Wonders of New Guinea

Two new Toxicocalamus from Papua New Guinea

2010-03-04T03:20:00.000-08:00

Kraus, F (2009): New Species of Toxicocalamus (Squamata: Elapidae) from Papua New Guinea. Herpetologica 65(4):460-467

I describe two distinctive new species of elapid snakes of the genus Toxicocalamus from the southeastern end of Papua New Guinea. The first species, T. mintoni sp. nov., is unique within the genus in having the frontal fused with the supraoculars. It is a fairly gracile species of uniformly light-brown coloration and is known from only a single specimen from central Sudest Island. The second species, T. pachysomus sp. nov., is unique in its combination of having a distinct preocular unfused with the prefrontal, the internasal in contact with the preocular, the second supralabial in contact with the nasal, and paired subcaudals. Its stout habitus is unique within the genus, and its small eye is also distinctive. This species too is known from only a single specimen from the Cloudy Mountains, the southeasternmost portion of the island of New Guinea. Milne Bay Province, which is comprised of the southeastern extremity of New Guinea and its adjacent offshore islands, is a center of diversity for the genus Toxicocalamus, with five of 11 species in that genus endemic to that province.
http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1655/09-002.1

A new Damias from Biak Island (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae, Lithosiinae)

2010-02-18T10:46:00.000-08:00

A new Damias species from Biak Island (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae, Lithosiinae) - Rob de Vos & Jari Hyvärinen. SUGAPA (Suara Serangga Papua), Volume 4(2): October-December 2009.

A new species, Damias biakensis spec. nov., is found on the Island of Biak (Papua, Indonesia). The species is described and compared with related species from New Guinea. Adults and female genitalia of the treated species are depicted.

A new Oreophryne from the Mamberamo Basin, Indonesia

2010-02-03T17:33:00.000-08:00

RAINER GÜNTHER, STEPHEN RICHARDS, BURHAN TJATURADI &
DJOKO ISKANDAR. (2009): A new species of the microhylid frog genus Oreophryne from the Mamberamo Basin of northern Papua Province, Indonesian New Guinea. Vertebrate Zoology 59 (2): 147-155.

A new species of the microhylid frog genus Oreophryne is described from lowland rainforest in the Mamberamo Basin of northern Papua Province, Indonesian New Guinea. The new species is distinguished from congeners by its small size (males 20.5-23.3 mm SUL) and advertisement call, a loud rattle lasting about two seconds. It is only the second member of the genus known to lay and then guard eggs attached to the underside of leaves in the forest.

The name of the new species is Oreophryne furu (Günther, Richards, Tjaturadi and Iskander, 2009).

A new Hemiscyllium (Hemiscyllidae) from Papua New Guinea

2010-02-01T14:00:00.000-08:00

Gerald R. Allen and Christine L. Dudgeon (2010): Hemiscyllium michaeli, a new species of Bamboo Shark (Hemiscyllidae) from Papua New Guinea, pp. 19-30. Aqua International Journal of Ichthyology 16 (1)

Hemiscyllium michaeli new species is described from six specimens, 257-695 mm TL, collected at eastern Papua New Guinea. The species was previously confused with H. freycineti, which is restricted to Papua Barat Province (western New Guinea), Indonesia. The two species differ primarily in colour pattern, which provides the best means of separating the various members of the genus. Both species have a profuse covering of brown spots with a large black or brown ocellated marking on the middle of the side, just behind the head. The spots of H. michaeli n. sp. are generally denser, larger, and distinctly polygonal, remarkably similar to the spots of a leopard. In contrast those of H. freycineti are round to transversely elongate and are darkened at regular intervals to form 8-9 bars or saddle-like markings (including those on the tail). The difference in spot pattern between the two species is particularly evident in the head region. In addition, H. michaeli n. sp. possesses a vivid ocellate black spot behind the head, whereas the black spot of H. freycineti is generally not well defined. Comparison of the mitochondrial ND4 gene also supports the species-level separation of these species.

Two new Eupholus (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae) from Papua New Guinea

2010-01-19T15:37:00.000-08:00

Two new species of Eupholus Boisduval (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae), with observations on coloured cuticular exudates in weevils

Two new species of Eupholus Boisduval from Papua New Guinea are described as new: Eupholus mimicus sp. n. and E. sedlaceki sp. n.. A key to the Eupholus species with yellow colour patterns is provided. E. sedlaceki is closely related to E. euphrosyne Porion but differs in coloration. Male and female terminalia of E. euphrosyne are illustrated for comparison. E. mimicus is superficially very similar to E. euphrosyne, but its yellow colour pattern is composed of scales whereas in the latter it is formed by loose particles. These two species belong to different species groups, and the conspicuous colour patterns have evidently evolved convergently. The occurrence and function of extracuticular pigments among species of Eupholini is discussed.

http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2010/f/z02338p034f.pdf

A new Oreophryne (Anura: Microhylidae) from Papua New Guinea

2010-01-19T15:28:00.000-08:00

A Remarkable Ontogenetic Change in Color Pattern in a New Species of Oreophryne (Anura: Microhylidae) from Papua New Guinea. Copeia; 690-697, September 2009.

We describe a new species of scandent/arboreal frog from Sudest Island, Louisiade Archipelago, off the southeastern tip of New Guinea that exhibits a remarkable ontogenetic change in color pattern. Juveniles are shiny black with lemon-yellow spots; adults are uniform peach with bright blue eyes. We detail the ontogenetic changes in color-pattern elements that comprise this transformation. This ontogenetic change, uniform peach adult coloration, and blue iris all appear to be unique features within the genus Oreophryne, most of whose members are tan, brown, or gray. We presume the striking juvenile color pattern to serve an aposematic function, but this conjecture requires testing. The new species is restricted to a relatively small patch of cloud forest perched on the highest peak of Sudest Island. Climate change may pose a threat to the new species if changing rainfall or temperature regimes result in the loss of this forest.

The name of the new species is; Oreophryne ezra (Kraus and Allison, 2009d).

A new Coccymys from Papua New Guinea (Mammalia; Muridae)

2010-01-19T15:25:00.000-08:00

Systematic Reviews of New Guinea Coccymys and “Melomys” Albidens (Muridae, Murinae) with Descriptions of New Taxa

A new species of the New Guinea endemic murine genus Coccymys is described, based on a small sample from Mt. Dayman and Mt. Simpson in the Maneau Range at the far eastern end of the Owen Stanley Ranges of eastern Papua New Guinea, and two specimens from the western portion of the Owen Stanleys, one from Smith's Gap near Mt. St. Mary, the other from Bulldog Road in the Wau area. Coccymys kirrhos, n. sp., is a vicariant relative of C. shawmayeri, which occurs in the Central Cordillera of Papua New Guinea extending from Mt. St. Mary in the east to the Telefomin region in the west. Coccymys shawmayeri in turn is the eastern montane vicariant of the western New Guinea C. ruemmleri, so far recorded only from the Snow Mountains in western New Guinea (Papua Province of Indonesia) and the eastern end of the Star Mountains over the border in the western section of Papua New Guinea. Coccymys ruemmleri and C. shawmayeri are regionally sympatric in western Papua New Guinea where the former is apparently restricted to high altitudes on the Star Mountains and the latter occurs at lower altitudes in the highlands bounding the Telefomin Valley. The ranges of C. shawmayeri and C. kirrhos, n. sp., overlap at the western section of the Owen Stanley Ranges, and both species have been caught at Bulldog Road, but in different years. This linearly distributed trio of species has been found only in the montane forests and alpine grasslands of the Central Cordillera—there are no records from mountains on Vogelkop Peninsula and the Huon Peninsula, nor from any of the north coast ranges. The new species is described within the context of rediagnosing the genus Coccymys, and documenting morphometric and geographic limits of C. ruemmleri and C. shawmayeri based on most specimens stored in collections of museums. This material consists primarily of museum study skins and accompanying skulls, some fluid-preserved specimens, skeletal fragments from modern samples of owl pellets, and Holocene and Late Pleistocene fossils (for C. ruemmleri only). All species of Coccymys are nocturnal and scansorial; stomach contents from samples of C. shawmayeri indicate the diet consists of seeds, fruit, and arthropods.

