Actual spotted cuscus
| Actual spotted cuscus | ||||||||||||
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Actual spotted cuscus ( Spilocuscus maculatus ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Spilocuscus maculatus | ||||||||||||
| ( É. Geoffroy , 1803) |
The actual spotted cuscus ( Spilocuscus maculatus ) is a sluggish marsupial from the climbing family (Phalangeridae) that occurs in New Guinea and numerous surrounding islands. There are numerous differences between regional populations and the classification of the group needs revision . Just like the Cape York spotted cuscus ( Spilocuscus nudicaudatus ), which in the past was considered to be the real spotted cuscus, other species could be split off in the future.
features
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The head-body length is between 42 cm and 74 cm, plus a 38.5 cm to 71 cm long tail. The body weight of the adult animals is between 2.4 kg and 6.1 kg. With these dimensions, the actual spotted cuscus belongs to the medium-sized to larger species of spotted cusus. The color of the fur of the animals is just as variable as their size and weight. They can be almost monochrome whitish or have distinct orange, ginger-colored, gray or reddish spots. Animals with a dark brown or blackish saddle also appear. In western New Guinea and north of the Central Mountains, the animals are usually whitish or orange in color. Females are more monochrome whitish or orange, males more whitish with orange spots. Brownish tints are missing, a dark saddle coloration never occurs or is very rare. In southern New Guinea between the river basin of the Fly and Port Moresby , the animals are often spotted brown, the females with a cream-colored basic color, the males with a yellowish basic color. The hands and feet, the face and the distal part of the tail are often reddish brown in color. In southwestern New Guinea from the Fly to the Bomberai Peninsula , the females usually have a dark brown to blackish saddle markings and the males are spotted dark brown. The abdomen is usually cream in color, and forearms, shoulders and neck are usually reddish or orange in color. On the Moluccas, the animals are smaller and very variable in color. Most of the animals are gray, similar to the Northeast Australian Cape York spotted cuscus ( Spilocuscus nudicaudatus ). The males are often spotted, the females rather unspotted.
Occurrence
The actual spotted cuscus is widespread in New Guinea and is also found on Yapen , Mios and other islands in Cenderawasih Bay , on Walis , on the Raja Ampat islands of Misool , Salawati and Sorong , on the Aru Islands , on the southeast of New Guinea located islands of Dufaure and Samarai , as well as on the Moluccas ( Ambon , Buru , Seram , Kei Islands etc.). The actual spotted cuscus was apparently introduced by humans to Flores , Mussau ( St. Matthias Islands ), New Ireland , Selayar and Sulawesi . Animals are absent on the islands east of New Guinea, such as the Louisiade Archipelago or D'Entrecasteaux Islands .
Habitat and way of life
The actual spotted cuscus occurs in lowland rainforests, primary forests and secondary forests, in mangroves , gallery forests and eucalyptus forests up to an altitude of 1400 meters above sea level, in most cases below 1000 meters. The actual spotted cuscus is tree-dwelling and probably rather nocturnal. However, there have also been observations of animals that were active during the day. They sleep in dense foliage high in the trees, in tangled lianas, in the leaf crowns of coconut palms or in bamboo thickets. The food of the spotted cuscus includes leaves, flowers, stems, fruits and buds. Males are likely to be territorial . Females ready to mate call almost without a break at night. The call sounds like something between a hiss and a donkey's cry. After birth the young animal remains in the mother animal's pouch until it is six months old.
threat
The actual spotted cuscus is widespread, relatively common and also occurs in biotopes that have been impaired by humans. The population is likely to be stable. Young animals are often captured, raised and kept as pets by humans or eaten as bushmeat when they reach the required size.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d e 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. 496.
- ↑ Spilocuscus maculatus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2006 Posted by: T. Leary, R. Singadan, J. Menzies, K. slipway, D. Wright, A. Allison, K. Aplin, C. Dickman,, 2015. Retrieved October 1, 2018.