Dendrolagus inustus, S. Muller, 1840

Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson, 2015, Macropodidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 5 Monotremes and Marsupials, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 630-735 : 703-704

18.

Grizzled Tree Kangaroo

Dendrolagus inustus

French: Dendrolague gris / German: Graues Baumkanguru / Spanish: Canguro arboricola entrecano

Other common names: Grizzled Tree-kangaroo

Taxonomy. Dendrolagus inustus S. Muller 1840 ,

Mount Lamantsjieri , near Triton Bay, Lobo District , Fakfak Division, West Papua, Indonesia.

The validity of the weakly differentiated subspecies should be investigated in a comprehensive morphological and genetic analysis. Additional surveys are also required to establish their distributional limits.

Subspecies and Distribution.

D. i. imustus S. Muller, 1840 — Bird's Head (= Vogelkop) and Bomberai (= Fakfak) peninsulas, NW New Guinea; possibly also West Papuan Is (Waigeo, Misool, Salawati, Batanta).

D. 1. finschi Matschie, 1916 — North Coastal Ranges of New Guinea W of Wewak; also Yapen I, in Cenderawasih (= Geelvink) Bay.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 57-79.5 cm (males) and 55-89 cm (females), tail 71-96.5 cm (males) and 64-84.3 cm (females); weight 11-23 kg (males) and 7-14 kg (females). Large, gray, long-tailed, long-footed, long-limbed tree kangaroo. Dark gray-brown dorsally (sometimes tending to rufous), passing to lighter grizzled gray on head, neck, rump, limbs, and tail; paler ventrally. Single hair whorl on dorsal midline between shoulders. Ears large and black, contrasting with gray head, largely hairless inside. Face, from above eyes, dark grayish brown to black, cheeks and throat pale gray. Large bare patch of skin at base of tail. Digits dark. Tail well furred with short hairs in some specimens, long and fluffy in others; alternating faint pale and dark annulations present on tail in some specimens. D. i. finschi is reported to differ in having darker face, as well as limbs and tail contrasting more strongly with color of body.

Habitat. Primary and secondary lowland and mid-montane rainforest, from 100 m to 1400 m elevation.

Food and Feeding. No detailed study, but recorded as eating a variety of leaves and some fruit from forest trees, shrubs, and vines. Some browsing done while on ground. Captive animals also consumed mealworms and hard-boiled eggs.

Breeding. No detailed study, but appears to breed throughout year and produce a single young per pregnancy (although there is one record of twins). Sexual maturity in females is reached from 17 months. A new young appears to be born soon after pouch is vacated by previous young. Pouch life reported to be six months, and young stay with mother until at least twelve months old. Adult males are significantly larger than adult females, suggesting intense competition among males for access to females.

Activity patterns. Poorly known. Crepuscular in captivity. May be more active than other tree kangaroos.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Poorly known. Appears to be largely solitary except for mothers and young-atfoot.

Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. This tree kangaroo remains relatively widespread but is rare and declining. It is threatened by heavy hunting pressure from indigenous people, as well as by habitat loss and degradation from expanding local agriculture and the establishment of oil palm ( Elaeis guineensis , Arecaceae ) plantations. It occurs in several protected areas. The Grizzled Tree Kangaroo has occasionally been maintained in international zoos, but a self-sustaining captive population has not been established. Additional research on taxonomy, distribution, abundance, general ecology, and impact of threats is required.

Bibliography. Flannery (1995a, 1995b), Flannery et al. (1996), GansloRer (1977, 1981), Groves (1982), Leary, Seri, Wright, Hamilton, Helgen, Singadan, Menzies, Allison, James, Dickman, Aplin, Flannery et al. (2008a), Menzies (2011), Scott (1984).

Figures

10. Rufous-bellied Pademelon (Thylogale billardieru), 11. Red-necked Pademelon (Thylogale thetis), 12. Red-legged Pademelon (Thylogale stigmatica), 13. New Guinea Pademelon (Thylogale browni), 14. Dusky Pademelon (Thylogale brunii), 15. Calaby’s Pademelon (Thylogale calabyi), 16. Bennett's Tree Kangaroo (Dendrolagus bennettianus), 17. Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroo (Dendrolagus lumholtzi), 18. Grizzled Tree Kangaroo (Dendrolagus inustus), 19. Vogelkop Tree Kangaroo (Dendrolagus ursinus), 20. Dingiso (Dendrolagus mbaiso), 21. Doria’s. 9 Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus (- dorianus), 22. Scott’s Tree Kangaroo (Dendrolagus scottae), 23. Goodfellow’s Tree Kangaroo (Dendrolagus goodfellowi), 24. Huon Tree Kangaroo (Dendrolagus matschie), 25. Lowland Tree Kangaroo (Dendrolagus spadix)

Subspecies and Distribution. D. i. imustus S. Muller, 1840 — Bird's Head (= Vogelkop) and Bomberai (= Fakfak) peninsulas, NW New Guinea; possibly also West Papuan Is (Waigeo, Misool, Salawati, Batanta). On following pages: 19. Vogelkop Tree Kangaroo ( Dendrolagus ursinus ); 20. Dingiso ( Dendrolagus mbaiso ); 21. Doria’s Tree Kangaroo ( Dendrolagus goodfellowi ); 24. Huon Tree Kangaroo ( Dendrolagus matschiei ); 25. Lowland Tree Kangaroo Tree Kangaroo ( Dendrolagus dorianus ); 22. Scott's Tree Kangaroo ( Dendrolagus scottae ); 23. Goodfellow's ( Dendrolagus spadix ). D. 1. finschi Matschie, 1916 — North Coastal Ranges of New Guinea W of Wewak; also Yapen I, in Cenderawasih (= Geelvink) Bay.