Cannibalism in the mainland dusky antechinus (Antechinus mimetes mimetes) during the breeding period

The carnivorous marsupial genus Antechinus is well known for exhibiting semelparity – every year, all males die after the 1–3 week breeding period. Death of males potentially presents an opportunity for cheap energy gain via cannibalism for still-living male and female antechinuses. Cannibalistic behaviour has been reported in some dasyurids, but direct observations in the wild are rare. Here, we document observations of a mainland dusky antechinus (Antechinus mimetes mimetes) eating a recently deceased conspecific during the breeding period at Point Lookout, New England National Park, New South Wales. This provides rare field-based evidence of opportunistic cannibalism in a semelparous mammal.