Ground Cuscus
Encyclopedia
The Ground Cuscus is a marsupial
from the order Diprotodontia
and belongs within the family Phalangeridae
, a diverse family consisting of the other cuscus
species and the brushtail possum
s (Trichosurus spp) and the Scaly-tailed Possum
(Wyulda squamicaudata).
Body weight of the Ground Cuscus averages 2.5 – 3kg. Head and body length is approximately 440mm and tail length 330mm although wild populations show variation depending on their location, with individuals from lowland regions being the largest and highland animals the smallest. It has opposable thumbs on the hind feet, a prehensile tail
, and a bifurcation between the second and third front digits to allow it to move easily within the trees and to feed in a suspensory position.
The pelage is short and dense and is usually some shade of grey, often with white markings on the belly and scrotum. The tail has a course, tubercle
-like appearance at the base and on the dorsal side, with a ridged fingertip patterning on the underside to facilitate gripping. The feet are large with five digits, only the opposable digit on the hind feet is without claws. The ears of the Ground Cuscus are prominent and naked. The pouch is forward opening and contains four mammae.
Cuscuses are generally arboreal folivore
/frugivore
s and are slow moving and nocturnal, although hunters in New Guinea
have observed them sunning themselves outside their burrows in the early morning. The tendency to nest in burrows makes this species vulnerable to hunting with dogs.
The Ground Cuscus differs from all other phalangerids in spending its days in burrows in the ground and appears as comfortable at ground level as in the trees. Captive specimens are often described as being mainly arboreal, whereas wild Ground Cuscus are generally described as a terrestrial species. Regarded as a solitary species, the Ground Cuscus fights by adopting a bipedal stance and lashing out with the forelimbs whilst emitting hissing and barking vocalisations. In captivity, compatible pairs can be housed together but periodic fighting may still occur.
No information on longevity in the wild is available. A captive specimen was known to live for 18 years with 10 years not uncommon.
The Ground Cuscus is endemic to New Guinea and Aru Island and inhabits both forests and scrubland. It is most common at elevations of between 500 – 1500m but has been recorded as low as 200m and as high as 2600m. Swampy areas, deltas and floodplains are usually avoided. The Ground Cuscus is classified as "Least Concern" on the IUCN Red List
, although it has been extirpated
from parts of its original range by excessive hunting.
Marsupial
Marsupials are an infraclass of mammals, characterized by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young. Close to 70% of the 334 extant species occur in Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands, with the remaining 100 found in the Americas, primarily in South America, but with thirteen in Central...
from the order Diprotodontia
Diprotodontia
Diprotodontia is a large order of about 120 marsupial mammals including the kangaroos, wallabies, possums, koala, wombats, and many others. Extinct diprotodonts include the rhinoceros-sized Diprotodon, and Thylacoleo, the so-called "marsupial lion"....
and belongs within the family Phalangeridae
Phalangeridae
Phalangeridae is a family of nocturnal marsupials native to Australia and New Guinea, including the cuscuses, brushtail possums, and their close relatives...
, a diverse family consisting of the other cuscus
Cuscus
Cuscus is the common name generally given to the species within the four genera of Australasian possum:* Ailurops* Phalanger* Spilocuscus* Strigocuscus...
species and the brushtail possum
Brushtail possum
The brushtail possums are the members of the genus, Trichosurus, a genus of marsupial in the Phalangeridae family.It contains the following species:*Northern Brushtail Possum, Trichosurus arnhemensis...
s (Trichosurus spp) and the Scaly-tailed Possum
Scaly-tailed Possum
The Scaly-tailed Possum or the Ilangnalya is found in northwestern Australia. It is restricted to the Kimberley region in Western Australia...
(Wyulda squamicaudata).
Body weight of the Ground Cuscus averages 2.5 – 3kg. Head and body length is approximately 440mm and tail length 330mm although wild populations show variation depending on their location, with individuals from lowland regions being the largest and highland animals the smallest. It has opposable thumbs on the hind feet, a prehensile tail
Prehensile tail
A prehensile tail is the tail of an animal that has adapted to be able to grasp and/or hold objects. Fully prehensile tails can be used to hold and manipulate objects, and in particular to aid arboreal creatures in finding and eating food in the trees...
, and a bifurcation between the second and third front digits to allow it to move easily within the trees and to feed in a suspensory position.
The pelage is short and dense and is usually some shade of grey, often with white markings on the belly and scrotum. The tail has a course, tubercle
Tubercle
A tubercle is generally a wart-like projection, but it has slightly different meaning depending on which family of plants or animals it is used to refer to....
-like appearance at the base and on the dorsal side, with a ridged fingertip patterning on the underside to facilitate gripping. The feet are large with five digits, only the opposable digit on the hind feet is without claws. The ears of the Ground Cuscus are prominent and naked. The pouch is forward opening and contains four mammae.
Cuscuses are generally arboreal folivore
Folivore
In zoology, a folivore is a herbivore that specializes in eating leaves. Mature leaves contain a high proportion of hard-to-digest cellulose, less energy than other types of foods, and often toxic compounds. For this reason folivorous animals tend to have long digestive tracts and slow metabolisms....
/frugivore
Frugivore
A frugivore is a fruit eater. It can be any type of herbivore or omnivore where fruit is a preferred food type. Because approximately 20% of all mammalian herbivores also eat fruit, frugivory is considered to be common among mammals. Since frugivores eat a lot of fruit they are highly dependent...
s and are slow moving and nocturnal, although hunters in New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
have observed them sunning themselves outside their burrows in the early morning. The tendency to nest in burrows makes this species vulnerable to hunting with dogs.
The Ground Cuscus differs from all other phalangerids in spending its days in burrows in the ground and appears as comfortable at ground level as in the trees. Captive specimens are often described as being mainly arboreal, whereas wild Ground Cuscus are generally described as a terrestrial species. Regarded as a solitary species, the Ground Cuscus fights by adopting a bipedal stance and lashing out with the forelimbs whilst emitting hissing and barking vocalisations. In captivity, compatible pairs can be housed together but periodic fighting may still occur.
No information on longevity in the wild is available. A captive specimen was known to live for 18 years with 10 years not uncommon.
The Ground Cuscus is endemic to New Guinea and Aru Island and inhabits both forests and scrubland. It is most common at elevations of between 500 – 1500m but has been recorded as low as 200m and as high as 2600m. Swampy areas, deltas and floodplains are usually avoided. The Ground Cuscus is classified as "Least Concern" on the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
, although it has been extirpated
Local extinction
Local extinction, also known as extirpation, is the condition of a species which ceases to exist in the chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere...
from parts of its original range by excessive hunting.