The name of the new species is; Coccymys kirrhos (Musser and Lunde, 2009).

A review of the New Guinean Pseudohydromys (Mammalia; Muridae)

2010-01-19T15:12:00.000-08:00

Biodiversity and Biogeography of the Moss-mice of New Guinea: A Taxonomic Revision of Pseudohydromys (Muridae: Murinae)

Morphological investigations involving nearly all available museum material representing New Guinea “moss-mice” (rodents traditionally classified in the genera Pseudohydromys, Neohydromys, Mayermys, and Microhydromys) reveal outstanding undiagnosed taxic diversity (a minimum of 16 species, versus the eight species previously described) and allow for redefinition of generic boundaries among these little-studied rodents. Apart from Microhydromys Tate and Archbold, 1941 (comprising two species, as recently revised by Helgen et al., in press), herein we recognize two genera of New Guinea moss-mice: Pseudohydromys Rümmler, 1934 (now incorporating Neohydromys Laurie, 1952, Mayermys Laurie and Hill, 1954, and “Microhydromys” musseri Flannery, 1989) and a newly described genus, Mirzamys. Species of Pseudohydromys are recorded from montane areas throughout New Guinea (elevations spanning 600 to at least 3800 meters), including the mountain ranges of the Central Cordillera, the Huon Peninsula, and the North Coastal ranges. We diagnose and review 12 species of Pseudohydromys, including six species described as new. The new genus Mirzamys is erected to accommodate two newly described species of small terrestrial rodents from middle and upper montane forests and subalpine grassland edges (1900–3450 m) in the mountains of central New Guinea. Together these two new species represent a distinctive hydromyin lineage that resembles the terrestrial New Guinea hydromyin genera Pseudohydromys and Paraleptomys in various traits. Ecological attributes of all recognized moss-mice taxa, both previously and newly described, are reviewed in light of all information currently available about their biology.

The eight new species described is as follows:

Bishop moss-mouse Pseudohydromys berniceae (Helgen and Helgen, 2009):

Laurie’s moss-mouse Pseudohydromys eleanorae (Helgen and Helgen, 2009):

Woolley’s moss-mouse Pseudohydromys patriciae (Helgen and Helgen, 2009):

White-bellied moss-mouse Pseudohydromys sandrae (Helgen and Helgen, 2009):

Southern small-toothed moss-mouse Pseudohydromys pumehanae (Helgen and Helgen, 2009):

Huon small-toothed moss-mouse Pseudohydromys carlae (Helgen and Helgen, 2009):

Mirza’s western moss-rat Mirzamys louiseae (Helgen and Helgen, 2009):

Mirza’s eastern moss-rat Mirzamys norahae (Helgen and Helgen, 2009):

A new Nyctophilus from Mt. Missim, Papua New Guinea

2009-11-06T15:01:00.000-08:00

H.E. Parnaby. 2009. A taxonomic review of Australian Greater Long-eared Bats previously known as Nyctophilus timoriensis (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) and some associated taxa. Australian Zoologist. 35. (1): 39-81.

A comparative morphological and morphometric assessment was undertaken of material from mainland Australia, Tasmania and Papua New Guinea that has previously been referred to as the Greater Long-eared Bat Nyctophilus timoriensis (Geoffroy, 1806). Five taxa are recognised: N. major Gray, 1844 from south-western Western Australia; N. major tor subsp. nov. from southern Western Australia east to the Eyre Peninsula, South Australia; N. corbeni sp. nov. from eastern mainland Australia from eastern South Australia, through Victoria to Queensland; N. sherrini Thomas, 1915 from Tasmania, and N. shirleyae sp. nov. from Mt Missim, Papua New Guinea. Vespertilio timoriensis Geoffroy is regarded as nomen dubium due to uncertainty surrounding provenance of the original specimen(s), the lack of a definite type specimen, and lack of sufficient detail in the original description and illustration to relate the name to a singular, currently recognised species. This review required a consideration of two taxa not usually associated with timoriensis: bifax Thomas, 1915 from eastern Australia and New Guinea, and daedalus Thomas, 1915, previously treated as the western subspecies of bifax, occurring from western Queensland, the northern part of the Northern Territory, and northern Western Australia. Nyctophilus daedalus is shown to belong to a separate species group. The implications of removing daedalus from bifax are discussed in relation to N. arnhemensis Johnson, 1959, which is considered to be a sibling species of N. bifax. The inter-specific relationships of these taxa are evaluated. A major species group is recognised, consisting of major Gray, 1844 and N. corbeni sp. nov., while sherrini Thomas, 1915 is placed in a gouldi group. The relationships of N. shirleyae from Papua New Guinea remain unclear but it is provisionally placed in a bifax group. The relationships of N. daedalus, which is likely to be a composite species, remain unclear and it is provisionally placed in the major group. Nyctophilus howensis from Lord Howe Island differs from all other members of the genus and its generic status needs re-examination.

A new Metamagnusia from the Wondiwoi Mts, Papuan Province, Indonesia

2009-11-06T14:57:00.000-08:00

Rainer Günther (2009): Metamagnusia and Pseudocallulops, two new genera of microhylid frogs from New Guinea (Amphibia, Anura, Microhylidae). Zoosystematics and Evolution. Volume 85 Issue 2, Pages 171 - 187.

Abstract
Based on morphological, anatomical, ecological, ethological, and molecular traits, two new genera of microhylid frogs from mainland New Guinea are described. Metamagnusia gen. n. includes two species, M. marani sp. n., the type species found in the Wondiwoi Mountains at the base of the Wandammen Peninsula (Papua Province, Indonesia), and M. slateri (Loveridge, 1955) comb. n., from eastern New Guinea (Papua New Guinea). The second new genus, Pseudocallulops gen. n., also includes two species, P. eurydactylus (Zweifel, 1972) comb. n. from the Fakfak Mountains on the Bomberai Peninsula (Papua Province, Indonesia), and P. pullifer (Günther, 2006) comb. n., which is designated as the type species and which occurs in the Wondiwoi Mountains at the base of the Wandammen Peninsula. Both new genera belong to the group of asterophryine genera with a symphignathine state of the maxillary bones. Metamagnusia gen. n. is most closely related to the genus Asterophrys, while Pseudocallulops gen. n. forms a sister-clade of the taxa Asterophrys + Metamagnusia. The new genera are erected to recognize their differences in fundamental traits from the presently recognized genera. Another goal was to dissolve polyphyletic taxa and to avoid creation of paraphyletic taxa within the symphignathine genera of the Australopapuan microhylids.

New microhylid frogs from the Muller Range

2009-11-05T04:37:00.000-08:00

We describe, from the Muller Range of New Guinea, three new species of microhylid frogs, one each in the genera Albericus, Cophixalus, and Oreophryne. The new Albericus is unique in its combination of having an infrequent peeping call, oblique lores, wide snout and finger discs, and distinct tympanum. The new Cophixalus is distinguished by its combination of finger discs larger than toe discs, third toe longer than fifth, distinct tympanum, curved scapular ridges, dark postocular stripe, dark W-shaped mark above the shoulders, and having a call consisting of a rapid series of 6–9 musical peeps. The Oreophryne is unique in its combination of having a cartilaginous connection of the procoracoid to the scapula, no webbing between the toes, fi fth toe longer than third, short snout, dark face, and call consisting of an extended multi-note chuckle or cackle. Each species was either common or abundant. The new Cophixalus shows a predilection for caves, although it is not restricted to them. Many frogs occurring in the central highlands
of New Guinea are wide-ranging across much of this high-elevational region, but others are of restricted distribution. The species described herein are likely members of the latter group, although it remains to be determined whether each will prove endemic to the Muller Range.

Albericus murritus (Kraus and Allison, 2009c): northeastern slopes of the Muller Range, Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea.
Cophixalus caverniphilus (Kraus and Allison, 2009c): northeastern slopes of the Muller Range, Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea.
Oreophryne anamiatoi (Kraus and Allison, 2009c): northeastern slopes of the Muller Range, Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea.

Refs.
Kraus, F and A. Allison (2009c): New microhylid frogs from the Muller Range, Papua New Guinea. ZooKeys 26: 53–76

A new species of Litoria from foothills of the Foja Mountains, Papua Province, Indonesia.

