Dorcopsis

Grey bush kangaroo ( Dorcopsis luctuosa )

  • Dorcopsis Schlegel & Müller, 1842
  • Dorcopsulus Matschie, 1916

The bush kangaroos belong to the family of kangaroos. The six types, which are divided in two genera ( Dorcopsis and Dorcopsulus ), live in New Guinea.

General

Bush kangaroo reach a body length of 35 to 80 cm and a weight of 2-7 kg. The nose is broad and hairless, the ears are round. The front legs are longer than most kangaroo species, their body is not very well suited for hopping locomotion. Busch Kangaroos take evolutionarily an intermediate position between the ground-living, bouncing kangaroos and the arboreal tree kangaroos.

These animals are rainforest dwellers. They are mainly active at night, in thick bushes they are sometimes found even during the day. The food of the bush kangaroo consists of grasses, roots, leaves and fruits. About her procreation little is known. In most aspects, it is expected to match with the other kangaroos.

Bush kangaroos suffering from hunting and the destruction of their habitat.

System

The two genera Dorcopsis and Dorcopsulus are closely related and form a ( unnamed ) species group, sometimes second consists, is placed in the former. The differences lie in the fact that the two species of the genus Dorcopsulus are hairy smaller and denser, and a larger part of the tail is hairless.

We distinguish six types:

  • The Goodenough - or black bush kangaroo ( Dorcopsis atrata ) lives only on the Goodenough Island south of New Guinea. Because of its small distribution area it is considered threatened with extinction.
  • The White Stripes bush kangaroo ( Dorcopsis hageni ) is located in northern New Guinea.
  • The gray bush kangaroo ( Dorcopsis luctuosa ) is located in southeastern Guinea.
  • The Brown bush kangaroo ( Dorcopsis muelleri ) inhabited the western New Guinea and offshore islands.
  • The Papua bush kangaroo ( Dorcopsulus macleayi ) is widespread in South East New Guinea.
  • The Small bush kangaroo ( Dorcopsulus vanheurni ) lives in the mountainous regions in the central part of New Guinea.
Australidelphia Diprotodontia Hermann Schlegel
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