Phalangeridae Thomas, 1888

Wiantoro, Sigit, Flannery, Tim F., Brown, Dan, Armstrong, Kyle N. & Helgen, Kristofer M., 2023, The mammal fauna of Kofiau Island, off western New Guinea, Records of the Australian Museum 75 (5), pp. 653-662 : 657

Phalangeridae Thomas, 1888

Phalanger orientalis orientalis (Pallas, 1766) . Common throughout the island. Two juvenile females (both large pouch young) were being held in the village at the time of our visit. Both individuals were photographed by expeditioners, one of which is shown in Fig. 2 . Based on our examination of their external morphology, they are not distinguishable from individuals from mainland New Guinea.

Phalanger orientalis is widespread and abundant in the northern lowlands of New Guinea and adjacent islands, as well as in the Raja Ampat Islands, Seram, Buru and Timor ( Flannery, 1995). It has been introduced to Timor, and probably to many other islands in its distribution, including possibly Kofiau.

Figures

Figure 2. Juvenile Phalanger orientalis, Kampong Deer (Location 1), Kofiau.