2009-11-03T06:21:00.000-08:00

Richards SJ, Oliver PM, Krey K, Tjaturadi B. 2009. A new species of Litoria (Amphibia: Anura: Hylidae) from the foothills of the Foja Mountains, Papua Province, Indonesia. Zootaxa 2277: 1–13.

Abstract

Litoria gasconi sp. nov. is described from low, forest-covered ridges on the southern edge of the Foja Mountains, Papua Province, Indonesia. It is most similar to Litoria multiplica (Tyler, 1964) but can be differentiated from that species and all other described Litoria by a unique combination of characters including moderate size (males 39.3–41.6 SVL), green dorsum with yellow spots in life, relatively large eyes (EYE/SVL 0.12–0.15), dermal ridges below the vent and on the posterior edge of both fore and hindlimbs, complete absence of blue thigh and lateral colouration, and its unique advertisement call consisting of a single soft, distinctly pulsed chirp. New data on the morphology and ecology of the superficially similar and poorly known species Litoria multiplica are also presented. Recent surveys in the Foja Mountains have revealed a diverse frog fauna with numerous unrecognised or poorly known taxa; these ranges are likely
to be a previously unrecognised and largely unexplored centre of tropical vertebrate endemism.

Mammals described from New Guinea and adjecent Islands since 1990

2009-10-13T06:01:00.000-07:00

Buka Island Melomys (Flannery and Wickler, 1990): It was found on Buka Island, Papua New Guinea. It is probably extinct now.

Menzies Echymipera Echymipera echinista (Menzies, 1990): Known from the middle Strickland River and the lower Fly River (Flannery, 1995).

David Echymipera Echymipera davidi (Flannery, 1990): It is found on Kiriwina while populations on Normanby, Fergusson and Goodenough may be referable to this species.

Tenkile Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus scottae (Flannery and Seri, 1990): It is endemic to the Torricelli Mts of north-west Papua New Guinea.

Dendrolagus stellarum (Flannery and Seri, 1990): It was originally described as a subspecies of D. dorianus by Flannery and Seri (1990); more recent opinions are that it should be treated as a separate species (Helgen 2007ab, 2008). It is found from Maokop and westwards to the Star Mts, West Papua.

Pteropus capistratus ennisae (Flannery and White, 1991): It is found on New Ireland in the Bismarck Archipelago.

Dendrolagus pulcherrimus (Flannery, 1993): It was originally described as a subspecies of D. goodfellowi by Flannery (1993), more recent opinions is that it should be treated as a separate species. It is found in the Foja Mts of West Papua and the Torricelli Mts of Papua New Guinea.

Hipposideros edwardshilli (Flannery and Colgan, 1993): It is only known from the type locality, a cave near Imonda airstrip in the Bewani Mts of north-west Papua New Guinea.

Hipposideros parnabyi (Flannery and Colgan, 1993): It is found in the Telefomin area of west-central Papua New Guinea.

Hipposideros fasensis (Flannery and Colgan, 1993): It is known from the North Coastal Range of north-west Papua New Guinea.

Manus Melomys Melomys matambuai (Flannery, Colgan and Trimble, 1994): It is endemic to Manus.

Biak Giant-rat Uromys boeadii (Groves and Flannery, 1994): It is found on Biak.

Emma Giant-rat Uromys emmae (Groves and Flannery, 1994): It is found on Owi, and possibly Biak-Supiori as well.

Seri sheathtail-bat Emballonura serii (Flannery, 1994): and New Ireland in the Bismarck Archipelago

Emballonura dianae storferi (Flannery, 1994): It is found on mainland New Guinea with records from the Western and Southern Highlands Provinces.

Emballonura dianae rickwoodi (Flannery, 1994): It is found on Santa Ysabel in the Solomon Islands.

Dingiso Dendrolagus mbaiso (Flannery, Boeadi and Szalay, 1995): It is known from the Sudirman Range, West Papua.

Wissel Lakes Melomys Melomys Melomys rufescens wisselensis (Menzies, 1996): It is found in the Wissel Lakes area, West Papua.

Gressitt’s Paramelomys Paramelomys gressitti (Menzies, 1996): It is found on Mt. Kaindi, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea.

Attenborough's Long-beaked Echidna Zaglossus attenboroughi (Flannery and Groves, 1998): It is found in the Cyclops Mts, West Papua.

Zaglossus bartoni smeenki (Flannery and Groves, 1998): It is found from the Collingwood Bay district and eastwards to Mount Dayman, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.

Zaglossus bartoni diamondi (Flannery and Groves, 1998): It is found from the Paniai Lakes of West Papua and eastwards to the Kratke Mts of Papua New Guinea.

Dactylopsila kambuayai (Aplin, 1999): This species is so far only known from holocene subfossil remains found in the Ajamaru Lakes area, West Papua.

Petauroides ayamaruensis (Aplin, 1999): This species is so far only known from holocene subfossil remains found in the Ajamaru Lakes area, West Papua.

Steadfast Tube-nosed Fruit Bat Paranyctimene tenax tenax (Bergmans, 2001): It is known from Wao, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. But it is likely to prove to be widespread throughout the northern lowlands of New Guinea; many records previously referred to as P. raptor is in fact likely to represent this species.

Paranyctimene tenax marculus (Bergmans, 2001): It is found on Waigeo, Raja Ampat Islands and Kebar Val (Vogelkop Peninsula), West Papua.

Macroglossus minimus booensis (Kompanje and Moeliker, 2001): It is found on Boo Besar, Boo Islands (west of Kofiau), Raja Ampat Islands, West Papua. The validity of this subspecies must be questioned as the original description is based on a sub-adult female. The diversity within M. minimus is underestimated by far and is likely to include several more or less cryptic species; the one above may be such as case.

Microperoryctes aplini (Helgen and Flannery, 2004): It is found in the Lake Anggi area, Arfak Mts, West Papua.

Blue-eyed Spotted Cuscus Spilocuscus wilsoni (Helgen and Flannery, 2004): It is found on Biak-Supiori, Geelvink Bay Islands, West Papua.

Myoictis leucura (Woolley, 2005): It is found from Mt. Bosavi and eastwards to the Mt. Victoria/Vanapa River, Papua New Guinea.

Hydromys ziegleri (Helgen, 2005): It is found in the Bainyik, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea.

Mayermys germani (Helgen, 2005): It is found in the Agaun area, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.

Greater monkey-faced bat Pteralopex flanneryi (Helgen, 2005): It is found on Buka, Bougainville, Puruata, Choiseul, Santa Isabel and Barora Fa, Papua New Guinea/Solomon Islands.

Leptomys arfakensis (Musser, Helgen and Lunde, 2008): It is found in the Arfak Mts, West Papua.

Leptomys paulus (Musser, Helgen and Lunde, 2008): It is found in the Central Province and Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.

Forty-Plus Previously unidentified species found on Mt. Bosavi in Papua New Guinea

2009-09-08T01:04:00.000-07:00

Rats as big as cats, fanged frogs and grunting fish - they sound like something from a horror movie.

But, incredibly, there is a 'lost world' on a distant island where these nightmarish creatures really exist.

A team of scientists discovered the bizarre animals - and dozens of others - at a remote volcano in Papua New Guinea. In the kilometre-deep crater of Mount Bosavi, they found a habitat teeming with life which has evolved in isolation since the volcano last erupted 200,000 years ago.

New species: Wildlife cameraman Gordon Buchanan with the Bosavi Woolly Rat. Among the new species was the the Bosavi Woolly Rat.

One of the biggest rats in the world, it measures just over 32 inches from nose to tail and weighs 3lb.The silvery grey mammal has dense fur and its teeth suggest it has a largely vegetarian diet and probably builds nests in tree hollows or underground.

The Bosavi Woolly was discovered by a team from the BBC's natural history unit as they searched for new wildlife while filming the series Lost Land Of The Volcano.

During the trip to a little-known part of the rain forest, the team also found about 40 other new species, which are at various stages of verification.

Acting up: The Bosavi Woolly Rat seems to be behaving like a sloth here.

