Murexia habbema

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	DASYUROMORPHIA	DASYURIDAE

Scientific Name:

Murexia habbema

Species Authority:

(Tate & Archbold, 1941)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Habbema Dasyure, Habbema Antechinus
French	–	Souris Marsupiale D´habbema

Synonym/s:

Antechinus habbema Tate & Archbold, 1941

Antechinus hageni Laurie, 1952

Micromurexia habbema Van Dyck, 2002

Taxonomic Notes:

Groves (2005) placed this species in the genus Micromurexia following a morphocladistic analysis by Van Dyck (2002). Genetic work, however, strongly supports the placement of this species within Murexia (Armstrong et al. 1998; Krajewski et al. 2000, 2007).

Murexia habbema potentially represents two allopatric species: the subspecies M. h. habbema of the western part of the range (Snow and Star Mountains), and subspecies M. h. hageni of the eastern part of the range (eastern highlands from Mounts Giluwe, Sisa, and Hagen to northern Central Province, Papua New Guinea) (Helgen 2007).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s:

Leary, T., Seri, L., Wright, D., Hamilton, S., Helgen, K., Singadan, R., Menzies, J., Allison, A., James, R., Dickman, C., Lunde, D., Aplin, K. & Woolley, P.

Reviewer/s:

Lamoreux, J. & Hilton-Taylor, C. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)

Justification:
Listed as Least Concern because it has a wide distribution and no major threats to it are known. Murexia habbema occurs at high elevations in New Guinea where it is not greatly affected by hunting or habitat loss.

History:

1996

–

Data Deficient

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species has a wide distribution in the Central Cordillera of the island of New Guinea (Indonesia and Papua New Guinea). It is known from scattered localities throughout its range. The Habbema Dasyure's elevational range is 1,600-3,660 m asl (Van Dyck 2002).
Countries:	Native: Indonesia (Irian Jaya); Papua New Guinea
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The species is relatively common throughout its range.
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	The Habbema Dasyure is present in montane primary forest, mid-montane forest, beech forest, mossy forest, and subalpine grasslands (Van Dyck 2002). It occurs in disturbed primary forest, but is not present in secondary forest habitats. This species is nocturnal (Woolley et al. 1991) and probably largely terrestrial. Animals have been found to nest in burrow systems in the ground (Woolley 1989). Females of this species may carry up to four young in the pouch and breeding appears to be aseasonal (Woolley 2003).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

The Habbema Dasyure is present in montane primary forest, mid-montane forest, beech forest, mossy forest, and subalpine grasslands (Van Dyck 2002). It occurs in disturbed primary forest, but is not present in secondary forest habitats. This species is nocturnal (Woolley et al. 1991) and probably largely terrestrial. Animals have been found to nest in burrow systems in the ground (Woolley 1989). Females of this species may carry up to four young in the pouch and breeding appears to be aseasonal (Woolley 2003).

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	There are no major threats to this species, largely because of the high elevations at which it occurs. The montane grasslands are burned periodically but this is not seen as a major threat.

Major Threat(s):

There are no major threats to this species, largely because of the high elevations at which it occurs. The montane grasslands are burned periodically but this is not seen as a major threat.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	The Habbema Dasyure is present in several protected areas. Further studies of the species' taxonomy, distribution, and natural history are needed.

Conservation Actions:

The Habbema Dasyure is present in several protected areas. Further studies of the species' taxonomy, distribution, and natural history are needed.

Citation:	Leary, T., Seri, L., Wright, D., Hamilton, S., Helgen, K., Singadan, R., Menzies, J., Allison, A., James, R., Dickman, C., Lunde, D., Aplin, K. & Woolley, P. 2008. Murexia habbema. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 09 February 2012.
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