Morphological studies and cladistic analysis will determine the characters that form clear generic divisions. The robustness of each genus will also be tested as many are currently systematically unresolved. New species will be described, interactive keys to the world species will be produced and the biogeographical relationships of the family and its evolutionary history examined. Lindenmayer Sexual selection and population genetics in Antechinus agilis Mating behaviour and life history of Antechinus create an ideal opportunity to study sexual selection. All the males die after the two-week breeding period, females store sperm for two weeks and lekking has been suggested.
Males can be twice the size of females, suggesting selection for bigger males.
Questions such as, are females mating with more than one male during oestrus and do bigger males sire more offspring, have due to their nocturnal behaviour and limited molecular techniques, not been addressed before. I used microsatellites to answers these questions in a field population of Antechinus, as well as studying their dispersal behaviour in two types of forest. Disclaimer and Copyright Information.