Dorcopsis atrata Van Deusen 1957

2.

Black Forest Wallaby

Dorcopsis atrata

French: Wallaby de Goodenough / German: Schwarzes Buschkanguru / Spanish: Ualabi de bosque negro

Other common names: Black Dorcopsis, Black Forest-wallaby, Goodenough Island Wallaby

Taxonomy. Dorcopsis atrata Van Deusen, 1957,

“ near “Top Camp,’ east slopes of Goodenough Island, D’Entrecasteaux Group, Territory of Papua, at an elevation of about 1600 meters,” Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Goodenough I, D’Entrecasteaux Is, off SE New Guinea.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 63-69.3 cm (males) and 55-60 cm (females), tail 39-4423 cm (males) and 25.5-33.5 cm (females); weight 7-5 kg (males), 3-4—4-8 kg (females). Dark forest wallaby with short tail and ears. Fur long and black dorsally, blackish brown to off-white ventrally, underfur white. Paws and feet black or white. Tail well furred at base, becoming less so terminally, with short dorsal crest; terminal quarter of tail naked and scaly, tip often pale. Distinct hair whorl on back between shoulders. Foreclaws short, and become worn with age.

Habitat. Montane rainforest, 1000-1800 m elevation, dominated by oaks (Castanopsis) and with little understory.

Food and Feeding. Although very little known,likely a browser consuming leaves from forest trees and fallen fruit. Known to eat also a diverse range of fungi (at least twelve species), including some hypogeous (truffle-like) species.

Breeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but females give birth to a single young and are believed to breed continuously.

Activity patterns. May be crepuscular and often moves along well-established pathways through forest, but specific activity patterns are virtually unknown.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Little is known about the social behavior of this forest wallaby, but it may concentrate activity in moister gullies during dry season.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Critically Endangered on The IUCN Red List. This species has a highly restricted natural distribution. It is confined to largely undisturbed forest, and is threatened by habitat loss through clearing for subsistence agriculture and encroachment of grassland as a result of regular anthropogenic burning. Subsistence hunting is also likely to have negative impact on the remaining population. Additional research on abundance, general ecology, and impact of potential threats is required.

Bibliography. Flannery (1995b), Groves & Flannery (1989), Hume (1999a), Leary, Wright, Hamilton, Singadan, Menzies, Bonaccorso, Helgen, Seri, Allison & James (2008), Menzies (1991, 2011), Van Deusen (1957), Vernes & Lebel (2011).