This included a marsupial called the Bosavi Silky Cuscus, a camouflaged gecko, a fanged frog and a fish called the Henamo Grunter, which makes a grunting sound from its swim bladder.

Researchers also found an extremely hairy caterpillar which is now awaiting cataloguing in Oxford, where the team will give names to their finds.

It is estimated that along with the giant rat and cuscus the expedition found about 16 species of frogs, one species of gecko, at least three species of fish, at least 20 of insects and spiders and possibly one new species of bat.

The expedition was led by climber and naturalist Steve Backshall-wildlife cameraman Gordon Buchanan and head scientist Dr George McGavin.

Mr Buchanan and Smithsonian biologist Dr Kristofer Helgen were first on the scene when the rat was found by a tracker from the local Kasua tribe.

Dr Helgen said:'This is one of the world's largest rats. It is a true rat, related to the same kind you find in the city sewers, but a heck of a lot bigger.

No fear: The rat is not afraid of humans, which could make it vulnerable'I had a cat and it was about the same size of this rat.

This rat was incredibly tame.'It just sat next to me nibbling on a piece of leaf. It won't have seen a human being before.

The crater of Mount Bosavi really is the lost world.'Papua New Guinea is famous for the number and diversity of rodents that live there, with more than 57 species from the Murid family of rats and mice on the island.

Further evidence of the rich wildlife of the tropical location came with the discovery of the Bosavi Silky Cuscus. This animal, which resembles a small bear, is a marsupial that lives up in trees, feeding on fruits and leaves.

Weighing in at some 4.5lb, it has thick silky fur adapted for the mountain environment in which it lives. Dr Helgen has identified it as a new subspecies in the group of strange marsupials known as cuscuses.

A new species of frog found near base camp. When scared it puffs up its body.He said: 'Long ago it was isolated on this volcano and has become something unique to Bosavi.

'The habitat in the area is currently regarded as pristine, but less than 20 miles to the south of Mount Bosavi extensive logging operations are happening.

The mountain acts like an island in the vast sea of jungle, trapping different species on it.

The expedition base camp was in the foothills east of Mount Bosavi with smaller teams going out to remote locations.

Summary of the discoveries; which took place 28th January - 4th March 2009.

Mammals

-Three undescribed species of mammal; Mount Bosavi Woolly Rat (Mallomys sp.), Bosavi Silky Cuscus (Phalanger sericeus subsp.) and Mount Bosavi Blossom Bat (Syconycteris sp.).

-Significant populations was found of globally declining such as Eastern Long-beaked Echidna (Zaglossus bartoni), Goodfellow’s Tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus goodfellowi), Doria’s Tree-Kangaroo (Dendrolagus dorianus), Dusky Pademelon (Thylogale brunii) and the Lesser Forest Wallaby (Dorcopsulus vanheurni).

-In total the presence of at least 55 native mammal species was confirmed in the vicinity of Mt. Bosavi (1 monotreme, 21 marsupials, 10 rodents, and 23 bats).

Birds

-No new species, though this was expected as the avifaunal diversity in the area has been thoroughly studied already.

-Healthy populations of Southern cassowary Pheasant Pigeon, Southern Crowned Pigeon, Sulphur-Crested and Palm Cockatoos and Raggiana Bird of Paradise does indicate relatively low hunting/trapping pressure in the area.

Amphibians and Reptiles

-18 potentially new species of frogs

-Two new species of lizards (including a new Cyrtodactylus sp.)

Freshwater fishes

-Recorded sixteen species of freshwater fish on the expedition of which three (19% of the total) are potentially new to science, and provisionally named the Henamo Grunter (Hephaestus sp.), the Sun Apea Goby (Glossogobius sp.), and the Hegigio Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia sp.).

Insect and spiders

-At least twenty species will prove to be new to science.

Refs.

McGavin (2009): 2009 Scientific Expedition to Mount Bosavi, Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea. http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/springwatch/llotv_finalreport_20090907.pdf

T. f. meyeri (Roselaar, 1994) in the Fakfak Mts.

2009-08-30T09:30:00.000-07:00

(The holotype of T. f. meyeri (Roselaar, 1994) from Nabire)

The Talegalla genus is part of the Megapodiidae family and it contains three species; namely Red-billed Brush-turkey T. cuvieri (Lesson, 1828), Brown-collared Brush-turkey T. jobiensis (Meyer, 1874) and the Black-billed Brush-turkey T. fuscirostris (Salvadori, 1877).

Up until relatively recently there had only been a few comprehensive reviews of the Talegalla group all since the original descriptions of each of the three currently reckognized species (Gray, 1861; Oustalet, 1879-1880, 1880, 1881; Ogilvie-Grant, 1893; Mayr, 1938; Elliott, 1994; Roselaar, 1994; Davies, 2002).

The family was briefly treated in Elliott (1994) but the distribution maps is very poor and even inaccurate in all of the Talegalla sp. accounts. In addition to that Elliott (1994) reckognized only two subspecies of T. fuscirostris, and given the wide distribution of this species it is unlikely that only two subspecies are involved. Roselaar (1994) described two additional subspecies of T. fuscirostris (T. f. meyeri sp. nov and T. f. aruensis sp. nov), it was unfortunely to late to be included in Elliott (1994). Today there is 4 reckognized subspecies of T. fuscirostris; T. f. fuscirostris (Salvadori, 1877), T. f. occidentis (White, 1938), T. f. aruensis (Roselaar, 1994) and T. f. meyeri (Roselaar, 1994).

(The underside of the holotype of T. f. meyeri (Roselaar, 1994)

The adult female holotype of T. f. meyeri (Roselaar, 1994) was collected May 1873 at Rubi by A. B. Meyer (he also collected the 4 known paratypes; but from from various localities). The distribution of T. f meyeri (Roselaar, 1994) is as follows; found from Nabire (Rubi; an old name widely used for bird specimens collected from the south-eastern banks of the Geelvink Bay) and continuing westwards to the Wandammnen Peninsula (Roselaar, 1994), though the distribution of this new subspecies is poorly defined in Roselaar (1994). This is an area not even included in the distribution map of T. fuscirostris by Elliott (1994).

The westernmost distribution limit of T. f. meyeri (Roselaar, 1994) was previously believed to be the Wandammen Peninsula; a mountain chain with influences both from the Arfak Mts to the west (Arfak Parotia etc.) as well as the Central Cordillera (D. mayri etc.). In September 2008 a Mr. Frank Rheindt spend a few weeks birdwatching in West Papua, and decided to spend roughly a week in the seldomly visited Fakfak Peninsula, he did spend two days birdwatching in lowland forest outside of a small village called Woos (about three quarters along the way to Bomberai and an 8-hour drive from Fakfak town). During his stay there he was accompanied by a local hunter (Pak Yoel) with some great knowledge of the birds in the area.

(Clearly showing the "orange" contrast of the legs)

They did hear Talegalle brush-turkeys all over the place and in the procees P. Yoel managed to flush one bird into a tree where it gave good views for over an hour, Rheindt (2008) described the bird as follows " bird had bright orange legs – contra the descriptions and illustrations in the field guide. Intriguingly, the leg color of this bird is more akin to that of Red-billed Brush-Turkeys. According to the field guide, Red-billed and Black-billed Brush-Turkey do overlap in south-west New Guinea, where they segregate along elevational lines (with Black-billed being lower). Pak Dominggus has caught and eaten dozens of these brush-turkeys over the years, and confirmed that all of them have this same bright leg color, and none of them look like Red-billed Brush-Turkeys in the book. Therefore, the Fakfak brush-turkeys probably constitute an isolated western population that may deserve taxonomic recognition. Alternatively, it may form the westernmost extension of the distribution of Black-billed Brush-Turkey, with leg colors gradually becoming paler towards the east".

The Fakfak Peninsula is located just slightly to the west of the Wandammen Peninsula, in what is normally called the "Bird's Head region" of New Guinea. Though the descriptions that Rheindt (2008) gave based on the Talegalla sp. he observed in the Fakfak Peninsula clearly does not match the description of the Red-bellied Brush-turkey T. cuvieri. He raised the possibility that the bird in question could represent either an undescribed subspecies, or even a species. Though, many chararestics of the bird he describes clearly speak against this.

