Myoictis wallacii, Gray, 1858

Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson, 2015, Dasyuridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 5 Monotremes and Marsupials, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 232-348 : 293-294

8.

Wallace's Three-striped Dasyure

Myoictis wallacii

French: Dasyure de Wallace / German: Wallace-Streifenbeutelmaus / Spanish: Dasiuro de tres rayas de Wallace

Other common names: Wallace's Dasyure

Taxonomy. Myoictis wallacii Gray, 1858 ,

“ Aru Island,” New Guinea .

In 1866, H. Schlegel noted a specimen collected by A. R. Wallace on the Aru Islands that had been described by J. E. Gray as M. wallacii . Schlegel believed that this animal, a juvenile with incomplete dentition, showed affinity with his species Phascogalea:: thorbeckiana and did not warrant separate placement. Schlegel suggested that only differences in coat color existed between animals from Triton Bay ( melas ), Salawati (thorbeckiana), and Aru (wallacit). There was further taxonomic confusion in the following decades as a string of specimens, some named as new species, gradually were collected; some had three striking black stripes on the back, and a few others were melanistic, like the original type for M. melas . In 1947, G. H. H. Tate placed Myoictis as a genus within the Dasyurinae , recognizing two species. The first was M. melas , to which he referred thorbeckiana, bruijnii, senex, and biirgersi. The second was M. wallacii , to which he referred pilicauda. In 2005, a comprehensive examination of museum material suggested that M. melas encompassed a range of forms from numerous localities across New Guinea, M. wallacii was evidently distinct and present in several locations (Aru Islands and southern mainland New Guinea), M. wavicus deserved full species status (rather than as subspecies within M. melas ), and a new species, M. leucura, warranted recognition. Genetic (mtDNA and nDNA) divergences supported the morphological study, finding M. wallacii to be deeply divergent from the three other Myoictis species ( M. wallacii to congeners 9:3-12% at the mtDNA cytochrome-b gene). M. wallacii was genetically positioned with strong support assister to a clade containing two species of Myoictis (leucura and wavicus ); M. melas was positioned as sister to a clade containing these three congeners. Monotypic.

Distribution. Aru Is and lowlands of S New Guinea in Merauke and Western provinces and Avera (= Avela), Aroa River,in the E; recently, two specimens were obtained in the Trans-Fly region near Serki Village.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 18:5-22.2 cm (males) and 17.6-20.8 cm (females), tail length no specific data available; weight 206-245 g (males) and 192 g (females). There is sexual dimorphism for size. Wallace's Three-striped Dasyures have bushy, red-haired tails and a faint head stripe. These features serve to distinguish them from other species of Myoictis . Tail is densely longhaired to tip, which gives it a bushy appearance, especially when hairs are erect. Hairs on top and sides oftail are up to 20 mm long, but flattened underside is almost bare. Fur color is generally rusty brown, somewhat paler on head and tail. Posterior palatal foramina (back holes in skull palate) are large, and P, tooth is double rooted.

Habitat. [Lowland tropical moist forest, gallery forest, and secondary habitats. Elevational records of Wallace's Three-striped Dasyures range from less than 30 m to 923 m.

Food and Feeding. There is no information available for this species.

Breeding. Little is known about breeding habits of Wallace’s Three-striped Dasyures. In one study, with the help of native hunters, five individuals (one female and four males) were collected in the Aru Islands (6° S, 134° 30° E) in October-November 1992. The female’s pouch area was flat and lacked skin folds, and mammary tissue was not enlarged. She had six small nipples that may have been suckled. Dissection provided evidence that the female was reproductively mature. The four males, one speared and three caught alive by native hunters throwing bags over them as they emerged from ground refuges, were all sexually mature. The live animals were kept in captivity, two for one month and one for 7-5 months, throughout which time they showed spermatorrhoea. Spermatogenesis was occurring in all four males at the time of their death.

Activity patterns. There is no specific information available for this species, but similar to its congeners, Wallace’s Three-striped Dasyure is thought to be primarily ground dwelling and diurnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no information available for this species.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Wallace's Three-striped Dasyure has a wide distribution and absence of known conservation threats. Possible future threats could include predation from domestic and feral cats, which have recently established a small population in the Trans-Fly region. Introduced cane toads (Rhinella marina) also could present a future threat in the Trans-Fly region. Further studies are required to understand the relationship between populations of Wallace’s Three-striped Dasyures on the Aru Islands and those on the New Guinea mainland.

Bibliography. Flannery (1995a), Gray (1858b), Leary, Seri, Wright, Hamilton, Helgen, Singadan, Menzies, Allison, James, Dickman, Lunde, Aplin, Flannery & Woolley (2008b), Schlegel (1866a), Tate (1947), Westerman, Young, Donnellan et al. (2006), Westerman, Young & Krajewski (2007), Woolley (2001, 2003, 2005b).

Figures

On following pages: 29. Black-tailed Antechinus (Antechinus arktos); 30. Fawn Antechinus (Antechinus bellus); 31. Yellow-footed Antechinus (Antechinus flavipes), 32. Atherton Antechinus (Antechinus godmani); 33. Cinnamon Antechinus (Antechinus leo); 34. Swamp Antechinus (Antechinus minimus); 35. Buff-footed Antechinus (Antechinus mysticus); 36. Brown Antechinus (Antechinus stuartil); 37. Subtropical Antechinus (Antechinus subtropicus); 38. Dusky Antechinus (Antechinus swainsonii).

Distribution. Aru Is and lowlands of S New Guinea in Merauke and Western provinces and Avera (= Avela), Aroa River,in the E; recently, two specimens were obtained in the Trans-Fly region near Serki Village.