Peroryctes raffrayana, AND OTHER

Aplin, Kenneth P., Helgen, Kristofer M. & Lunde, Darrin P., 2010, A Review of Peroryctes broadbenti, the Giant Bandicoot of Papua New Guinea, American Museum Novitates 2010 (3696), pp. 1-44 : 16-17

COMPARISON WITH P. RAFFRAYANA AND OTHER NEW GUINEAN BANDICOOTS

Samples of Peroryctes broadbenti and P. raffrayana from southeastern New Guinea are readily distinguishable on the basis of pelage color. As noted earlier, the dorsal pelage of P. broadbenti is a rather uniform reddish brown, grizzled with dark blackish-brown flecks. In contrast, the dorsal pelage of P. raffrayana is a darker reddish brown with a subtle increase in reddish suffusion toward the rump. The flanks in P. broadbenti are a rich reddish brown, contrasting with the duller hues of the dorsum, whereas in P. raffrayana the pelage on the flanks is not differentiated from that on the dorsum. The ventral pelage also differs markedly between the two species. In P. broadbenti the venter is a uniform pale orange or fawn color, without any trace of encroachment from the darker-colored sides. In P. raffrayana the venter is a boldly patterned mosaic of dark reddish-brown fur, a continuation of the flanks, interspersed with patches of pure creamy white fur that are most extensive anteriorly, covering the chin, throat, and pectoral region, and posteriorly, centered on the inguinal region. In some specimens, these patches are linked by a thin midventral band of cream fur. However, in others, the darker fur of the sides meets across the midventer and disrupts this midventral connection. In such cases, the creamy white fur on the throat typically is also narrowed to a thin stripe extending toward the chin.

The dorsal surfaces of the manus and pes also differ markedly between the two species. These are thinly furred and very pale brown in P. broadbenti but densely furred and dark reddish brown in P. raffrayana .

Species of other bandicoot genera are readily distinguished from P. broadbenti by a combination of pelage texture and coloration. Species of Echymipera and Isoodon have more densely spinous pelage (Flannery, 1995) while regionally sympatric species of Microperoryctes are softer furred and more brightly patterned, with a dark middorsal stripe and dark bars on the rump ( Aplin and Woolley, 1993; Helgen and Flannery, 2004).