Our new study examined hundreds of historical and modern specimens from museum collections around the world. The findings have led to the recognition of two additional species and several new subspecies within the genus Isoodon, commonly known as short-nosed or brown bandicoots.

The study is published in the Australian Journal of Taxonomy.

What you need to know about bandicoots

Bandicoots are rabbit-sized marsupials found in Australia and New Guinea. They are distinguishable by their long, pointed snouts, large back legs and short tails. They gather food by digging with their front paws.

Most are omnivores, feeding on fungi, roots, insects and other small invertebrates. There are more than 20 living species of bandicoots, but in Australia, since European colonization, several species have gone extinct.

The short-nosed or brown bandicoots are in the genus Isoodon. Until now, five living species were known in Australia and New Guinea.

While some species remain widespread, others have suffered severe declines due to habitat loss, changing fire patterns and introduced predators. These include the golden bandicoot and the southern brown bandicoot, previously listed as vulnerable or endangered.