and red foxes. Another important feature of conservation fences are that they restrict the spread of infectious diseases among the few remaining animals. Phylogeny The eastern barred bandicoot is most closely related to the other species of bandicoot in its genus, of which only two species are still extant today. These surviving relatives are the western barred bandicoot (Perameles bougainville) and the long-nosed bandicoot (Perameles nasuta). It is also closely related to the desert bandicoot of the same genus, but this species has become extinct. There are about 20 other bandicoots in the same family, Peramelidae. They share similar features of long pointed snouts, and small ears. The bandicoots are closely related to the bilbies, which share the same order, Peramelemorphia. These are all from the infraclass Marsupialia, shared of course with other species such as koalas and kangaroos, which means they diverged from placental mammals about 100 million years ago. In popular culture The species is the basis for the popular videogame character Crash Bandicoot, and was selected from a number of Tasmanian mammals by creators Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin for its appeal and relative obscurity. References External links ARKive – images and movies of the Eastern barred bandicoot (Perameles gunnii) Parks & Wildlife Service (Tasmania) – Threatened Species – Eastern Barred Bandicoot Hamilton Community Parklands Eastern Barred Bandicoot Management Plan Conservation Volunteers Eastern Barred Bandicoot projects ABC 7.30 Report 2013 Mammals of Tasmania Mammals of Victoria (Australia) Marsupials of Australia Peramelemorphs Vulnerable fauna of Australia Mammals described in 1838 Taxa named by John Edward Gray