Echymipera kalubu (Fischer, 1829)

Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson, 2015, Peramelidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 5 Monotremes and Marsupials, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 362-398 : 395-396

12.

Common Echymipera

Echymipera kalubu

French: Bandicoot épineux / German: Flachstachelnasenbeutler / Spanish: Bandicut espinoso comun

Other common names: Black-headed Bandicoot, Common Spiny Bandicoot, Kalubu Echymipera

Taxonomy. Perameles kalubu Fischer, 1829 ,

“ In insula Waigeo ,” ( = Waigeo Island , Sorong Division, Papua Province, Indonesia).

Four subspecies usually recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

E. k. kalubu Fischer, 1829 — W Papuan Is (Waigeo, Salawati, Misool), and most of New Guinea, including Yapen I and islands NE of mainland (Bagabag, Blup Blup, Kadovar, Karkar, Koil, Vokeo).

E. k. cockerelli Ramsay, 1877 — New Britain, Manus, and adjacent islands, in Bismarck Archipelago.

E. k. oriomo Tate & Archbold, 1936 — Fly River region, in S New Guinea.

E. k. plaulipi Troughton, 1945 — Biak-Supiori and Owi I, in Cenderawasih (= Geelvink) Bay.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 22.5-38 cm,tail 6-:3.9-8 cm; weight 0.4-1.8 kg. Wide range in measurements reflects differences in size between the subspecies (oriomo and philipi are relatively small, nominate can be 50% more massive than either) and between the sexes; shows marked sexual dimorphism, adult males achieving body weights that on average may be double those of females, though females may nonetheless achieve weights of up to 1-8 kg on occasion. Dorsal fur is coarse reddish brown, flecked with spiny buff and black hairs, and fur below is pale. Cheeks and throat are pale; a dark stripe runs through eye on some individuals, whereas in others entire crown region is black. Melanistic individuals are common in philipi and in some populations of nominate. Unlike the Long-nosed Echymipera ( E. rufescens ) and the Clara’s Echymipera ( E. clara ), this species lacks any trace of a black pad on hindfoot.

Habitat. Occupies most habitats from sea level to ¢.2000 m. It prefers secondary forest, grassland, and garden habitats nearvillages, rather than primary forest, and at higher elevations is restricted increasingly to disturbed habitats. Recorded also as using canegrass thickets, sago swamps, and coffee and banana plantations. Radio-tracking studies show that animals exploitsites with recent tree-falls, fallen fruit, rotting logs, and dense ground-level vegetation for foraging, and use sites on forest floor for nests. They do not have fixed preferences for a particular type of nest; they nest in hollow logs, tree stumps, piles of leaves, and balls of grass, and in shallow, deliberately constructed burrows with two openings that run for up to 4 m below forest floor.

Food and Feeding. The few stomachs that have been examined suggest that this species, while omnivorous, may consume more fruit than other well-studied peramelids. Local people often set traps or wait by fruiting trees to capture foraging animals, and diet samples have been found to contain seeds and pulp from such fruits as banana, fig, and pandan ( Pandanus , Pandanaceae ). Nonetheless, the species also eats snails or slugs, surface-active invertebrates, and prey such as larvae in rotting wood. Shallow foraging pits indicate that subterranean prey, such as earthworms, are also eaten. There is some evidence that foraging is focused in areas with dense cover, animals moving quickly through open sites to access new sources of food.

Breeding. This echymipera is highly fecund and breeds throughout the year. In one long-term study in Karimui region, Chimbu Province, 56 of 85 females were found to be carrying pouch young, intervals between successive litters averaging 120 days. Similar breeding rates (66-71%) have been reported from other localities, including Crater Mountain Wildlife Management Area in Eastern Highlands Province. Females become reproductively active at a weight of ¢.380 g, not long after becoming independent, and testes in males can reach mature size when animals weigh 300 g. Up to three pouch young (average 1-6) were usually present in pouches of females in the Karimui study, similar to reported litter sizes of c¢.1-5 and 1-7 in other areas. Females have six nipples in a rear-opening pouch and, as with other peramelids, young attach to nipples that have not been recently used but which have regressed from an earlier litter.

