Editing Common planigale (section)

{{Short description|Species of mammal}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Common planigale<ref name=MSW3>{{MSW3 Groves|pages=36}}</ref>
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Burnett, S. |author2=Dickman, C. |date=2016 |title=''Planigale maculata'' |volume=2016 |page=e.T40535A21944685 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T40535A21944685.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref>
| image = Planigale maculata - Gould.jpg
| genus = Planigale
| species = maculata
| authority = ([[John Gould|Gould]], 1851)
| range_map = Common Planigale area.png
| range_map_caption = Common planigale range
}}

The '''common planigale''' ('''''Planigale maculata'''''), also known as the '''pygmy planigale''' or '''coastal planigale''', is one of the small carnivorous [[marsupial]]s known as "[[marsupial mice]]" found in [[Australia]]. There they fill a similar [[ecological niche|niche]] to the [[insectivore]]s of other parts of the world.

The common planigale was first described by [[John Gould]] in 1851, using a specimen forwarded to England by the collector [[Frederick Strange]].<ref name="Gould1863">{{cite journal |last1=Gould |first1=John |title=Antechinus maculatus, Gould., Spotted Antechinus, [Pl. 44] |journal=The Mammals of Australia. |date=1863 |volume=1 |pages=51 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/312781}}</ref> It was originally described as ''Antechinus maculatus'', and it was retained in the genus ''[[Antechinus]]'' until [[Mike Archer (biologist)|Mike Archer]] transferred it to ''[[Planigale]]'' in his 1976 revision of the latter genus. The species' scientific name means "spotted flat-weasel".<ref name=Strahan>{{Cite book
  | last = Redhead
  | first = T. D.
  | contribution = Common Planigale
  | year = 1995
  | title = The Mammals of Australia
  | editor-last = Strahan
  | editor-first = Ronald
  | volume =
  | pages = 111–112
  | place=
  | publisher = Reed Books
  | isbn = 0-7301-0484-2
  }}</ref> 

Two subspecies are recognised:<ref name=MSW3/><ref name=Strahan/>
*''P. m. maculata'', found on mainland Australia;
*''P. m. sinualis'', found on [[Groote Eylandt]].