DOCSLIB.ORG

(Acari: Ixodidae) Infestation of Cuscuses from Maluku Province, Indonesia

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
(Acari: Ixodidae) Infestation of Cuscuses from Maluku Province, Indonesia Veterinary World, EISSN: 2231-0916 RESEARCH ARTICLE Available at www.veterinaryworld.org/Vol.14/June-2021/9.pdf Open Access Tick (Acari: Ixodidae) infestation of cuscuses from Maluku Province, Indonesia Prasetyarti Utami1,2 , Bambang Heru Budianto1 and Ana Sahara3 1. Faculty of Biology, Universitas Jenderal Soedirman, Purwokerto, Central Java, Indonesia; 2. Program of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Terbuka, Jakarta, Indonesia; 3. Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Corresponding author: Ana Sahara, e-mail: [email protected] Co-authors: PU: [email protected], BHB: [email protected] Received: 03-01-2021, Accepted: 08-04-2021, Published online: 08-06-2021 doi: www.doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2021.1465-1471 How to cite this article: Utami P, Budianto BH, Sahara A (2021) Tick (Acari: Ixodidae) infestation of cuscuses from Maluku Province, Indonesia, Veterinary World, 14(6): 1465-1471. Abstract Background and Aim: Cuscuses are one of the endemic Indonesian marsupials, which needs to be protected and revived in terms of the numbers and range of species. Ectoparasites of ticks (Ixodidae) are one potential obstacle to cuscus conservation. Tick infestation can cause blood loss in the host, even being a predisposing factor for infection with pathogenic organisms. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, infestation intensity, and species of ticks present on cuscuses in Maluku Province, Indonesia. Materials and Methods: Ticks were collected from cuscuses origin of the four regions in Maluku Province, namely the island of Ambon, Seram Island, Romang Island, and Wetar Island . Cuscuses were captured at night, with ticks being collected from them from the head to the tip of the tail. The tick samples obtained from the cuscuses were preserved, identified, and counted. Cuscuses were released back into their habitat after collecting the ticks. The obtained ticks were observed using an Olympus BX51 microscope with an Olympus DP12 digital camera and prepared for examination under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Infestation rate, infestation intensity, and morphology of the species were described. Results: The cuscuses were found to be infested with Ixodes cordifer ticks. Cuscuses in Maluku Province had a low tick infestation rate. The range of infestation prevalence of island origin cuscuses in Maluku was between 14.28% and 16.67%. Simultaneously, I. cordifer infestation level was mildly infested based on the intensity of thick infestation ranged from 1 to 1.2 ticks per cuscus. From observation of the tick surface structure under SEM, sexual dimorphism and various specific characteristics of the ticks were identified. Conclusion: The low infestation rate of I. cordifer ticks in cuscus was influenced by the up and down movement of the conscious activity in the tree, which allowed minimal contact with the ticks. The infestation prevalence rates on each island studied were similar. Such similarities of infestation are related to the similarity of cuscus species among Ambon, Lakor, Seram, and Romang islands, which are all included in the Phalangeridae family, and their similar habitats, behaviors, climatic conditions, and geographical areas. Keywords: Cuscus, Ixodes, scanning electron microscope. Introduction (Spilocuscus papuensis), bear cuscus (Ailurops ursinus), Cuscus is a marsupial of the Phalangeridae family and blue-eyed cuscus (Phalanger matabiru). There are with a relatively wide distribution, which is especially six cuscus genera globally, namely, Ailurops, Phalanger, prevalent in East Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Spilocuscus, Strigocuscus, Wyulda, and Trichosurus, The distribution of cuscus in Indonesia is restricted to with 28 species [2]. Four genera of the Phalangeridae the east of the country, in Maluku, Sulawesi, Papua, are distributed in Indonesia, with several species and Timor [1]. Several species of cuscus are critically endemic to Papua, the Maluku Islands, and the Sulawesi endangered and headed for extinction (vulnerable), Islands There are approximately 24 species of cuscus in Indonesia, but they are becoming increasingly rare. such as woodlark cuscus (Phalanger lullulae), Gebe