Rheindt (2008) further mention that T. cuvieri and T. fuscirostris replace each other elevational in south-west New Guinea (based on Elliott, 1994?) but this has only been confirmed in a very limited number of localities on mainland New Guinea, and both species is widespread in the lowland and hill forests of south-western New Guinea which mean that a overlap in distribution should be extensive. And to the best of my knowledge there is no documented records of T. cuvieri from the Fakfak Peninsula (though expected). The Talegalla sp. that Rheindt (2008) saw in the Fakfak Peninusla is in fact more likely to be a range extension for Talegalla fuscirostris meyeri, rather than being a undescribed s(ub)pecies of Talegalla.

(The T. f. meyeri (Roselaar, 1994) is known from few recent records)

Roselaar (1994) described the leg colour of T. fuscirostris meyeri as being everything from pale yellow to red, in which "orange legs", and as Rheindt (2008) mention that it "had bright orange legs" it perfectly fit in the description of T. f. meyeri (Roselaar, 1994). Unfortunely Rheindt (2008) does not describe other chararestics of this Talegalla bird he saw.

Despite that the evidence speak against it being a undescribed Talegalla sp. that Rheindt (2008) saw it does still provide an interesting range extension for the T. f. meyeri (Roselaar, 1994) which previously only was known from the serie of 5 specimens collected by A. M. Meyer in 1873.

Refs.
Elliott, A. (1994): Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 2. New World Vultures to Guineafowl. Lynx Editions.

Roselaar, C. S. (1994): Systematic notes on the Megapodiidae (Aves, Galliformes) including the description of five new subspecies. Bulletin Zoologish Museum. Universiteit van Amsterdam.

Rheindt, F (2008): West Papua incl. Fakfak Peninsula. July-September 2008.
http://www.surfbirds.com/trip_report.php?id=1583

The Pteropus chrysoproctus; a enigmatic flying-fox in the Southern Maluku

2009-08-05T07:59:00.000-07:00

Moluccan Flying-fox Pteropus chrysoproctus (Temminck, 1837)

Other common names: Ambon Flying-fox, Silvery Flying-fox, Mollucan Flying Fox, Zorro Volador De Amboina (Spanish).
Synonyms: Eunycteris phaiops (Gray, 1870).
Taxanomy: Simmons (2005) included P. argentatus as a synonym of Pteropus chrysoproctus, but Hutson and Helgen (2008) considered P. argentatus a separate species pending further taxonomic work on this species complex (K. Helgen pers. comm.). This complex includes several undescribed species (K. Helgen pers. comm), including one undescribed species on Obi and Bisa in the Central Maluku Province and another one on Kofiau (Raja Ampat Archipelago, West Papua). Forearm 166-180mm, Tibia 72-75,5mm, Weight 700g (Dobson, 1912; Flannery, 1995).

Identification and size: This is a largish species of Pteropus, with the back having a burnt-umber to yellowish colour and an ocheaceous-buff mantle. The skull is long and narrow relative to P. melanopogon, with which it is sympatric in parts of the distribution (Flannery, 1995).

This species is endemic to the Maluku Province (Indonesia), and it has been found on Buru, Ambon, Seram, Gorong, Palau Panjang, Seram Rai and Watubella (Flannery, 1995; Simmons, 2005; Hutson and Helgen, 2008). Records earlier attributed to a undescribed subspecies of P. chrysoproctus on Obi and Bisa in the Central Maluku Province (Flannery, 1995) are now believed to represent a undescribed species (K. Helgen pers. comm), while records from Kofiau (Raja Ampat Archipelago, West Papua) also represent a undescribed species (K. Helgen pers. comm).

A record from Siau (Sangihe Islands group) is erroneous (Bergmans and Rozendaal 1988).

This is a Pteropus sp. restricted to lowland habitat and it has only been found below 250m (Hutson and Helgen, 2008). It is probably largely dependent on intact forest to survive but a closely-related species on Obi (undescribed species) has been collected while feeding in gardens and has been collected from roosting colonies in sago palms, this is a species likely to roost in smaller groups (Flannery, 1995; Hutson and Helgen, 2008).

This species has remained very poorly known all since the original description was published; many Europeans Museums do hold large series of present species, but most were collected over 100 years ago (Flannery, 1995). It has rarely been collected in recent decades and is probably uncommon; it has been recorded from the Manusela National Park on Central Seram but deforestation due to clearcut logging and agricultural expansion is a major threat, as is a likely high hunting pressure as this is a large and distinctive bat (Hutson and Helgen, 2008).

Source
Andersen, K. (1912): Catalogue of the Chiroptera in the collection of the British Museum. Vol. 1. Megachiroptera. British Museum. London.
Flannery, F. (1995): Mammals of the South-west Pacific and Moluccan Islands. Reed Books.
Simmons (2005): Wilson and Reeder Mammals of the World. Third Edition.
http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/browse.asp?id=13800268
Helgen and Hutson (2008); IUCN 2008 Red List.
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/18720/0

Eight new species of frogs from Papua New Guinea, comprising species from three families.

2009-08-05T03:47:00.001-07:00

Abstract. The Papuan frog fauna, which includes more than 360 named species, is poorly known, with many species awaiting description and many more undoubtedly undiscovered because much of the region has been poorly surveyed. Many of the undescribed species in hand belong to taxonomically difficult genera, but several are uncontroversially distinctive and unambiguously diagnosed. Here we describe eight new species of distinctive frogs from Papua new Guinea, comprising species from three families and six genera. Half of these species come from the new Guinea mainland, and half come from adjacent islands. They include five microhylids, two ceratobatrachids, and one hylid.

The following 8 new species is being described by Kraus and Allison (2009).

Callulops omnistriatus sp. nov. (Kraus and Allison, 2009): West of Moro airstrip, Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea.

Callulops eremnosphax sp. nov. (Kraus and Allison, 2009): along e branch of Avi avi river, 5.5 km s and 5.6 km W of Tekadu airstrip, Gulf Province, Papua New Guinea.

Hylophorbus proekes sp. nov. (Kraus and Allison, 2009): Torricelli Mts., West sepik Province, Papua New Guinea.

Liophryne magnitympanum sp. nov. (Kraus and Allison, 2009): W. Slope of Mt. Obree, Central Province, Papua New Guinea.

Mantophryne axanthogaster sp. nov. (Kraus and Allison, 2009): along the Gesirava river, W slope Mt. Rio, Sudest Ssland, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.

Litoria eschata sp. nov. (Kraus and Allison, 2009): S slopes of Mt. rossel, Rossel Island, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.

Platymantis caesiops sp. nov. (Kraus and Allison, 2009): 9 km nnW Marmar, Nakanai Mts, New Britain Island, East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea.

Platymantis manus sp. nov. (Kraus and Allison, 2009): Manus Island, Manus Province, Papua New Guinea.

Source
Kraus, F. and Allison, A. (2009): New species of frogs from Papua New Guinea. Bishop Museum Occasional Pappers, Number 104; 26 June 2009.
http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/pubs-online/pdf/op104.pdf

Two new species of Karstarma from Waigeo, West Papua

2009-08-02T04:50:00.001-07:00

Two new species of sesarmid crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura) associated with limestone formations in West Papua, Indonesia

Abstract
Two new species of karst sesarmid crabs of the genus Karstarma Davie & Ng, 2007, are described from western Papua, Indonesia. Karstarma ardea n. sp. differs from the allied K. ultrapes (Ng, Guinot & Iliffe, 1994) from the Solomon´Islands by its proportionately shorter ambulatory legs and the shape of its vulva. Karstarma waigeo n. sp. is closest to K. balicum (Ng, 2002) from Bali, Indonesia, but differs in its proportionately longer ambulatory legs and in the morphology of the male first gonopod.

Karstarma ardea n. sp (Wowor and Ng, 2009): From Waigeo, Raja Ampat Archipelago, West Papua, Indonesia

Karstarma waigeo n. sp (Wowor and Ng, 2009): From Waigeo, Raja Ampat Archipelago, West Papua, Indonesia

Source

Wowor, D. and Ng, K. L. P. (2009): Two new species of sesarmid crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura) associated with limestone formations in West Papua, Indonesia. Zootaxa 2025: 21–31.

