AMERICAN MUSEUM Novttates PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY CENTRAL PARK WEST AT 79TH STREET NEW YORK, N.Y. 10024 U.S.A. NUMBER 2660 OCTOBER 26, 1978 HOBART M. VAN DEUSEN Results of the Archbold Expeditions. No. 101. Summary of the Seventh Archbold Expedition to New Guinea (1964) AMERICAN MUSEUM Novitates PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY CENTRAL PARK WEST AT 79TH STREET, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10024 Number 2660, pp. 1-21, figs. 1-12 October 26, 1978 Results of the Archbold Expeditions. No. 101. Summary of the Seventh Archbold Expedition to New Guinea (1964) HOBART M. VAN DEUSEN1 ABSTRACT The Seventh Archbold Expedition worked on the expedition was to collect mammals and plants, but Huon Peninsula of Papua New Guinea from April 12 other kinds of materials were also gathered, most to October 22, 1964. Members of the expedition notably in the areas of herpetology and entomology. occupied several camps ranging in elevation from The present report provides an itinerary of the expe- sea level near Finschhafen to 3500 meters on the dition, together with maps and a gazetteer. Saruwaged Plateau. The principal objective of the FOREWORD Summaries of previous Archbold expeditions authored presentation dealing much more exten- all were organized in much the same way sively with many topics than was possible with (Archbold and Rand, 1935; Rand and Brass, the authorship restricted to the expedition 1940; Archbold, Rand and Brass, 1942; Brass, leader, or even the leader and one or two mem- 1953, 1956, 1959, 1964). They described the bers of the expedition. He planned to write the physiography and climate of the study area, general material as well as the chapter dealing presented detailed itineraries and descriptions of with mammalogy. Others agreed to provide the expedition's collecting stations, and dis- chapters on botany, ecology, and herpetology. cussed previous biological studies in the region. At the time of his death in June 1976, he had Sometimes expanded treatment was given areas the introductory material and most of the pro- of particular interest of participants in the expe- posed chapter on itinerary and routes in man- ditions (ornithology and vegetation, for exam- uscript form. None of the detailed descriptions ple). All reports were copiously illustrated with of collecting stations for which he was awaiting photographs and maps. botanical information had been written. The Hobart Van Deusen (1966) published a brief, great many notes for the accounts of mam- semipopular account of the Seventh Archbold malian species in his files are not sufficiently Expedition. He had hoped in a more expansive complete to be brought together into the chap- summary to enlarge upon the format established ter he evidently envisioned. Information on in earlier reports. He envisioned a multi- physiography and geology, climate, and history 'Late Archbold Assistant Curator, Department of Mammalogy, the American Museum of Natural History. Copyright © The American Museum of Natural History 1978 ISSN 0003-0082 / Price $1.65 2 AMERICAN MUSEUM NOVITATES NO. 2660 and exploration also was lacking or present Huon Peninsula of Papua New Guinea by the only in rudimentary form. Seventh Archbold Expedition of the American Manuscripts treating frogs and lizards (R. G. Museum of Natural History. The expedition Zweifel) and snakes (S. B. McDowell), written was based at Lae, the administrative center of as chapters of the summary report, were sub- Morobe Province (then Morobe District). Oper- mitted to Van Deusen in 1972. A manuscript ations began on April 12 and terminated on intended as a chapter on vegetation changes at October 22. During this period the expedition high elevations has since been published sepa- made major collections on the Rawlinson rately (Costin et al., 1977), and the herpetologi- Range, the Cromwell Mountains, and the cal manuscripts also now will be published Saruwaged Mountains, as well as smaller col- separately. lections at other short-term collecting localities. Although this report is far less comprehen- Morobe Provice includes the Huon Peninsula sive than Van Deusen had intended, it nev- where all the expedition's work was centered. ertheless seems desirable to publish the At the time of the expedition, the Huon Penin- information. The collections accumulated on sula was part of the Territory of New Guinea, the Seventh Archbold Expedition and deposited formerly German New Guinea (until 1914), and in the American Museum of Natural History was with Papua administered by the Australian already have been utilized by scientists in the government as the Territory of Papua and New Museum and in other institutions as well, and Guinea. Many German place names persist on will continue to serve as a valuable resource. the Huon Peninsula, and a few German words The itinerary, gazetteer, and maps will be im- are still retained in the "pidgin" language we portant to persons working with the collections used, the lingua franca of the region. or visiting the Huon Peninsula. Several considerations led to the selection of The Introduction, Acknowledgments, and the Huon Peninsula as the site of the 1964 Itinerary and Routes appear here essentially as expedition. The valley of the Ramu and Mark- they did in Van Deusen's manuscript. I made ham rivers is a relatively low and narrow valley small changes in order to reflect the modified that separates two great mountain masses al- political status of Papua New Guinea and to most as effectively as would a tongue of the eliminate some material that, with the perspec- ocean. The divide between the two river sys- tive of several years since the manuscript was tems is almost imperceptible and lies at an written, seemed inappropriate or superfluous. elevation of 460 meters. To the south of the Titles of governmental officers are as of the valley rise the Bismarck Range, which towers time of the expedition. to 4600 meters, the Kratke and the Hertzog The original manuscript included elevational mountains; to the north, the Finisterre and data in both English and metric systems, but Saruwaged mountains of the Huon Peninsula not in consistent fashion. It appeared that in the peak at elevations of about 4100 meters. In majority of instances where the English system effect, this "rift valley" biologically isolates alone was used, the elevations were rounded to these mountain ranges from the central moun- the nearest 50 to 100 feet. I have expressed tain ranges of New Guinea, just as the Vitiaz these elevations in meters, rounded to the near- Strait isolates New Britain from the mainland est 10 to 100 meters, as seemed appropriate. of New Guinea. One object of the expedition The maps were prepared by Frances W. was to determine what species of mammals, Zweifel under Mr. Van Deusen's direction. present in the central ranges, had failed to cross Photographs were taken by Stanley Grierson. this valley gap. A corollary object of this col- R. G. ZWEIFEL 1978 lecting trip was to obtain material from the Huon for comparison with the mammal species INTRODUCTION obtained in the central ranges in 1959 (Brass, 1964). Early workers in bird and mammal tax- The present report summarizes the extensive onomy had described endemic species from the biological fieldwork carried out in 1964 on the Huon Peninsula. No large systematic collection 1978 VAN DEUSEN: ARCHBOLD EXPEDITIONS 3 of the mammals of the Huon was in existence 497 frogs, 286 lizards, 76 snakes (total 859 before the 1964 expedition. The small amount herpetological specimens); 101 birds; six mono- of material available is scattered principally in tremes (Zaglossus), 311 bats, 929 marsupials, European museums, and thus not readily avail- 484 rodents (total 1730 mammals). able for taxonomic studies. The type localities for a number of mammals and for a much ACKNOWLEDGMENTS larger number of plants are on the Huon. Stud- The Archbold expeditions to the Territory of ies were needed to prove or disprove the high Papua and New Guinea have been extremely degree of endemism reported by these early fortunate in their official relations with the Aus- taxonomists. tralian Administration. We always had com- The participants in the 1964 expedition were: plete cooperation and generous help not only Hobart M. Van Deusen, leader and mammalo- from Brigadier Sir Donald M. Cleland, Admin- gist; Ruurd D. Hoogland, botanist and ecolo- istrator, and Dr. John T. Gunther, Assistant gist; Stanley 0. Grierson, zoologist and Administrator, but also from field personnel photographer; Kenneth H. MacGowan, trans- right down to the newest Cadet Patrol Officer. port man and field assistant; and seven perma- It has been my particular pleasure to have nently employed natives. MacGowan was born known Dr. Gunther since the first Archbold in New Guinea, and his fluent command of post-war expedition in 1953. Dr. Gunther took "pidgin English" was of great value to the a personal interest in our work and gave us expedition. Kim, a native of Goodenough Is- friendly advice and help on many occasions. land and the finest bush cook in our expedition Mr. David M. Fenbury, Secretary, Department history, was taking part in his fourth Archbold of the Administrator, gave me his aid in obtain- expedition. Edewawa, senior botany assistant, ing official sanction for the 1964 expedition. was participating in his third expedition. I was His personal friendship and interest both in also most fortunate to have Davida, a native of New York and Port Moresby are deeply appre- Fergusson Island and my most experienced ciated. mammal assistant on the 1953 expedition as my We are indebted to Dr. John S. Womersley, trusted companion. Tobram, our 1959 Chimbu Chief, Division of Botany, and Curator of the mammal assistant from Mt. Wilhelm, was on Herbarium in Lae more than to any other per- his second expedition.