Spilocuscus kraemeri (Schwarz, 1910)

Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson, 2015, Phalangeridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 5 Monotremes and Marsupials, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 456-497 : 495-496

26.

Admiralty Spotted Cuscus

Spilocuscus kraemeri

French: Phalanger de 'Amirauté / German: Manus-TUpfelkuskus / Spanish: Cuscus de las Manus

Other common names: Admiralty Cuscus, Admiralty Island Cuscus, Manus Island Spotted Cuscus

Taxonomy. Phalanger maculatus kramer: Schwarz, 1910 ,

“ Admiralitats-Inseln [= Admiralty Islands],” Papua New Guinea .

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Endemic to Admiralty (Manus, Los Negros, Ponam, Rambutyo, Pak I, Baluan, where it may be extinct, Lou, Ninigo group, Hermit Is including Luf, and Wuvulu) and Bismarck archipelagos of Papua New Guinea. In the Bismarcks, it is recorded from small Bali I adjacent to New Britain I and by a museum specimen, with a questionable provenance, from New Britain I itself.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 31-57 cm (mean 46-2 cm), tail 25-59 cm (mean 41-5 cm); weight 1.9-3.2 kg (mean 2-4 kg). The Admiralty Spotted Cuscus is the smallest species of Spilocuscus , and the only species with condylobasal length averaging less than 90 mm. Usual color of Admiralty Spotted Cuscuses is unique to the genus; females are usually chocolate-brown dorsally from head to rump, including limbs, with face, ear flashes, hands, feet, rump, and tail colored reddish-brown and mid-venter creamy-white from breast to tail (sometimes including white patch on chin). Male Admiralty Spotted Cuscuses typically match this pattern except that chocolate brown parts of back are interspersed with creamy-white blotching or spotting, red-brown rump and tail are sometimes interspersed with white spotting, and white of venter extends in continuous line to chin. This pattern is most reminiscent of the Black-spotted Cuscus ( S. rufoniger ), but the Admiralty Spotted Cuscus lacks striking red-orange forequarters and head of the much larger Black-spotted Cuscus. All-white and partially melanistic Black-spotted Cuscuses occur at low frequency. Eye color of the Admiralty Spotted Cuscusis brown, and tail averages 10% shorter than head-body length. Sexual dimorphism in skull size and head-body length are not significant, but females are 14% heavier than males. Skull of the Black-spotted Cuscus is wide relative to length, and teeth are very large relative to cranial size. The Admiralty Spotted Cuscus exhibits a trend toward reduction in number of premolars more pronounced than in other species of spotted cuscuses. Second upper premolaris always lacking, and first premolar, generally well developed in species of Spilocuscus , is lacking in 13% of Admiralty Spotted Cuscuses. Lower unicuspids number one or two in a ratio of 47:53.

Habitat. Common in all vegetation types ranging from undisturbed forest to gardens.

Food and Feeding. There is no specific information available for this species.

Breeding. Limited observations suggest the Admiralty Spotted Cuscus breeds seasonally, giving birth generally to a single young in July-August, with pouch young observed in September—December(then later carried by mothers on their backs); young achieve independence byJune.

Activity patterns. There is no specific information available for this species, but the Admiralty Spotted Cuscusis often seen in foliage close to the ground.

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

Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List. Occurrence of the Admiralty Spotted Cuscus is limited to various small and medium-sized islands, but it is common in parts of its small distribution. Parts of its far-flung island distribution may result from human-mediated dispersal along networks of inter island trade. Interestingly, the Admiralty Spotted Cuscus is not represented in the modern fauna or zooarchaeological record of New Ireland, and modern populations of Spilocuscus from the St. Matthias Group and New Ireland represent the introduced Common Spotted Cuscus ( S. maculatus ) not the Admiralty Spotted Cuscus. Increasing human population pressures in its region of occurrence and low fecundity of this relatively long-lived animal are causes for concern. Very little recent information is available for populations from most islands. Populations of Admiralty Spotted Cuscuses should be closely monitored. It is commonly hunted and eaten throughout Manus Island and can be brought from the local Lorengau market in the east of the island.

Bibliography. Flannery (1995b), Gray (1862), Helgen (2007c), Helgen & Flannery (2004b), Helgen, Leary et al. (2008b), Singadan (1996).

Figures

11. Peleng Cuscus (Phalanger pelengensus), 12. Moluccan Cuscus (Phalanger ornatus), 13. Gebe Cuscus (Phalanger alexandrae), 14. Obi Cuscus (Phalanger rothschildi), 15. Ground Cuscus (Phalanger gymnotis), 16. Woodlark Cuscus (Phalanger lullulae), 17. Northern Common Cuscus (Phalanger orientalis), 18. Eastern Common Cuscus (Phalanger intercastellanus), 19. Southern Common Cuscus (Phalanger mimicus), 20. Telefomin Cuscus (Phalanger matanim), 21. Stein’s Cuscus (Phalanger vestitus), 22. Silky Cuscus (Phalanger sericeus), 23. Mountain Cuscus (Phalanger carmelitae), 24. Black Spotted Cuscus (Spilocuscus rufoniger), 25. Waigeo Spotted Cuscus (Spilocuscus papuensis), 26. Admiralty Spotted Cuscus (Spilocuscus kraemeri), 27. Blue-eyed Spotted Cuscus (Spilocuscus wilsoni), 28. Common Spotted Cuscus (Spilocuscus maculatus), 29. Australian Spotted Cuscus (Spilocuscus nudicaudatus)

Distribution. Endemic to Admiralty (Manus, Los Negros, Ponam, Rambutyo, Pak I, Baluan, where it may be extinct, Lou, Ninigo group, Hermit Is including Luf, and Wuvulu) and Bismarck archipelagos of Papua New Guinea. In the Bismarcks, it is recorded from small Bali I adjacent to New Britain I and by a museum specimen, with a questionable provenance, from New Britain I itself.