Birdwatching on Ternate

2009-07-29T02:06:00.000-07:00

A intruiging Island in the "Spice" Kingdom

The administrative and geographical district of the northern third of the Maluku Province is dominated by Halmahera but it is the much smaller Ternate (located off the west coast of the Island of Halmahera) that is the real centre of power and communications in the Maluku Province (and this was the case long before the colonial era) and this Island is well known as for being the world's single major producer of cloves, upon which the sultans of Ternate became among the wealthiest and most powerful sultans in the Indonesian region. The first europeans to stay on Ternate were the survivors of the Portugese expedition of Francisco Serrao, which was shipwrecked near Seram (and later rescued by local residents); the sultan of Ternate (Abu Lais of Ternate) had heard heard of their stranding, and, seeing a chance to ally himself with a powerful foreign nation, so he brought them over to Ternate in 1512, the Portugese was permitted to built a fort on the Island a decade later, in 1522. The Ternateans and Portuguese had strained relationships already from the start. The sultans of Ternate had however been trading with the arabs, chinese and Javanese merchants hundreds of years before the arrival of the first Europeans.

The Spanish first arrived on Ternate by the begining of the 16th, followed by the Dutch at the start of the 17th and the dutch did built a fort in 1667 which still remain largely intact on and is nowadays used by the Indonesian police and military. By the 19th century, the spice trade had declined substantially, Ternate was occupied by British forces in 1810 before being returned to Dutch control in 1817. Ternate was occupied by Japanese forces during the World War 2. As Indonesia was declared independent in 1945 so was the Maluku Province independent from colonial powers which had occupied Ternate pretty much all since the 15th. The island now has an area of 76 square kilometres (29 square miles) and held a population estimated at 145,143 in July 2003 (Wiki. 2009), about two-thirds of the Islander’s live in Ternate town which is not only the largest town on Ternate but also the capital in the Maluku Province. Most of inland Ternate has since long been converted into clove/nutmeg plantations.

Ternate are entirely situated on the volcanic Mount Gamalama (1715m) itself. Since 1538 Mt. Gamalama has erupted explosively over 60 times, and some eruptions such as in 1673, 1771, 1772, 1773, 1775, 1838, 1871 and 1962 caused fatalities, the last big ereuption was in July 2003 (no one was killed or injured). This is one of the most active volcanoes in Eastern Indonesia and one of the most popular tourist destinations on Ternate.

Birdwatching on the "clove" island

The Island of Ternate has a long history of occupation by foregin powers; many foreign ornithologists have used Ternate as a base for storing biological collections before sending them to dealers/collectors in Europe, but also as a steep stone for mounting expeditions further eastwards such as Halmahera and the western parts of New Guinea.

One of the pioneers in ornithological exploration on Ternate was J. B. Hombron who did visit the Island most briefly back in 1839 (parts of his collection still remains in MNHN); the famous naturalist A. R. Wallace visited Ternate in the 1850s and did some extensive collection on this Island for a short period (many species has not been recorded from Ternate since his exploration of the Island); they were followed by a number of well respected collectors/naturalis which spend a large part of their lifes documenting the biological diversity of the Maluku Province, including Renesse van Duivenbode (1860-1881), H. A. Bernstein (1860), von Rosenberg (1860-1870), van Musschenbroek (1867-1876), Beccari (1871-1876), A. A. Bruijn (ca. 1874-1885) and Goodfellow (1907-1926). Its clear that Ternate (as well as many other Islands in the Maluku Province) was frequently visited and collected on by many naturalists, especially in the later half of the 19th. Though there has been considerbly less ornithological activity on Ternate in the last 40 years. Large parts of the interior of Ternate has since long been converted into clove/nutmeg plantations, while the coastlines of Ternate is largely occupied by human settlement nowadays; the fact that Ternate support considerbly fewer species than nearby Halmahera and Bacan may be on of the reasons that few birdwatchers choose to spend more than a day or two birdwatching on Ternate.

There is still a few small pockets of remaning rainforest scattered on the slopes of Mount Gamalama and around the crater lake Danau Tolire Besar; especially the later may be considered the best birding locality on Ternate, the lake is considered sacred by the local residents and its a popular tourist destenation hence unlikely to be converted into plantations or human settlements in the foreseeable future. Some species such as as the Moluccan Megapode (E. wallacei) and the Chattering Lory (L. garrulus) is either extinct or now close to extinction on Ternate now, while many forest dependent species is likely to have vanished from this Island several decades ago, some bird species today only known from Halmahera is likely to once have existed on Ternate as well.

Danau Tolire Besar

This is the largest crater/freshwater lake located on the northern side of Ternate and which wasformed in 1775, caused by an earthquake and the eruption of Mount Gamalama, it is located about 10km away from the main city on Ternate; the lake covers about 5 acres and is about 50m deep and covered with green tranquil nuance throughout most of the year

The lake is surrounded by high cliffs, which makes reaching the lake itself somewhat difficult (though there is guided tours down to the lake). This deep lake is also home to a unknown number of sacred saltwater crocodiles. The surroundings of this lake is a quite popular destination among birdwatchers on transit between Sulawesi and Halmahera, though few seems to spend more than a few hours around the lake. The number of species likely to be encountered around this lake during a one/two day long visit is not is very high and mostly consist of species which is widespread and common throughout the northern Maluku Province; though given the extensive habitat destruction on Ternate some species encountered here is quite unlikely to be seen (in any high number) elsewhere on Ternate and therefore I personally think that this place is worth at least a couple of dedicated time for birdwatchers that flies to Ternate on their way to Halmahera.

White Cockatoo (C. alba)
Since 1995 there has been numerous records of White cockatoos (C. alba) around this lake, including a counts of over 25 individuals in October 1996 and August 1998 with a possibly breeding pair seen in 1999. There has been subsequent records around the lake since these dates and it would appear that there is a resident population around Danau Tolire Besar; many of the records are however likely to refer to the same individuals and the population is assumed to very small and have probably been decimaded by illegal trapping in the past. This is however the only realible locality for this species on Ternate; in the 1980s there was a few reports from the base of Mount Gamalama.

Avifauna around Danao Tolire Besar

One of the most common birds of prey around the lake is the Variable Goshawk (A. novaehollandiae) while both Brahminy Kites (H. indus) and White-bellied Sea-eagle (H. leucogaster) can be seen circulating over the lake or the surrounding forest. Danau Tolire Besar is one of the most reaible sites for the Gurney's Eagle (A.gurneyi) in the Maluku Province and this species seems to be regulary encountered at this site (may even breed around this lake). A possible record of a Meyer's Goshawk was made here in February 2009; if confirmed it would have been the first documented record of this poorly known species on Ternate

The Dusky Scrubfowl (M. freycinet) has a resident population around the lake, though seeing one is difficult and aim under the impression that they were more common here in the past.

Some of the more common forest birds present around the lake include the near-endemic Blue-capped Fruit-dove (P. monacha), Spectacled Imperial Pigeon (D. perspicillata), Common Dollarbird (E. orientalis), Shining Flycatcher (P. alecto), Willie Wagtail (R. leucophrys) and Metallic Starling (A. metallica); there is also a resonably large population of the Great-billed Parrot (T. megalorhynchos) present around this lake, a species becoming increasingly rare throughout its distribution and its probably easier to get good views of this species here now than over on Halmahera for ex. Small groups of Blyth' Hornbill is also possibly around the lake though observations of these are uncommon and are likely to be the result of individuals coming over from Halmahera.

The crater lake itself is likely to throw up some interesting waterbirds and there is a resident population of Little Grebes (T. ruficollis) on this lake, and which often is present in good numbers (have 15-30 on most of my visits); I have also seen Spotted Whistling-ducks (D. guttata) here on a few occasions (though this one is easier to find in coastal lagoons on Ternate).