Flannery [3] reported that Phalanger orientalis was scat- cuscus (Phalanger alexander), blue-eyed spotted cus- tered from Timor, Wetar, the Maluku Islands of Misool, cus (Spilocuscus wilsoni), Telefomin cuscus (Phalanger Batanta, Salawati, and New Guinea to the Bismarck matanim), black-spotted cuscus (Spilocuscus rufoniger), islands on the eastern side of Papua New Guinea. Talaud bear cuscus (Ailurops melanotis), Waigeo cuscus Spilocuscus spp. have been reported to be scat- Copyright: Utami, et al. Open Access. This article is distributed under tered in the southern part of the Maluku Islands (Buru, the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which Seram, Banda, and Ambon), Aru Islands, Kei Islands, permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any Misool, Yapen, and the mainland of New Guinea medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons (Papua), as well as to inhabit a small part of Cape York license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Peninsula in North Australia [4]. Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/ publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this In Indonesia, cuscus has been protected since article, unless otherwise stated. 1979 by the prohibition on the capture of such animals, Veterinary World, EISSN: 2231-0916 1465 Available at www.veterinaryworld.org/Vol.14/June-2021/9.pdf as set out in the Order Minister of Agriculture No. 247/ ticks because no study has been carried out on ticks KPTS/UM4/1979, Wild Animal Hunting Regulation obtained from cuscuses in Indonesia. (PPBL) No. 226/1931, Law No. 5/1990 concern- This study aimed to determine the prevalence, ing the conservation of living natural resources and infestation intensity, and species of ticks present on cus- their ecosystems, and Law No. 7/1999 concerning the cuses in Maluku Province, Indonesia. There is also a need preservation of plant and animal species. According to compare detailed morphological features of the ticks to CITES data (Convention on International Trade in with the descriptions that have been reported previously. Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), sev- Materials and Methods eral Indonesian marsupial species are endangered, so they are included in Appendix II, while IUCN data Ethical approval (International Union for Conservation of Nature and This study is complementary to the ethi- Natural Resources) classify them as endangered spe- cal requirements of laboratory animals and has cies (IUCN, 2008). Kunda et al. [5,6] stated that the been approved by the Ethics Committee team of Laboratorium Penelitian dan Pengujian Terpadu decline in the cuscus population has been significantly Universitas Gadjah Mada (LPPT UGM). influenced by hunting by humans, while genetic fac- tors have also contributed. Illegal hunting is the basis Study period and location for trading in its illegal meat, as it is consumed as a This research was conducted from August 2017 protein source and to meet meat needs during church to July 2020. Collection of ticks on cuscus was carried ceremonies [7,8]. out in Maluku Province namely Ambon Island, Seram Pathologically, all members of marsupials Island, Romang Island, and Wetar Island (Figure-1). are susceptible to pathogenic infections by bacte- Samples were processed at Indonesian Institute ria, viruses, or parasites [9]. Ticks can cause health of Sciences, Cibinong, Indonesia; Laboratorium problems such as anemia, dermatitis, and secondary Penelitian dan Penujuan Terpadu, Universitas Gadjah infections [10]. The ectoparasites found in almost Mada (LPPT UGM); and Laboratory of Parasitology, all groups of marsupials are hard ticks belonging to Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Gadjah the genus Ixodes. Ticks of the genus Ixodes Latreille, Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. 