Activity patterns. In Crater Mountain Wildlife Management Area, individuals became active between 18:00 h and 20:00 h, showed peak activity between 20:00 h and 02:00 h, and became much less active again between 04:00 h and 06:00 h. About three-quarters of fixes on animals radio-tracked at night indicated that these were active and foraging or were patrolling their homes ranges. In contrast, 86% of radio-fixes obtained by day showed that animals were at rest. In anotherstudy, carried out in Baiyer River Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Highlands Province, animals were strictly nocturnal and often used the same pathways when traveling through the forest. Both studies found that the animals use multiple shelters or nest sites between successive days, and sometimes return to these sites at night for short periods.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Individuals use diverse habitats when active at night, perhaps in order to exploit different food resources and to track seasonal shifts in food availability. In Baiyer River Wildlife Sanctuary, this echymipera moved on average 344 m per night and covered areas of c.1-2 ha. Home ranges in Crater Mountain Wildlife Management Area were 0-9-7-3 ha, with the more expansive ranges occupied by larger—usually male—animals. Males usually overlap the ranges of two or more females, but overlaps in range within each sex appear to be minimal and core areas are maintained exclusively. Population density in Crater Mountain Wildlife Management Area was estimated at 0-85 ind/ha. Anecdotal accounts indicate that individuals are pugnacious and will fight readily if confined.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The population trend is stable. This speciesis the most abundant of New Guinea peramelids. It is very widely distributed, not restricted to particular habitats, occurs in several protected areas, and can be abundant even in places where it is hunted. Anecdotal observations indicate that local populations can be depleted by depredation byferal cat (Felis catus) and feral dogs. Nevertheless, even if there are local reductions in abundance, it is very unlikely that overall population is declining at a rate that might qualify this peramelid for listing as Near Threatened. While nominate subspecies appears to be most secure, oriomo of Fly River region and the two endemic island subspecies have been subject to more limited research in recent years. Although there is little reason to suspect that the latter may be at risk, it would be advantageous to carry out surveys of these forms to confirm their current status.

Bibliography. Anderson et al. (1988), Cuthbert & Denny (2014), Dwyer (1984), Flannery (1995a, 1995b), George & Maynes (1990), Groves (2005c), Groves & Flannery (1990), Hide et al. (1984), Hughes et al. (1990), Laurie (1952), Laurie & Hill (1954), Lidicker & Ziegler (1968), Menzies (2011), Tate (1948b), Troughton (1945), Van Deusen & Keith (1966), Westerman, Kear et al. (2012), Westerman, Springer & Krajewski (2001), Ziegler (1977, 1982).

Figures

9. Clara’s Echymipera (Echymupera clara), 10. David’s Echymipera (Echymipera davidi), 11. Menzies’s Echymipera (Echymipera echinista), 12. Common Echymipera (Echymipera kalubu), 13. Long-nosed Echymipera (Echymipera rufescens), 14. Striped Bandicoot (Microperoryctes longicauda), 15. Mouse Bandicoot (Microperoryctes murina), 16. Arfak Pygmy Bandicoot (Microperoryctes aplin), 17. Papuan Bandicoot (Microperoryctes papuensis), 18. Seram Bandicoot (Rhynchomeles prattorum)

Subspecies and Distribution. E. k. kalubu Fischer, 1829 — W Papuan Is (Waigeo, Salawati, Misool), and most of New Guinea, including Yapen I and islands NE of mainland (Bagabag, Blup Blup, Kadovar, Karkar, Koil, Vokeo). E. k. cockerelli Ramsay, 1877 — New Britain, Manus, and adjacent islands, in Bismarck Archipelago. On following pages: 13. Long-nosed Echymipera ( Echymipera rufescens ); 14. Striped Bandicoot ( Microperoryctes longicauda ); 15. Mouse Bandicoot ( Microperoryctes murina ); 16. Arfak Pygmy Bandicoot ( Microperoryctes aplini); 17. Papuan Bandicoot ( Microperoryctes papuensis ); 18. Seram Bandicoot ( Rhynchomeles prattorum ). E. k. oriomo Tate & Archbold, 1936 — Fly River region, in S New Guinea. E. k. plaulipi Troughton, 1945 — Biak-Supiori and Owi I, in Cenderawasih (= Geelvink) Bay.