Species list for Danau Tolire Besar (Ternate, Maluku Province)
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
Spotted Whistling-duck Dendrocygna guttata
Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus
White-bellied Sea-eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster
Variable Goshawk Accipiter novaehollandiae
Meyer's Goshawk Accipiter meyerianus?
Gurney's Eagle Aquila gurneyi
Spotted Kestrel Falco moluccensis
Dusky Scrubfowl Megapodius freycinet
Blue-capped Fruit-dove Ptilinopus monacha
Spectacled Imperial Pigeon Ducula perspicillata
White Cockatoo Cacatua alba
Great-billed Parrot Tanygnathus megalorhynchos
Blyth's Hornbill Aceros plicatus
Moluccan Swiftlet Aerodramus infuscatus
Glossy Swiftlet Collocalia esculenta
Common Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
Shining Flycatcher Piezorhynchus alecto
Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
Metallic Starling Aplonis metallica
Dusky Myzomela Myzomela obscura
Black Sunbird Nectarinia aspasia

Pelagic watching around Ternate

A Galagapos Petrel (P. phaeopygia) was collected from Ternate in April 1862, probably nothing more than a very rare vagrant and hoping to "stumble" upon one of them during the fairly short ferry ride over the strait between Ternate and Halmahera is probably asking to much, though with some luck pelagic birdwatching around this Island may prove somewhat rewarding with some luck. Some of the more common seabirds around Ternate includes Bulwer Petrel (P. bulwerii), Streaked shearwater (C. leucomelas), Wedge-tailed Shearwater (C. pacificus), Great frigatebird (F. minor), Lesser frigatebird (F. ariel), Pomarine Jaeger (S. pomarinus), Black-headed Gull (L. ridibundus), Whiskered Tern (C. hybridus), Gull-billed Tern (G. nilotica), Black-naped Tern (S. sumatrana) and Brown Noody (A. stolidus).

Species which should be expected around Ternate include the White-tailed Tropicbird (P. lepturus) has yet to been recorded from Ternate but is very much possibly, especially considering that it has previously been recorded from the Halmahera sea. While the Aleutian Tern (O. aleuticus) which only recently has been found to spend thw winter around Halmahera should also be expected in the area during certain months of the year.

Mammals on Ternate

Due to the small size of Ternate this island is unlikely to have ever supported a large divsersity of species, the mostly consisting of mammals in the order Chiroptera, though bats remains poorly studied in this region and many species is likely to have been overlooked during the past decades. Flannery (1995) did summarize the number if mammals recorded from Ternate by the time; both Suncus murinus and Rattus tanezumi is introduced and the later probably first arrived on the Island several hundred years ago. The Phalanger matabiru seems to be common on Ternate, particulary in clove/nutmeg plantations, but that it seems to inhabit all forest types on the Island, this species is best considered near-endemic to Ternate, and it is otherwiese only found on nearby Tidore.

Numerous bat species has been recorded from Ternate, Flannery (1995) listed 14 species. Not all of them is easy to find on the Island and some species are very cryptic and probably require some mist-netting to be found; while several species is fairly easy to find on Ternate. One of the most abundant species is the Pteropus personatus which sometimes can be seen roosting in small numbers in palms surrounding the airport on Ternate, and they may be encountered at various localities on Ternate including Danau Tolire Besar; the later locality it also likely to prove to be a good spot to look for other Chiroptera species especially in the later afternoon and I have personally seen E. spelaea, M. minimus, N. albiventer and R. amplexicaudatus in the forest surrounding the lake.

During the ferry crossing between Ternate and Halmahera little of interest apart from the occasional sea-birds are usually seen; Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) is however very common in this area and it is not uncommon to see groups numbering 100+ in the strait between Halmahera and Ternate. But apart from the above species most marine mammals is very rare/absent in this area; dugongs is probably extinct in the area since many decades and other larger cetaceans is very rare.

Lord W.Rothschild and his cassowaries; a taxonomical mess

2009-07-28T05:47:00.000-07:00

The genus Casuarius is a family of large flightless birds, consisting of three still extant species; the C. casuarius was described by Linnaeus (1758) on the basis of the holotype collected on Seram (Maluku Province), Indonesia in the early 17th; C. bennetti was described by Gould (1857) on the basis of a immature specimen collected on New Britain (Bismarck Archipelago, PNG) while the C. unappendiculatus was described by Blyth (1860) on the basis of a specimen orginating from Salawati (Raja Ampat Archipelago, West Papua, Indonesia).

Ironically the original descriptions of both C. casuarius from Seram (Linnaeus, 1758) and C. bennetti from New Britain (Gould, 1857) was based on specimens from populations existing due to introductions made by indigenosus people (White, 1975, 1976). Sclater (1860) described C. bicarunculatus as a new species and it was treated as a seperate species (with five subspecies) up until Mayr (1940) treated it as a synonym of C. unappendiculatus, and which since has been followed by most authors (Marchant and Higgins, 1990; Folch, 1992; Davies, 2002).

The later half of the 19th proved to be a prosperous period with no less than 19 new Casuarius sp. being described between 1860 and 1900 alone (Schlegel, 1866, 1871; Sclater, 1874, 1875, 1878; Beccari, 1876; Oustalet, 1878; Salvadori, 1878; Sharpe, 1881; Rothschild, 1898, 1899, 1900), many of these was however based on either immature specimens or poorly defined characteristics and they did not survive the test of time. Lord Walter Rothschild (1868-1937) was probably the most important and prolific collector of zoological specimens during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Rothschild opened his private museum (Tring; Hertfordshire, UK) to the public in 1892 and over the next 45 years he amassed an unparalleled collection consisting of literally millions of insects (as many as 2 million according to some sources) as well as thousands of bird skins, bird eggs, mammal skins and other specimens.

Even though Rothschild was interested in most groups of animals he certinely had a almost fanatical interest in some very specific groups, such as the Casuarius and by the time of his death he had ammased the largest single collection of cassowaries in the world, which included no fewer than 62 mounted cassowaries, the collection also include many skins and skeletons; much thans to his own contacts with animal collectors and dealers throughout Europe/Asia (Whitehead and Keates, 1982). In 1931 he was being blackmailed by a former mistress and he had to sell off the majority of his bird skin collection (close to 280,000 bird skins), among these he had to part with his beloved Paradisaeidae collection, with now reside in the AMNH (New York, USA). However, he could not part with his large cassowary collection and all the mounts, skins and skeletons were retained at Tring, where they are still kept up to this day and still constitute the largest and most important collection of cassowary specimens anywhere in the world.

It certinely does not come as a surprise that between the years 1898 and 1937 the 2nd Baron Rothschild described no less than 25 new species/subspecies of Casuarius, the last members of the genus that he described was Casuarius c. grandis and Casuarius p. shawmayeri, both of which was described in 1937. He purchased alive individuals from a large number of animal dealers/collectors and also told his employees stationed in south-east Asia to bring back Casuarius specimens; he recieved his first alive cassowaries around 1887 and they were allowed to roam freely in the Tring Park, where he kept numerous individuals for several years but after that one of his fathers horses was attacked he presented the majority of all alive specimens to the London Zoo where they were kept and he did study them extensively as he regarded it as essential that his descriptions were based on live specimens (Rothschild, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1904, 1905, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1925, 1928, 1937; 1983).

Casuarius c. casuarius (Linnaeus, 1758)
Type locality: Seram Island, Maluku Province, Indonesia (Linnaeus, 1758; Davies, 2002); though the population on Seram is a human-introduced one and the true type locality is not designated. Probably the Aru Islands.
Synonyms: Struthio casuarius.
Found on Seram Island, where it is introduced; its true distribution in the wild still remains unknown (Davies, 2002).

Casuarius c. bicarunculatus (Sclater, 1860)
Type locality: Kobroor Island, Aru Islands (Sclater, 1860; Davies, 2002).
Synonyms: Casuarius bicarunculatus
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Sclater (1860); treated as a seperate species by Mathews (1927); treated as a subspecies of C. casuarius by Peters (1931).
The mounted holotype (immature; 1861.12.5.1.) was presented to the Zoological Society of London (London Zoo) and it was described as a new species by P. L. Sclater (1860) based on this specimen, which died in November 1861.

Casuarius c. aruensis (Schlegel, 1866)
Type locality: Aru Islands (Schlegel, 1866).
Synonyms: Casuarius aruensis
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Schlegel (1866).
Casuarius c. beccarii (Sclater, 1875)
Type locality: Wokam Island, Aru Islands (Sclater, 1875; Davies, 2002).
Synonyms: Casuarius beccarii
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Sclater (1875); treated as a subspecies of C. casuarius by Peters (1931).

