Spilocuscus maculatus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	DIPROTODONTIA	PHALANGERIDAE

Scientific Name:

Spilocuscus maculatus

Species Authority

(É. Geoffroy, 1803)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Common Spotted Cuscus, Short-tailed Spotted Cuscus, Spotted Phalanger
French	–	Couscous Tacheté, Phalanger Tacheté
Spanish	–	Cuscús Manchado

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

Leary, T., Singadan, R., Menzies, J., Helgen, K., Wright, D., Allison, A., Aplin, K. & Dickman, C.

Evaluator/s:

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

Justification:
Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, large population, occurrence in a number of protected areas, resilience to habitat disturbance and hunting, and because its population is probably stable.

History:

1996

–

Lower Risk/least concern (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This widespread species is found through much of the southern Moluccan Islands (Indonesia), including Buru, Seram, Banda, and Ambon (possibly introduced to these islands); it is present on the islands of Misool and Yapen, the Kai Islands and the Aru Islands (all Indonesia); it is distributed over much of the island of New Guinea (Indonesia and Papua New Guinea); and is present on the Cape York Peninsula, north of Coen, in Australia. It has been introduced to the islands of Mussau and New Ireland (Papua New Guinea), and to Salayer Island, south of Sulawesi, Indonesia (George 1987). It has an altitudinal range of sea level to 1,400 m asl.
Countries:	Native: Australia; Indonesia; Papua New Guinea
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	It is a locally common lowland species.
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It is an arboreal and nocturnal species, found in primary, secondary, and disturbed tropical moist forest. It has additionally been recorded in mangrove forest. Females are believed to rear a single young (Winter and Leung 1995).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	There appear to be no major threats to this species. It is locally hunted for food and skins in parts of its range (e.g., New Guinea).

Major Threat(s):

There appear to be no major threats to this species. It is locally hunted for food and skins in parts of its range (e.g., New Guinea).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	This species is listed on Appendix II of CITES. It is present in a number of protected areas. Further studies into the taxonomy of this species are needed.

Conservation Actions:

This species is listed on Appendix II of CITES. It is present in a number of protected areas. Further studies into the taxonomy of this species are needed.

Citation:	Leary, T., Singadan, R., Menzies, J., Helgen, K., Wright, D., Allison, A., Aplin, K. & Dickman, C. 2008. Spilocuscus maculatus. In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 November 2008.
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