1795, are common parasites of reptiles, birds, and Tick collection mammals worldwide. The tick species Ixodes cor- Cuscuses were captured using a method involving difer has been found in cuscuses in Indonesia [11,12], imitation of their sounds to lure them out of the under- but the infestation rate and intensity of tick infesta- growth. This is a well-recognized approach locally. tion have not been reported. There is also a need to When a cuscus jumped from one branch to another and describe the surface ultrastructural morphology of the reached the point where the sounds originated, it was Figure-1: Locations of tick collection on cuscus on Wetar, Romang, Ambon, and Seram Islands (Source: https:// id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kepulauan_Maluku). Veterinary World, EISSN: 2231-0916 1466 Available at www.veterinaryworld.org/Vol.14/June-2021/9.pdf captured with a gunny sack and immediately injected The determined prevalence of tick-infested with ketamine and xylazine by veterinary personnel. cuscuses is presented as the proportion of cuscuses In an unconscious state, each captured cuscus was infected with tick relative to the total number of cus- carefully examined for ticks (Figure-2). Subsequently, cus samples. The intensity of tick infestation was the cuscus was allowed to return to consciousness and determined based on comparison
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Banda Islands, Indonesia
    INSULARITY AND ADAPTATION INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF EXCHANGE AND INTER-ISLAND INTERACTION IN THE BANDA ISLANDS, INDONESIA Emily J. Peterson A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Washington 2015 Reading Committee: Peter V. Lape, Chair James K. Feathers Benjamin Marwick Program Authorized to Offer Degree: Anthropology ©Copyright 2015 Emily J. Peterson University of Washington Abstract Insularity and Adaptation Investigating the role of exchange and inter-island interaction in the Banda Islands, Indonesia Emily J. Peterson Chair of the Supervisory Committee: Professor Peter V. Lape Department of Anthropology Trade and exchange exerted a powerful force in the historic and protohistoric past of Island Southeast Asian communities. Exchange and interaction are also hypothesized to have played an important role in the spread of new technologies and lifestyles throughout the region during the Neolithic period. Although it is clear that interaction has played an important role in shaping Island Southeast Asian cultures on a regional scale, little is known about local histories and trajectories of exchange in much of the region. This dissertation aims to improve our understanding of the adaptive role played by exchange and interaction through an exploration of change over time in the connectedness of island communities in the Banda Islands, eastern Indonesia. Connectedness is examined by measuring source diversity for two different types of archaeological materials. Chemical characterization of pottery using LA-ICP-MS allows the identification of geochemically different paste groups within the earthenware assemblages of two Banda Islands sites. Source diversity measures are employed to identify differences in relative connectedness between these sites and changes over time.
    [Show full text]
  • Vernacular Name GLIDER, SUGAR (Aka: Sugar Squirrel, Lesser Flying Squirrel, Short-Headed Or Lesser Flying Phalanger, Lesser Glider, Wrist-Winged Glider)
    1/4 Vernacular Name GLIDER, SUGAR (aka: sugar squirrel, lesser flying squirrel, short-headed or lesser flying phalanger, lesser glider, wrist-winged glider) GEOGRAPHIC RANGE Eastern Australia, Moluccas, New Guinea and nearby islands HABITAT Wooded areas, preferably open forest. Forests of all types, provided there are enough trees for nesting. CONSERVATION STATUS IUCN: Least Concern (2016). COOL FACTS Sugar gliders can glide for at least 160'. They are accomplished acrobats that weave and maneuver gracefully between trees, landing with precision by swooping upwards. By skillfully adjusting their vertical and lateral angles of attack and twisting their gliding membranes in mid-air, Sugar gliders are able to take advantage of aerodynamic forces. Their tails are also used for carrying nest material. Hanging from branches by their hind feet, the animals break off leaves with their forefeet, pass the leaves from the forefeet to the hind feet to the tail which then coils around the nest material. Used this way, the tail cannot be used in gliding, so the animal transports the leaves by running along the tree branches to the nest They can tolerate wide ranges of temperatures by (1) huddling with others in their leafy nests to help save energy and (2) falling into dormancy and torpor (brief hibernation). They will also fall into torpor during long periods of food scarcity. They bite holes in a tree's bark to get the sweet sap. Since they can make sufficiently large holes to satisfy the carbohydrate requirements of a large group for a whole year, it is sufficient to defend a single tree.
