Notes on a new method to identify Golden Bandicoot and Northern Brown Bandicoot in the Kimberley region

WA Museum Records and Supplements | Updated 1 years ago

ABSTRACT – The two species of bandicoots that occur in the Kimberley region are particularly difficult to tell apart as they have no distinctive features other than size. A new method is proposed here to identify the two species based on dental measurements, by taking an imprint of the teeth with dental impression paste. The new technique can accurately reproduce the size of the teeth and help identify the species quickly and cheaply. This method still needs to be tested on live specimens but provides an alternative to species identification using DNA analysis.