Dorcopsis muelleri (Lesson 1827)

Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn, 2005, Order Diprotodontia, Mammal Species of the World: a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3 rd Edition), Volume 1, Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, pp. 43-70 : 62

Dorcopsis muelleri (Lesson 1827)

[Dorcopsis] muelleri (Lesson 1827) , in: Duperry (Lesson and Garnot, eds.), Voy. autour du Monde ... la Coquille, Zool., Vol. 1: 164.

Type Locality: Indonesia, Prov. of Papua (= Irian Jaya), Vogelkop, Manokwari Div., Dorei (= Manokwari), Lobo Bay.

Vernacular Names: Brown Dorcopsis.

Subspecies: :

Subspecies Dorcopsis muelleri subsp. muelleri Lesson 1827

Subspecies Dorcopsis muelleri subsp. lorentzii Jentink 1908

Subspecies Dorcopsis muelleri subsp. mysoliae Thomas 1913

Subspecies Dorcopsis muelleri subsp. yapeni Groves and Flannery 1989

Distribution: W New Guinea; Misool and Salawati Isls, Aru Isls, and Yapen Isl ( Indonesia); occurred on Gebe until about 2000 ybp and on Halmahera until about 1870 ybp (Flannery et al., 1998).

Conservation: IUCN – Lower Risk (lc). Common.

Discussion: D. muelleri was regarded as a junior synonym of D. veterum by Kirsch and Calaby (1977:21) and Husson (1955:299). George and Schuerer (1978) rejected veterum as based on a Dendrolagus (probably inustus ), and employed muelleri ; Groves and Flannery (1989) agreed. The original name Didelphis brunii Quoy and Gaimard , was preoccupied and is now Macropus muelleri . The Yapen Isl form (yapeni) is strongly distinct, apparently outside the range of those from other parts of the range, though samples are small; it may be a distinct species.