Why do Australian marsupials look like rats?

One animal that is sometimes seen and mistaken for a rat is in fact a small carnivorous marsupial - the antechinus. While there are several species of antechinus in Australia, they share several traits in common, which, taken together, can set them apart from rodents such as rats and mice. These include:. read more

Rats have evolved to fill a wide variety of niches, but as they are a fairly recently evolved group and started off as generalists, their form is basic. Gnawing teeth, bulbous eyes, whiskers, long tail, small paws, claws. read more