14.

Dusky Pademelon

Thylogale brunii

French: Thylogale de De Bruijn / German: Neuguinea-Filander / Spanish: Pademelon oscuro

Other common names: Dusky Wallaby

Taxonomy. Didelphis brunii Schreber, 1778,

Aru Islands, West Papua, Indonesia.

This species previously contained 7. browni as a subspecies, but the two were reseparated in 1992; recent molecular studies, however, do not support the distinction of the two as currently defined on morphological criteria. Further studies required. Monotypic.

Distribution. Kai Is, Aru Is, and S & SE New Guinea.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 58-60 cm (males) and 45.8-52.8 cm (females), tail 40-57 cm (males) and 31.5-34.5 cm (females); no information on weights. Fur short, brown to light brown dorsally, pale ventrally (white to light gray, underfur white). Limbs same color as body, and largely hairless on inside. Pale hip stripe; ears relatively long and thinly furred. Tail thinly furred, especially toward tip and ventrally.

Habitat. [Lowland tropical rainforest, monsoon forest and savanna, gallery forest, and disturbed forest.

Food and Feeding. Little is known about diet of this species, but likely to include browse, grass, and sometimes fungi.

Breeding. Poorly known. Females reported to produce a single young and are likely to breed continuously.

Activity patterns. Likely to be nocturnal or crepuscular, but specific activity patterns of this species are virtually unknown.

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

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The [UCN Red List. This pademelon has declined and continuesto be threatened by hunting. It is a favored subsistence game animal and is susceptible to overhunting by local people using dogs. The population around Port Moresby, in south-east Papua New Guinea, appears to be extinct. Additional research on taxonomy, abundance, general ecology, and impact ofthreats is required.

Bibliography. Flannery (1992, 1995a, 1995b), Leary, Seri, Flannery, Wright, Hamilton, Helgen, Singadan, Menzies, Allison & James (2008c), Macqueen et al. (2011), Vernes & Lebel (2011).