Rory Cooper's false antechinus (''Pseudantechinus roryi''), also known as the tan false antechinus and the tan pseudantechinus, is a recently named species of small carnivorous

marsupial Marsupials are a diverse group of mammals belonging to the infraclass Marsupialia. They are natively found in Australasia, Wallacea, and the Americas. One of marsupials' unique features is their reproductive strategy: the young are born in a r ...

which inhabits rocky outcrops in

Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...

. Nothing is known of its behaviour but it is expected that this will be similar to other members of the false antechinus genus. A study published in 2017 found no support for separation as a new species of '' Pseudantechinus'', and the name was proposed to be synonymous with the previously described ''

Pseudantechinus macdonnellensis The fat-tailed false antechinus (''Pseudantechinus macdonnellensis''), also called the fat-tailed pseudantechinus and red-eared antechinus, is a member of the order (biology), order Dasyuromorphia. It is an inhabitant of western and central Austr ...

''. Rory Cooper's false antechinus has been found from the

Pilbara The Pilbara () is a large, dry, sparsely populated regions of Western Australia, region in the north of Western Australia. It is known for its Indigenous Australians, Aboriginal people; wealth disparity; its ancient landscapes; the prevailing r ...

into the Great Sandy and Gibson Deserts. It is possible that false antechinuses found on Barrow Island also belong to this species. It differs from other members of its genus in its reddish-brown colouring; the typical colouring of a false antechinus is grey-brown. An analysis of specimens in a comparison of ''Pseudantechinus'' phylogenies, based on evidence of mitochondrial and nuclear genes, found no support for separation from the species ''

''.

References

Dasyuromorphs Mammals of Western Australia Marsupials of Australia Mammals described in 2000 {{WesternAustralia-stub