    [Show full text]
  • Checklist of the Mammals of Indonesia
    CHECKLIST OF THE MAMMALS OF INDONESIA Scientific, English, Indonesia Name and Distribution Area Table in Indonesia Including CITES, IUCN and Indonesian Category for Conservation i ii CHECKLIST OF THE MAMMALS OF INDONESIA Scientific, English, Indonesia Name and Distribution Area Table in Indonesia Including CITES, IUCN and Indonesian Category for Conservation By Ibnu Maryanto Maharadatunkamsi Anang Setiawan Achmadi Sigit Wiantoro Eko Sulistyadi Masaaki Yoneda Agustinus Suyanto Jito Sugardjito RESEARCH CENTER FOR BIOLOGY INDONESIAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCES (LIPI) iii © 2019 RESEARCH CENTER FOR BIOLOGY, INDONESIAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCES (LIPI) Cataloging in Publication Data. CHECKLIST OF THE MAMMALS OF INDONESIA: Scientific, English, Indonesia Name and Distribution Area Table in Indonesia Including CITES, IUCN and Indonesian Category for Conservation/ Ibnu Maryanto, Maharadatunkamsi, Anang Setiawan Achmadi, Sigit Wiantoro, Eko Sulistyadi, Masaaki Yoneda, Agustinus Suyanto, & Jito Sugardjito. ix+ 66 pp; 21 x 29,7 cm ISBN: 978-979-579-108-9 1. Checklist of mammals 2. Indonesia Cover Desain : Eko Harsono Photo : I. Maryanto Third Edition : December 2019 Published by: RESEARCH CENTER FOR BIOLOGY, INDONESIAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCES (LIPI). Jl Raya Jakarta-Bogor, Km 46, Cibinong, Bogor, Jawa Barat 16911 Telp: 021-87907604/87907636; Fax: 021-87907612 Email: [email protected] . iv PREFACE TO THIRD EDITION This book is a third edition of checklist of the Mammals of Indonesia. The new edition provides remarkable information in several ways compare to the first and second editions, the remarks column contain the abbreviation of the specific island distributions, synonym and specific location. Thus, in this edition we are also corrected the distribution of some species including some new additional species in accordance with the discovery of new species in Indonesia.
    [Show full text]
  • 3.Pdf Open Access
    Veterinary World, EISSN: 2231-0916 RESEARCH ARTICLE Available at www.veterinaryworld.org/Vol.13/November-2020/3.pdf Open Access Genetic characterization and phylogenetic study of Indonesian cuscuses from Maluku and Papua Island based on 16S rRNA gene Rini Widayanti1 , Richo Apriladi Bagas Pradana1 , Rony Marsyal Kunda2 and Suhendra Pakpahan3 1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia; 2. Biology Study Program, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Pattimura, Ambon, Indonesia; 3. Research Center for Biology, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Cibinong, West Java, Indonesia. Corresponding author: Suhendra Pakpahan, e-mail: [email protected] Co-authors: RW: [email protected], RABP: [email protected], RMK: [email protected] Received: 04-06-2020, Accepted: 22-09-2020, Published online: 04-11-2020 doi: www.doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2020.2319-2325 How to cite this article: Widayanti R, Pradana RAB, Kunda RM, Pakpahan S (2020) Genetic characterization and phylogenetic study of Indonesian cuscuses from Maluku and Papua Island based on 16S rRNA gene, Veterinary World, 13(11): 2319-2325. Abstract Background and Aim: Indonesian cuscuses are now becoming scarce because of the reduction of habitat and poaching. Further, molecular characterization of Indonesian cuscuses is still very lacking. This study aimed to determine genetic markers and phylogenetic relationships of Indonesian cuscuses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. Materials and Methods: This study used 21 cuscuses caught from two provinces and 16 islands: 13 from Maluku and eight from Papua. Cuscus samples were taken by biopsy following ethics guidelines for animals.
