Dactylopsila kambuayai, Aplin, 1999

Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson, 2015, Petauridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 5 Monotremes and Marsupials, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 52-565 : 50

1.

Arfak Striped Possum

Dactylopsila kambuayai

French: Triok des Arfak / German: Arfak-Streifenbeutler / Spanish: Falangero rayado de las Arfak

Other common names: \ ogelkop Ring-tailed Possum, Vogelkop Striped Possum

Taxonomy. Dactylopsila kambuayai Apliin Aplin et al, 1999 ,

“ Kria Cave , 3 km east of the village Suwiam/Mapura, northeast of the Ayamaru Lakes, Ayamaru Plateau, central Bird’s Head [= Vogelkop], Irian Jaya, Indonesia.”

Type specimen was collected from Holocene deposits from the Bird's Head Peninsula, West Papua, Indonesia. Probably most closely related to D. palpator. Monotypic.

Distribution. Arfak Mts in Bird's Head Peninsula, W New Guinea.

Descriptive notes. There is no specific information on measurements and weight, nor on pelage, but all striped possums have distinctive black and white stripes extending from tip of nose down back to rump. It resembles the Long-fingered Striped Possum (D. palpator) in having extreme elongation of fourth digit of manus, but it has a smaller body size and differs from that species in many details, including greatly foreshortened rostrum and proportionally smaller cheekteeth.

Habitat. Modern specimens collected in montane forest at elevation of 867 m. Studies by K. Aplin and K. Helgen suggest that, although this species and the Long-fingered Striped Possum are each other’s closest relatives, they are likely to be altitudinally segregated in Arfak Mountains. They suggest that the Arfak Striped Possum shares the lower-elevation montane forests with the Torresian Striped Possum (D. trivirgata), while the Long-fingered Striped Possum occurs in the higher-elevation cloudforest.

Food and Feeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but it is thought to feed primarily on wood-boring insects, as do other species ofstriped possum.

Breeding. There is no information available for this species.

Activity patterns. There is no information available for this species.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no information available for this species.

Status and Conservation. This taxon has not yet been assessed on The IUCN Red List. It is virtually unknown, with extremely few records. Modern specimens, including an adult female and an associated well-furred immature female, were collected at Nenei, in the Arfak Mountains.

Bibliography. Aplin et al. (1999).

Figures

Distribution. Arfak Mts in Bird's Head Peninsula, W New Guinea.