Bergkuskus
| Bergkuskus | ||||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Phalanger carmelitae | ||||||||||||
| Thomas , 1898 |
The mountain cuscus ( Phalanger carmelitae ) is a marsupial from the climbing family (Phalangeridae) that occurs in the New Guinea Central Mountains from the Wissel Lakes in the west to the extreme southeast, as well as on the Huon Peninsula . A distinction is made between two subspecies, Phalanger carmelitae coccygis on the Huon Peninsula and the nominate form in the rest of the distribution area.
features
The Bergkuskus reaches a head body length of 37 to 43 cm, has a 31 to 36.5 cm long prehensile tail and reaches a weight of 1.7 to 2.6 kg. The thick fur is dark, chocolate brown to blackish, sometimes also dark gray brown. The belly is white. The tubercular tail is black with a white tip. The head is medium in size with a condylobasal length of 70 to 88 mm. The muzzle is short. in the upper jaw, the anterior premolar and molars are very large. A second premolar is always present. There are three single-pointed premolars in the lower jaw. The mountain cuscus can easily be confused with the silk cuscus ( Phalanger sericeus ), which has the same distribution area. However, its tail is not covered with tubercles, the white tip of the tail is smaller or absent, a second upper premolar is missing, and there are only one or two single-pointed premolars in the lower jaw.
Habitat and way of life
The mountain cuscus occurs in undisturbed mountain forests at altitudes of 1350 to 3800 meters. It lives in large parts of its distribution area sympatric with the silk cuscus , Stein's cuscus ( Phalanger vestitus ) and the same color cuscus ( Phalanger gymnotis ). The animals are nocturnal and spend the day in tree hollows, in dense epiphytes or between the leaves of the screw trees ( pandanus ). In a year, the animals use around 10 to 20 different resting places that are on average 120 meters apart. During the night the animals spend about 40% of their time eating, about a quarter of the time they rest and the rest of the time is mainly used for locomotion. The territories of the males are about 4 ha, while those of the females are significantly smaller with 2.4 ha. The territories only minimally overlap with those of neighboring specimens. The mountain cuscus feeds mainly on leaves and fruits, with leaves making up about 80% of the diet, while 18 to 20% of the food consumed consists of fruits. The rest consists of flowers and bark. Once it was observed that a mountain cousin kept in human care killed and ate a little Lori . Among the food crops of Bergkuskus are epiphytic orchids , casuarina , Freycinetia , pandanus , Garcinia , Helicia , holly , Litsea , Podocarpus , Sphenostemon and Syzygium . Births were recorded for the months of February, April, August and September, which is interpreted to mean that the animals have no special reproductive time.
Danger
The IUCN estimates the existence of the mountain cuscus as safe ( Least Concern ). The animals have a large distribution area, are relatively common and so adaptable that they can also live in biotopes disturbed by humans.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d Kristofer Helgen & Stephen Jackson: Family Phalangeridae (Cuscuses, Brush-tailed Possums and Scaly-tailed Possum). In: Don E. Wilson , Russell A. Mittermeier : Handbook of the Mammals of the World - Volume 5. Monotremes and Marsupials. Lynx Editions, 2015, ISBN 978-84-96553-99-6 , p. 493.