    [Show full text]
  • A Species-Level Phylogenetic Supertree of Marsupials
    J. Zool., Lond. (2004) 264, 11–31 C 2004 The Zoological Society of London Printed in the United Kingdom DOI:10.1017/S0952836904005539 A species-level phylogenetic supertree of marsupials Marcel Cardillo1,2*, Olaf R. P. Bininda-Emonds3, Elizabeth Boakes1,2 and Andy Purvis1 1 Department of Biological Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park, Ascot SL5 7PY, U.K. 2 Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4RY, U.K. 3 Lehrstuhl fur¨ Tierzucht, Technical University of Munich, Alte Akademie 12, 85354 Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany (Accepted 26 January 2004) Abstract Comparative studies require information on phylogenetic relationships, but complete species-level phylogenetic trees of large clades are difficult to produce. One solution is to combine algorithmically many small trees into a single, larger supertree. Here we present a virtually complete, species-level phylogeny of the marsupials (Mammalia: Metatheria), built by combining 158 phylogenetic estimates published since 1980, using matrix representation with parsimony. The supertree is well resolved overall (73.7%), although resolution varies across the tree, indicating variation both in the amount of phylogenetic information available for different taxa, and the degree of conflict among phylogenetic estimates. In particular, the supertree shows poor resolution within the American marsupial taxa, reflecting a relative lack of systematic effort compared to the Australasian taxa. There are also important differences in supertrees based on source phylogenies published before 1995 and those published more recently. The supertree can be viewed as a meta-analysis of marsupial phylogenetic studies, and should be useful as a framework for phylogenetically explicit comparative studies of marsupial evolution and ecology.
    [Show full text]
  • Report on Biodiversity and Tropical Forests in Indonesia
    Report on Biodiversity and Tropical Forests in Indonesia Submitted in accordance with Foreign Assistance Act Sections 118/119 February 20, 2004 Prepared for USAID/Indonesia Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan No. 3-5 Jakarta 10110 Indonesia Prepared by Steve Rhee, M.E.Sc. Darrell Kitchener, Ph.D. Tim Brown, Ph.D. Reed Merrill, M.Sc. Russ Dilts, Ph.D. Stacey Tighe, Ph.D. Table of Contents Table of Contents............................................................................................................................. i List of Tables .................................................................................................................................. v List of Figures............................................................................................................................... vii Acronyms....................................................................................................................................... ix Executive Summary.................................................................................................................... xvii 1. Introduction............................................................................................................................1- 1 2. Legislative and Institutional Structure Affecting Biological Resources...............................2 - 1 2.1 Government of Indonesia................................................................................................2 - 2 2.1.1 Legislative Basis for Protection and Management of Biodiversity and
    [Show full text]
  • Ba3444 MAMMAL BOOKLET FINAL.Indd
    Intot Obliv i The disappearing native mammals of northern Australia Compiled by James Fitzsimons Sarah Legge Barry Traill John Woinarski Into Oblivion? The disappearing native mammals of northern Australia 1 SUMMARY Since European settlement, the deepest loss of Australian biodiversity has been the spate of extinctions of endemic mammals. Historically, these losses occurred mostly in inland and in temperate parts of the country, and largely between 1890 and 1950. A new wave of extinctions is now threatening Australian mammals, this time in northern Australia. Many mammal species are in sharp decline across the north, even in extensive natural areas managed primarily for conservation. The main evidence of this decline comes consistently from two contrasting sources: robust scientifi c monitoring programs and more broad-scale Indigenous knowledge. The main drivers of the mammal decline in northern Australia include inappropriate fi re regimes (too much fi re) and predation by feral cats. Cane Toads are also implicated, particularly to the recent catastrophic decline of the Northern Quoll. Furthermore, some impacts are due to vegetation changes associated with the pastoral industry. Disease could also be a factor, but to date there is little evidence for or against it. Based on current trends, many native mammals will become extinct in northern Australia in the next 10-20 years, and even the largest and most iconic national parks in northern Australia will lose native mammal species. This problem needs to be solved. The fi rst step towards a solution is to recognise the problem, and this publication seeks to alert the Australian community and decision makers to this urgent issue.
