Phalanger

Gleichfarbkuskus ( Phalanger gymnotis )

The cuscus ( Phalanger ) are a genus of the family of climbing Beutler ( Phalangeridae ), which belongs to the marsupial order DIPROTODONTIA. It is divided into 13 kinds. The Bärenkuskus ( Ailurops ) Bodenkuskus ( Strigocuscus ) and cuscuses ( Spilocuscus ) are not taken into zoological this genus.

Dissemination

Couscous can be found in the Moluccas, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and on the Cape York Peninsula at the northern tip of Australia.

Description

Couscous are cumbersome -looking animals. Their fur is dense and woolly, it can be white, reddish, or even black. Their muzzle is short, the ears are small and almost invisible, the long tail is hairless at the end to ensure better grip. The body length is from 32 to 60 cm, the tail is just as long. You can reach a weight of one to seven kilograms.

Way of life

Couscous are tree dwellers who rarely come to the ground. With its prehensile tail and two thumbs on each hand, they are perfectly adapted to their habitat, tropical rain forests, adapted. They spend the day sleeping in tree cavities or on leaves at night they go with slow and languid movements in search of food. Couscous live solitary.

Food

Couscous feed mainly on fruits and leaves, occasionally they will also take insects and bird eggs to him.

Reproduction

After a short gestation period (often only two weeks) born one to three cubs, usually only one is suckled, although the females have four teats in her pouch. After several months, the pups leave the bag. They have a life expectancy of up to eleven years.

Threat

All species are affected by the clearing of the forests and the hunt for their meat. In the current red list of endangered species, four of the subspecies are threatened in the state of extinction, endangered or classified at risk. For the other subspecies status has been awarded not threatened.

Species

  • Phalanger alexandrae is on the encoder Island in the northern Moluccas endemic.
  • Phalanger carmelitae lives in central and eastern New Guinea.
  • Phalanger gymnotis ( Gleichfarbkuskus ) is widespread in New Guinea.
  • Phalanger intercastellanus lives in southern New Guinea.
  • Phalanger lullulae is endemic to the island of Woodlark in New Guinea. The species was not sighted for decades and was already thought to be extinct before it was rediscovered in large numbers.
  • Phalanger matabiru was first scientifically described in 1995 and lives on the northern Moluccas.
  • Phalanger matanim is located in western Guinea.
  • Phalanger mimicus occurs on the Cape York Peninsula in southern New Guinea and northern Australia.
  • The gray or common cuscus ( Phalanger orientalis) is the best known Art
  • Phalanger ornatus inhabits the northern Moluccas.
  • Phalanger Rothschildi also lives on the northern Moluccas.
  • Phalanger sericeus is native to central and eastern New Guinea.
  • Phalanger vestitus also lives in New Guinea.
Australidelphia Gottlieb Conrad Christian Storr Maluku Islands Tropical rainforest Telefomin cuscus Southern common cuscus Northern common cuscus Mammal Species of the World
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