Description:

The short-faced vampire dunnart (Thylacovampirius breviarostrum) is a nocturnal, blood-sucking marsupial native to the Australian continent. These odd marsupials are descendants of the fat-tailed dunnart (Smithopsis crassicaudata), a dasyurid that is widespread throughout the continent in the Holocene. These small marsupials survived the Holocene-Anthropocene mass extinction event because they are generalist insectivores. The introduction of cats and foxes did cause the dunnart population to experience an intense bottleneck, but they quickly rebounded. In the Novicene, the descendants of the fat-tailed dunnart are widespread, inhabiting every habitat on the continent. They, however, remained relatively unchanged compared to other marsupials on the continent. In contrast, the vampire dunnarts became one of the few mammals on the planet to feed on blood as a food source. This trait co-evolved along with the rise of new groups of megafauna colonizing Australia. During this time, they evolved several traits to drink the blood of large megafauna. Their coloration, which is dark brown, helps them blend into the bush of the plain. They also kept their minuscule size, which allows them to sneak up on large megafauna unnoticed. They are approximately 7 to 10 centimeters in length, from head to tail. These tiny marsupials also weigh about 9 to 14 grams. They live about 5 years in the wild but can live 9 years in captivity.

Distribution:

These tiny mammals inhabit the vast majority of the Great Australian Plain, the Great Australian Red Desert, and surrounding areas. They are found wherever there is large mammalian and avian life, following these animals to acquire food.

Diet and Feeding:

As previously mentioned, these animals primarily feed on the blood of mammals. They, however, eat small insects, seeds, and fruits to supplement their diet. 70% to 75% of their diet consists of blood. They have a specialized metabolism to deal with the high protein content of blood. Unlike many other mammals, they can break down proteins and amino acids to use in cellular respiration by oxidizing them. This metabolism also processes specific proteins and amino acids from insects for use in cellular respiration. They also have kidneys that are adapted to flush out excess iron from the blood they consume. They also have a strong immune system and a high body temperature ( 37 to 38 degrees Celsius) to kill blood-borne viruses. This often results in them carrying various viruses, but being asymptomatic. These adaptations allow them to feed on blood despite the issues. Unlike most bloodsucking animals, these animals are fully terrestrial and unable to fly. So, they have to stalk their prey to feed on them. They usually wait until the large mammal is resting. Once they are resting, they will quickly rush to them and start to make a tiny cut with their two sharp incisors. Their saliva contains a painkiller and numbing agent that masks the pain of the initial cut. It also contains an anticoagulant that stops blood from clotting after the cut. Once the blood is flowing, the dunnart will lap it up with its tongue. If uninterrupted, they drink their body weight in blood. Once they are done drinking, they will run away to hide in the surrounding brush.

Social Behavior and Reproduction:

Unlike lots of marsupials, these animals are relatively social. They live in massive colonies underground. These colonies can contain over 100 individuals. These animals are fairly altruistic with other members of their colony. Many dunnarts will feed the other members of the colony, even if they aren't directly related to each other. They usually breed within the colony, but some will leave to form colonies or join another one. Once a female dunnart gives birth, she will care for the children in a burrow until they reach maturity. Often, other dunnarts will feed her blood they drank by regurgitating it while she is raising the baby.