Chiruromys forbesi Thomas, 1888 . Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1888:239.

TYPE LOCALITY: Papua New Guinea, Central Prov., Astrolabe Range, Sogeri, 1500 ft .

DISTRIBUTION: New Guinea; endemic to mainland of SE Papua New Guinea (sea level to 700 m; on N side not known west of Oomsis in valley of Markham River [see map in Brass, 1959], and on S side not recorded west of type locality) and d'Entrecasteaux Isis (Goodenoough, Fergusson, and Normanby). Dennis and Menzies (1979) included the Louisiade Isis, but samples in the American Museum of Natural History of Chiruromys from there are not forbesi .

SYNONYMS: major, mambatus, pulcher, satisfactus, shawmayeri, vulturnus.

COMMENTS: Significance of the appreciable geographic variation in body size and other traits needs to be assessed in a critical systematic review of the species.