Spotted cuscus
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Spotted cuscus |
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| JE Gray , 1861 |
The spotted cuscus ( Spilocuscus ) are a genus of marsupial mammals from the climbing bag family (Phalangeridae). The best known of the six species is the spotted cuscus ( Spilocuscus maculatus ).
Like most climbing baggers, spotted cuscus are rather clumsy animals. Their dense, woolly fur is colored white and has reddish-gray spots. The small heads have round, inconspicuous ears and large eyes. Spotted cuscus reach a head body length of 34 to 64 centimeters, the tail is 32 to 59 centimeters long and their weight is 2 to 7 kilograms.
Spotted cuscus live in rainforests and other forests in New Guinea and its offshore islands as well as on the Cape York Peninsula of Australia . They are nocturnal tree dwellers who are characterized by slow movements. Their diet consists of fruits, flowers and leaves.
There are six types:
- The actual spotted cuscus ( Spilocuscus maculatus ) lives in New Guinea and the southern Moluccas.
- The Manus spotted cuscus ( Spilocuscus kraemeri ) is endemic to the Admiralty Islands north of New Guinea.
- The Cape York spotted cuscus ( Spilocuscus nudicaudatus ) lives only on the Northeast Australian Cape York Peninsula .
- The Waigeo spotted cuscus ( Spilocuscus papuensis ) only lives on the island of Waigeo off the west coast of New Guinea.
- The black spot spotted cuscus ( Spilocuscus rufoniger ) is native to northern New Guinea.
- The blue-eyed spotted cuscus ( Spilocuscus wilsoni ) only lives on the islands of Biak and Supiori in the Cenderawasih Bay
In the past, the spotted cuscus were classified in the genus Phalanger , but this is considered obsolete in most classifications.
literature
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World . Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9
supporting documents
- ↑ Kristofer Helgen & Stephen Jackson: Family Phalangeridae (Cuscuses, Brush-tailed Possums and Scaly-tailed Possum). Pages 494-497 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