    [Show full text]
  • The Birds of Babar, Romang, Sermata, Leti and Kisar, Maluku, Indonesia
    Colin R. Trainor & Philippe Verbelen 272 Bull. B.O.C. 2013 133(4) New distributional records from forgoten Banda Sea islands: the birds of Babar, Romang, Sermata, Leti and Kisar, Maluku, Indonesia by Colin R. Trainor & Philippe Verbelen Received 5 July 2011; fnal revision accepted 10 September 2013 Summary.—Many of the Banda Sea islands, including Babar, Romang, Sermata and Leti, were last surveyed more than 100 years ago. In October–November 2010, birds were surveyed on Romang (14 days), Sermata (eight days), Leti (fve days) and Kisar (seven days), and on Babar in August 2009 (ten days) and August 2011 (11 days). Limited unpublished observations from Damar, Moa, Masela (of Babar) and Nyata (of Romang) are also included here. A total of 128 bird species was recorded (85 resident landbirds), with 104 new island records, among them fve, 12, 20, four and three additional resident landbirds for Babar, Romang, Sermata, Leti and Kisar, respectively. The high proportion of newly recorded and apparently overlooked resident landbirds on Sermata is puzzling but partly relates to limited historical collecting. Signifcant records include Ruddy-breasted Crake Porzana fusca (Romang), Red-legged Crake Rallina fasciata (Sermata), Bonelli’s Eagle Aquila fasciata renschi (Romang), Elegant Pita Pita elegans vigorsii (Babar, Romang, Sermata), Timor Stubtail Urosphena subulata (Babar, Romang), the frst sound-recordings of Kai Cicadabird Coracina dispar (Babar?, Romang) and endemic subspecies of Southern Boobook Ninox boobook cinnamomina (Babar) and N. b. moae (Romang, Sermata?). The frst ecological notes were collected for Green Oriole Oriolus favocinctus migrator on Romang, the lowland-dwelling Snowy-browed Flycatcher Ficedula hyperythra audacis on Babar, the endemic subspecies of Yellow- throated (Banda) Whistler Pachycephala macrorhyncha par on Romang, and Grey Friarbird Philemon kisserensis on Kisar and Leti.
    [Show full text]
  • Squirrels of Sulawesi: an Introduction
    Squirrels of Sulawesi: An introduction by David Mead 2013 Sulang Language Data and Working Papers: Topics in Lexicography, no. 26 Sulawesi Language Alliance http://sulang.org/ SulangLexTopics026-v1 LANGUAGES Language of materials : English ABSTRACT This article has two parts. The first part comprises thumbnail sketches of the twelve squirrel species found on the island of Sulawesi. The second part is a description of some other small mammals which may potentially be confused with squirrels, at least during the initial phases of lexicography research. TABLE OF CONTENTS Part 1: Checklist of squirrel species; Giant squirrels; Beautiful squirrels; Dwarf squirrels; Long-nosed squirrels; Part 2: Some similar animals from around Indonesia; Tarsiers; Tree shrews; Flying squirrels; Colugos; Sugar gliders; Cuscuses; References. VERSION HISTORY Version 2 [31 July 2014] Checklist updated to accord with Musser et al. (2010) and to a greater or lesser extent all thumbnail descriptions revised. Version 1 [26 June 2013] Drafted October 2010, significantly revised June 2013. © 2010–2014 by David Mead Text is licensed under terms of the Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported license. Images are licensed as individually noted in the text. Squirrels of Sulawesi: An introduction by David Mead This article has two parts. The first part comprises thumbnail sketches of the twelve squirrel species found on the island of Sulawesi, as they are currently recognized. The second part is a description of some other small mammals which may potentially be confused with squirrels, at least during the initial phases of lexicography research before the live animal is encountered. My source for squirrel species present on Sulawesi is Musser et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Cercartetus Lepidus (Diprotodontia: Burramyidae)
    MAMMALIAN SPECIES 842:1–8 Cercartetus lepidus (Diprotodontia: Burramyidae) JAMIE M. HARRIS School of Environmental Science and Management, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, 2480, Australia; [email protected] Abstract: Cercartetus lepidus (Thomas, 1888) is a burramyid commonly called the little pygmy-possum. It is 1 of 4 species in the genus Cercartetus, which together with Burramys parvus form the marsupial family Burramyidae. This Lilliputian possum has a disjunct distribution, occurring on mainland Australia, Kangaroo Island, and in Tasmania. Mallee and heath communities are occupied in Victoria and South Australia, but in Tasmania it is found mainly in dry and wet sclerophyll forests. It is known from at least 18 fossil sites and the distribution of these reveal a significant contraction in geographic range since the late Pleistocene. Currently, this species is not listed as threatened in any state jurisdictions in Australia, but monitoring is required in order to more accurately define its conservation status. DOI: 10.1644/842.1. Key words: Australia, burramyid, hibernator, little pygmy-possum, pygmy-possum, Tasmania, Victoria mallee Published 25 September 2009 by the American Society of Mammalogists Synonymy completed 2 April 2008 www.mammalogy.org Cercartetus lepidus (Thomas, 1888) Little Pygmy-possum Dromicia lepida Thomas, 1888:142. Type locality ‘‘Tasma- nia.’’ E[udromicia](Dromiciola) lepida: Matschie, 1916:260. Name combination. Eudromicia lepida Iredale and Troughton, 1934:23. Type locality ‘‘Tasmania.’’ Cercartetus lepidus: Wakefield, 1963:99. First use of current name combination. CONTEXT AND CONTENT. Order Diprotodontia, suborder Phalangiformes, superfamily Phalangeroidea, family Burra- myidae (Kirsch 1968). No subspecies for Cercartetus lepidus are currently recognized.
