Zaglossus bartoni, 1877

Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson, 2015, Tachyglossidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 5 Monotremes and Marsupials, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 34-56 : 55

2 .

Eastern Long-beaked Echidna

Zaglossus bartoni

French: Echidné de Barton / German: Barton-Langschnabeligel / Spanish: Equidna de hocico largo oriental

Other common names: Barton's Long-beaked Echidna

Taxonomy. Zaglossus bartoni Thomas, 1907 ,

Papua New Guinea, Albert Edward Range, Mount Victoria , 8000 ft (2438 m).

This species includes four distinctive populations differentiated by size and skull proportions that have been classified as subspecies, but they may be separate species. A new population not clearly attributable to any existing subspecies was discovered in 2005 in the Foja Mountains. Four subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

Z. b. bartoni Thomas, 1907 — Papua New Guinean Central Range between the Efogi area (147° 42’ E) to around Wau (146° 44’ E) including the Wharton Range and the Wau-Bulolo area, at elevations between 2000 m and 3200 m. A population provisionally referred to this taxon occurs in the lowlands of S Chimbu Province, at ¢.600 m.

Z. b. clunius Thomas & Rothschild, 1922 — restricted to the Huon Peninsula Mts in E Papua New Guinea.

Z. b. diamondi Flannery & Groves, 1998 — New Guinea Central Range, from the Paniai Lakes to the Kratke Range in the Eastern Highlands.

Z. b. smeenki Flannery & Groves, 1998 — restricted to the Maneau Range, as far W as the Collingwood Bay in E Papua New Guinea.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 48-55 cm (males) and 51:5-63.7 cm (females); weight 4.2-6.5 kg (males) and 4.3-9 kg (females). The Eastern Long-beaked Echidna is the largest of the extant monotremes (up to 100 cm in length and 16 kg in weight have been recorded). It is distinguishable from the Western Long-beaked Echidna (Z. bruijnii) by possessing five claws on the forefeet and at least four (usually five) on the hindfeet. Size differences among subspecies have been noted: diamond: is the largest and smeenki is the smallest.

Habitat. Tropical hill forests to subalpine forests, grasslands and scrub, and also secondary habitats. The Eastern Long-beaked Echidna occurs in a large range of elevations from ¢.600 m to ¢.3200 m.

Food and Feeding. Diet of the Eastern Long-beaked Echidna includes earthworms and a variety of soil and log-dwelling arthropods. All observations of diets of species of Zaglossus have been made on the Eastern Long-beaked Echidna.

Breeding. It is unknown if the Eastern Long-beaked Echidna is a seasonal or asynchronous breeder. The only information on breeding of species of Zaglossus comes from the Eastern Long-beaked Echidna.

Activity patterns. There is no specific information available for this species, but the Eastern Long-beaked Echidna is mostly nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Limited data on species of Zaglossus comes entirely from the Eastern Long-beaked Echidna. A radio-tracking study in the Crater Mountain Wildlife Management Area in Papua New Guinea found the great majority of dens were underground, although some were in cliff faces or under thick vegetation. Mean entrance diameter was 20 cm (9-30 cm), burrow length was 2:7 m (1:3-4-9 m), and depth was 0-48 m (0-42-0-57 m) below the soil surface. Home range of one individual was c.2 km* during a two-month period.

Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Critically Endangered on The IUCN Red List. The Eastern Long-beaked Echidna was once widespread, but with a patchy distribution throughout the central mountains of New Guinea (Papua Province, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea), the Foja Mountains (Papua Province), and the Huon Peninsula (Papua New Guinea). It has been hunted to local extinction in densely populated and accessible regions. Subpopulations in the western one-half of its distribution (mainly central mountains of Papua Province) have largely gone extinct, but some in the east (Papua New Guinea) appear to be more secure.

Bibliography. Flannery & Groves (1998), Leary, Seri, Flannery, Wright, Hamilton, Helgen, Singadan, Menzies, Allison, James, Aplin et al. (2008b), Opiang (2009).

Figures

On following pages: 4. Short-beaked Echidna (7achyglossus aculeatus).