other two but has the largest ear-to-head ratio of all kultarrs. It lives in the sandy deserts of central and western Australia.<\/p>\n