Biology:Mountain cuscus
| Mountain cuscus[1] | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Marsupialia |
| Order: | Diprotodontia |
| Family: | Phalangeridae |
| Genus: | Phalanger |
| Species: | P. carmelitae
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| Binomial name | |
| Phalanger carmelitae Thomas, 1898
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| Mountain cuscus range | |
The mountain cuscus (Phalanger carmelitae) is a marsupial in the family Phalangeridae found throughout the central mountain ranges and Huon Peninsula of New Guinea, in both West Papua, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.[2] It lives in undisturbed montane forests at elevations between 1,350 and 3,800 m (4,430 and 12,470 ft).[2] The species is nocturnal and arboreal, feeding mainly on leaves and fruit.[3] It was first described by Oldfield Thomas in 1898 and includes two recognized subspecies.[3] The mountain cuscus is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.[2]
Taxonomy
The mountain cuscus belongs to the family Phalangeridae and the genus Phalanger. It was first described by Oldfield Thomas in 1898 in a paper titled "Descriptions of two new cuscuses (Phalanger) obtained by Dr. Loria in British New Guinea," published in the Annali del Museo civico di storia naturale di Genova.[3] The type locality is the mountainous part of the Vanapa River in what is now Central Province, Papua New Guinea.[3] The type specimen is held at the Natural History Museum in London.[3]
Two subspecies are recognized: the nominate P. c. carmelitae Thomas, 1898, found throughout the Central Range, and P. c. coccygis Thomas, 1922, found on the Huon Peninsula.[2] The species was previously treated as a subspecies of P. vestitus by Tate (1945) before being recognized as its own species.[3]
Description
The mountain cuscus has a head-body length of 37–43 cm, a tail length of 31–36.5 cm, and weighs 1.7–2.6 kg. Its thick, woolly fur is dark, ranging from chocolate-brown to blackish and occasionally dark grayish-brown, on the back, with a white belly. The tail is black with a white distal tip and is coarsely tuberculated. The skull is medium-sized, with a condylobasal length of 70–88 mm, a relatively short rostrum, a large posterior upper premolar and molars, the second upper premolar always present, and three unicuspids on each side of the lower jaw.[3]
The mountain cuscus is most easily confused with the silky cuscus (P. sericeus), which differs in having a smooth tail without tuberculation, a shorter or absent white tail tip, the second upper premolar absent, and usually only one or two unicuspids on each side of the lower jaw.[3]
Behavior
The mountain cuscus is nocturnal and arboreal, resting during the day in tree hollows and in tangles of epiphytes and Pandanus fronds.[4] At night it spends approximately 40% of its time feeding, around 25% resting, and the remainder traveling. Males have been recorded using 11–13 dens per year, spaced an average of 115 m apart, while females use 12–19 dens per year spaced an average of 124 m apart.[3]
Male mountain cuscuses move at an average speed of 59 m/h across a home range of approximately 4 ha, while females travel at an average of 37 m/h across home ranges of 2–8 ha. Adjacent home ranges overlap only slightly, with male home ranges overlapping by an average of 0–22% and female home ranges by only 0–5%.[3] The population trend is considered stable.[2]
Mating
Female mountain cuscuses give birth to a single young. Births have been recorded in February, April, August, and September, suggesting year-round breeding.[3]
Habitat and environment
The mountain cuscus lives in montane forests throughout the central mountain ranges and Huon Peninsula of New Guinea, at elevations between 1,350 and 3,800 m (4,430 and 12,470 ft).[2] It prefers undisturbed primary forest and is rarely found in areas that have been cleared or degraded.[3] It shares its habitat with several other cuscus species, including the silky cuscus, Stein's cuscus, the ground cuscus, and the Telefomin cuscus, especially in the Star Mountains region.[4] The species is found within at least one National Park, several Wildlife Management Areas, and the YUS Conservation Area on the Huon Peninsula.[2]
Diet
The mountain cuscus is primarily a leaf-eater, with leaves making up around 80% of its diet. Fruit makes up approximately 18–20%, with small amounts of flowers and bark also consumed.[3] Plants recorded in the diet include Freycinetia, Garcinia, Helicia, Ilex, Litsea, Pandanus, Podocarpus, Sphenostemon, and Syzygium.[3] A captive individual was also observed eating leaves of Acalypha, softer parts of Casuarina stems, Pandanus fruits, and epiphytic orchids. The same individual reportedly killed and ate a pet lorikeet that was placed in the same enclosure.[3]
Human interactions
The mountain cuscus is hunted by local people for food throughout much of its range.[3] Significant habitat loss is also taking place in parts of its range, mostly through deforestation for subsistence agriculture.[2] Despite these pressures, the species is considered abundant in suitable habitat where it is not hunted.[2]
The mountain cuscus is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, due to its wide distribution, presumed large population, and occurrence in protected areas.[2] It has been assessed as Least Concern since at least 1996.[2] The development of hunting regulations has been recommended in parts of its range where it is not already protected.[2]
References
- ↑ Groves, C.P. (2005). Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M.. eds. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 47. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. OCLC 62265494. http://www.departments.bucknell.edu/biology/resources/msw3/browse.asp.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 Leary, T.; Singadan, R.; Menzies, J.; Helgen, K.; Wright, D.; Allison, A.; Salas, L.; Dickman, C. (2016). "Phalanger carmelitae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T16853A21950989.en. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/16853/21950989. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 "Phalanger carmelitae Thomas 1898 - Plazi TreatmentBank" (in en). https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/xhtml/D344591F533107022306FD3F1513F97D.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Detectives, Palm Oil (2025-06-28). "Mountain Cuscus Phalanger carmelitae" (in en). https://palmoildetectives.com/2025/06/29/mountain-cuscus-phalanger-carmelitae/.
Wikidata ☰ Q209713 entry
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