14.

Obi Cuscus

Phalanger rothschildi

French: Phalanger d'Obi / German: Obi-Kuskus / Spanish: Cuscus de las Obi

Other common names: Obi Island Cuscus, Rothschild’s Cuscus

Taxonomy. Phalanger rothschildi Thomas, 1898,

“ Loiwuj, Great Obi, Moluccas ” (= Pulau Obi or Obira, Moluccas, Indonesia).

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Obi, Bisa, and Obilatu (= Obi-Latoe) Is in the NC Moluccas, Indonesia.

Descriptive or notes. Head-body 36-39 cm, tail 30-33.5 cm; weight 1.1-1.4 kg. The Obi Cuscus is a relatively small cuscus (condylobasal length 65-69 mm). Skull of the Obi Cuscus is similar to that of the Moluccan Cuscus ( P. ornatus) and the Gebe Cuscus ( P. alexandrae), and it bears a prominent diastema between incisor and canine but is smaller than those species and has smaller teeth. The Obi Cuscus has two color morphs: orange-brown or gray dorsal fur with dark underfur. Ventral fur is white to yellow. Dark dorsal stripe extends from head to mid-back or rump.

Habitat. Primary forest and regrowth habitats.

Food and Feeding. Similar to other cuscuses, the Obi Cuscus is likely to be folivorous—frugivorous. Chewed acorns have been found under a large fruiting Lithocarpus (Fagaceae) used by Obi Cuscuses.

Breeding. Female Obi Cuscuses collected in January had one young each, with sizes ranging from only 2 cm in length up to 99 g in body mass.

Activity patterns. There is no specific information available for this species, but the Obi Cuscus is no doubt nocturnal and spends its day resting in the canopy.

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

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Although the Obi Cuscus has a small extent of occurrence (less than 3000 km?) and is known only from three islands, it is thought to be relatively tolerant of habitat degradation, and the population is thought to be stable.

Bibliography. Flannery (1994a, 1995b), Leary, Singadan, Menzies, Helgen, Wright, Allison & Flannery (2008b).