    [Show full text]
  • Case Et Al. 2008 a Pre-Neogene Phalangerid Possum from South
    A PRE-NEOGENE PHALANGERID POSSUM FROM SOUTH AUSTRALIA JUDD A. CASE, 1 ROBERT W. MEREDITH, 2 AND JEFF PERSON3 1College of Science, Health & Engineering, Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA 99004-2408; [email protected] 2Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521; [email protected] 3North Dakota Geological Survey, 600 East Boulevard, Bismarck, ND 58505; [email protected] ABSTRACT--Phalangeridae is one of the most widely dispersed families of possums (Marsupialia, Dirprotodontia) in the Australasian region, extending from Tasmania in the southeast to Sulawesi of the Greater Sunda Islands of Indonesia in the northwest. Yet this one family of possums has generated the most morphological and biochemical phylogenetic uncertainties of any family within Order Diprotodontia. The various phylogenetic relationships for the family have led to different biogeographic models in regard to the site of origin and directions of dispersal for taxa within the family. The recovery of a maxilla from faunal zone B of the late Oligocene Etadunna Formation at Lake Palankarinna, South Australia (ca. 25 mya), results in the oldest known phalangerid to date, some ten million years older than the numerous Middle Miocene fossil phalangerids described from Riversleigh, Queensland. Whereas the Riversleigh phalangerids are similar enough to modern taxa to have originally been included in modern genera, the Etadunna specimen has morphologies that are very plesiomorphic for the family. These include a bladed P3 with a central main cusp that has denticles posteriorly, but no ridges; P3 aligned with tooth row; M1 with parastyle shear aligned with blade of P3; and M2 and M3 more square in occlusal outline.
    [Show full text]
  • Distribution and Status of Threatened and Endemic Marsupials on the Offshore Islands of Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia
    10.1071/AM17052_AC © CSIRO 2019 Australian Mammalogy 41, 76–81 Supplementary material for Distribution and status of threatened and endemic marsupials on the offshore islands of southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. Thomas E. MartinA,I, Joseph MonkhouseA, Darren O’ConnellB, Kangkuso AnaluddinC, Adi KaryaC, Nancy E. C. PristonD, Charlotte A. PalmerA, Barnabas HarrisonE, Jack BaddamsA, Abdul H. MustariF, Philip M. WheelerG and David G. ToshH AOperation Wallacea, Wallace House, Old Bolingbroke, Lincolnshire, PE23 4EX, UK. BSchool of Natural Sciences, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland. CDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Halu Oleo University of Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. DCentre for Ecology, Environment and Conservation, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK. E5 Shackleton Court, 2 Maritime Quay, Isle of Dogs, London, E14 3QF, UK. FDepartment of Forest Resources, Conservation, and Ecotourism, Faculty of Forestry, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, Jawa Barat, Indonesia. GSchool of Environment, Earth, and Ecosystem Sciences, Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK. HCentre for Environmental Data Recording, National Museums of Northern Ireland, 153 Bangor Road, Holywood, Co. Down, BT18 OEU, UK. ICorresponding author. Email: [email protected] Table S1 – Summary of links to verified records. Species name Island observed Inaturalist verified record link Ailurops ursinus Buton inaturalist.org/observations/7633112
    [Show full text]