Black dorcopsis | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Infraclass: | Marsupialia |
Order: | Diprotodontia |
Family: | Macropodidae |
Genus: | Dorcopsis |
Species: | D. atrata |
Binomial name | |
Dorcopsis atrata Van Deusen, 1957 [2] | |
Black dorcopsis range |
The black dorcopsis or black forest wallaby (Dorcopsis atrata) is a species of marsupial in the family Macropodidae. It is endemic to Goodenough Island at the eastern end of New Guinea where its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. [1] It is threatened by habitat loss and hunting, its population is declining and the IUCN lists it as being "Critically endangered".
The black dorcopsis has black upper parts and dark brown underparts. It has a long muzzle, a naked snout, small rounded ears and a tail which lacks hair on its hind half. Its fore limbs are robust but its hind limbs and feet are relatively small. Adults reach a length of between 29 and 39 inches (74 and 99 cm) with a tail of 11 to 16 inches (28 to 41 cm) and weigh around 2 kilograms (4.4 lb). [3]
The black dorcopsis is believed to be mainly nocturnal but may move around during the day in dense forest. It feeds on shoots, leaves, grasses, fruit and roots which it gathers with its mouth and manipulates with its fore paws. A young black dorcopsis develops in its mother's pouch. There are four nipples in the pouch despite the fact that there is normally only a single juvenile developing there at any one time. [3]
The black dorcopsis is known from a single location, Goodenough Island at the eastern end of Papua New Guinea where it has a total extent of occurrence of less than 100 square kilometres (39 sq mi). [1] It spends most of the year in oak forests at altitudes of between 1,000 and 1,800 metres (3,300 and 5,900 ft) where there is little undergrowth but the ground is carpeted with mosses, lichens and ferns. It descends seasonally to gullies and lower ground at which time it is vulnerable to being hunted. The montane forest is being degraded using slash and burn techniques and is eventually being converted into grassland. Although the black dorcopsis is common in suitable habitat, the overall population is declining and the IUCN lists its conservation status as being "Critically endangered". [1]
A wallaby is a small or middle-sized macropod native to Australia and New Guinea, with introduced populations in New Zealand, Hawaii, the United Kingdom and other countries. They belong to the same taxonomic family as kangaroos and sometimes the same genus, but kangaroos are specifically categorised into the four largest species of the family. The term "wallaby" is an informal designation generally used for any macropod that is smaller than a kangaroo or a wallaroo that has not been designated otherwise.
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The ursine tree-kangaroo is a long-tailed, furry, bear-like mammal found only in tropical forests on the island of New Guinea. Slightly larger than a cat, it lives alone in trees and is active at night to feed on leaves and fruit. It belongs to the macropod family (Macropodidae) with kangaroos, and carries its young in a pouch like other marsupials. It has a small range in northwestern New Guinea and is threatened by habitat loss and hunting. Other common names for this species include the black tree-kangaroo, the Vogelkop tree-kangaroo and the white-throated tree-kangaroo.
The white-striped dorcopsis or greater forest wallaby is a species of marsupial in the family Macropodidae. It is found in the northern part of Western New Guinea, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. It is a common species in suitable tropical forest habitat and the IUCN lists its conservation status as being of "Least concern".
The gray dorcopsis or gray forest wallaby is a species of marsupial in the family Macropodidae. It is found in West Papua and Papua New Guinea.
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The black-spotted cuscus is a species of marsupial in the family Phalangeridae. It is among the largest members of the family, only being surpassed by the bear cuscus. It is a relatively colourful species found in forests of northern New Guinea. It is threatened by hunting and habitat loss, and has already disappeared from large parts of its range. Consequently, it is rated as Critically Endangered by IUCN.
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