Identifying Antechinus (Dasyuridae) using vertically mounted close-up camera traps: a case study targeting Antechinus mysticus in south-east Queensland, Australia

Camera traps are a widely used detection tool in ecology, but efficacy relies on accurate species identification, which can be problematic for small mammals. Here, we utilised close-up, vertical (i.e. from above, ground-facing), white-flash camera traps for the accurate discrimination of small mammals in south-east Queensland, Australia. We showed that the little-known Antechinus mysticus could be reliably identified from congeners. When targeting small mammals, we advocate the use of close-range camera traps and adopting a standardised design to enable consistency to facilitate comparison to reference image libraries, which may be gradually compiled to ensure increased accuracy of identifications.