Casuarius c. tricarunculatus (Beccari, 1876)
Type locality: Warbusi, Cenderawasih Bay, north-west New Guinea (Beccari, 1876).
Synonyms: Casuarius tricarunculatus, Casuarius bicarunculatus tricarunculatus
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Beccari (1876); treated as a subspecies of C. bicarunculatus by Peters (1931).
Found on the western shores of Cenderawasih Bay, West Papua.

Casuarius c. altijugus (Sclater, 1878)
Type locality: Wandammen Peninsula, Cenderawasih Bay, north-west New Guinea (Sclater, 1878).
Synonyms: Casuarius altijugus
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Sclater (1878); treated as a subspecies of C. casuarius by Peters (1931).
The mounted holotype (adult male with casque in bad condition; 1878.3.29.1.) was obtained by L. Laglaize in May 1878, later purchased by Boucard on the bequest of W. Rothschild. It was described as a new species by P. L. Sclater based on the specimen in the BMNH collection (Sclater, 1878). This subspecies is still only known from the Wandammen Peninsula, West Papua (Davies, 2002; Iglezi Khunko pers.comm).
C. c. salvadorii (Oustalet, 1878)
Type locality: Warbusi, south of Dorei, Cenderawasih Bay, north-west New Guinea (Oustalet, 1878)
Synonyms: Casuarius salvadorii
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Oustalet (1878); treated as a subspecies of C. bicarunculatus by Mathews (1927).

Casuarius c. sclaterii (Salvadori, 1878)
Type locality: “coast of south-east Papua New Guinea, opposite Cornwallis Island (Salvadori, 1878); south New Guinea (Davies, 2002).
Synonyms: Casuarius sclaterii
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Sclater (1878); treated as a subspecies of C. casuarius by Peters (1931).
The holotype (immature female; 1877.1.27.3.) was purchased of natives by officers of H.M.S. Basilisk and it was presented to the Zoological Society of London (London Zoo) by Sir F. Fergusson in 1875; it was originally described as a new species by Salvadorii (1928) based on this specimen, which died on 9 December 1876.
Found in Southern New Guinea
Casuarius c. intensus (Rothschild, 1898)
Type locality: Not designated (Rothschild, 1904); south-west New Guinea (Davies, 2002).
A mounted syntype (adult male; 1939.12.9.938.), and a additional syntype specimen was purchased from W. Jamrach on the bequest of W. Rothschild and it was described as a new species (Rothschild, 1898).
Synonyms: Casuarius intensus
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Rothschild (1898); treated as a subspecies of C. bicarunculatus by Mathews (1927) and Peters (1931).

Casuarius c. violicollis (Rothschild, 1899)
Type locality: probably Trangan Island, Aru Islands (Rothschild, 1899); Trangan Island, Aru Islands (Davies, 2002).
Synonyms: Casuarius violicollis
Taxanomny: Described as a new species by Rothschild (1899); treated as a subspecies of C. casuarius by Peters (1931).
The mounted holotype (adult female; 1939.12.9.910.) was purchased of a sailor in Liverpool (England, UK) on the bequest of W. Rothschild and it was described as a new species based on this specimen (Rothschild, 1899).

Casuarius c. chimaera (Rothschild, 1904)
Type locality: Not designated (Rothschild, 1904; Davies, 2002).
Synonyms: Casuarius chimaera
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Rothschild (1904); treated as a subspecies of C. bicarunculatus by Mathews (1927) and Peters (1931).
The mounted holotype (immature; 1939.12.9.929.) was purchased from C. Hagenbeck (Hamburg, Germany) on the bequest of W. Rothschild; and it was described as a new species by Rothschild, the distribution of this subspecies in the wild remained unknown by the time of description and it still remains unknown today (Rothschild, 1904; Davies, 2002).

Casuarius c. bistriatus (Oort, 1907)
Type locality: North Coast, Dutch New Guinea (Oort, 1907); Geelvink Bay to Tana Mera.
Synonyms: Casuarius bistriatus
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Oort (1907).
Found from Geelvink Bay and eastwards to Tana Mera.

Casuarius c. lateralis (Rothschild, 1925)
Type locality: Rawlinson Mountains, Huon Peninsula, north-east Papua New Guinea (Rothschild, 1925); north New Guinea (Davies, 2002).
Synonyms: Casuarius lateralis
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Rothschild (1925); treated as a subspecies of C. casuarius by Peters (1931).
The mounted holotype (adult male; 1939.12.9.934.) was purchased from W. Jamrach on the bequest of W. Rothschild, it was presented to the Zoological Society of London (London Zoo) where it died, it was described as a new species based on this specimen (Rothschild, 1925).

Casuarius c. intermedius (Rothschild, 1928)
Type locality: “probably the two larger islands between Kobroon and Trangan, Aru Islands” (Rothschild, 1928); from islands near Trangan Island (Davies, 2002).
Synonyms: Casuarius intermedius, Casuarius bicarunculatus intermedius
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Rothschild (1928); treated as a subspecies of C. bicarunculatus by Mathews (1927) and Peters (1931).
The mounted holoptype (adult female; 1939.12.9.930.) was held in the Zoological Society of London (London Zoo) and W. Rothschild based the description of this new subspecies on this specimen (Rothschild, 1928).

Casuarius c. tricarunculatus (Peters, 1931)
Type locality: ?
Synonyms: Casuarius bicarunculatus tricarunculatus
Taxanomy: It was described as a subspecies of C. bicarunculatus by Peters (1931).

Casuarius c. grandis (Rothschild, 1937)
Type locality: “said to have come from the north coast of New Guinea” (Rothschild, 1937).
The female holotype (1942.4.14.1.) was originally housed at the Paignton Zoo but it was presented to the Zoological Society of London (London Zoo) where it died on 13 April 1943.
Casuarius u. unappendiculatus (Blyth, 1860)
Type locality: Salawati, Raja Ampat Archipelago, West Papua, Indonesia
Synonyms: Casuarius westermanni
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Blyth (1860); treated as a subspecies of C. unappendiculatus by Mathews (1927), Peters (1931).
This subspecies is found on Misool, Salawati, Batanta and Waigeo; probably also the lowlands of the Western Vogelkop Peninsula.
Casuarius unappendiculatus occipitalis (Salvadori, 1878)
Type locality: (Jobi) Island, Cenderawasih Bay, north-west New Guinea (Salvadori, 1878; Davies, 2002).
Synonyms: Casuarius occipitalis
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Salvadori (1878); treated as a subspecies of C. unappendiculatus by Mathews (1927) and Peters (1931).
Found on Yapen Island, and the nearby coast of mainland New Guinea (Mamberamo River Basin), southwards to Nabire?

Casuarius unappendiculatus philipi (Rothschild, 1898)
Type locality: “probably eastern German New Guinea (Rothschild, 1898); Sepik River, north-east Papua New Guinea (Davies, 2002).
Synonyms: Casuarius philipi
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Rothschild (1898); treated as a subspecies of C. unappendiculatus by Peters (1931).
The mounted holotype (adult female; 1939.12.9.913.) was collected on the bequest of W. Rothschild, it was presented to the Zoological Society of London (London Zoo) and it was described as a new species based on this subadult specimen (Rothschild, 1898).
This subspecies is found from the Sepik River Basin and eastwards to the Astrolabe Bay.
Casuarius unappendiculatus aurantiacus (Rothschild, 1899)
Type locality: ?
Synonym: Casuarius aurantiacus
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Rothschild (1899); treated as a subspecies of C. unappendiculatus by Peters (1931).
This subspecies is found from the Mamberamo River Basin and eastwards to the Sepik River Basin.

Casuarius unappendiculatus rufotinctus (Rothschild, 1900)
Type locality: “north coast of New Guinea, between Humboldt Bay and Geelvink Bay, northern New Guinea (Rothschild, 1900); north New Guinea (Davies, 2002).
Synonym: Casuarius rufotinctus
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Rothschild (1900); treated as a subspecies of C. unappendiculatus by Peters (1931).
The mounted holotype (immature female; 1939.12.9.927.) was purchased from the Cross of Liverpool on the bequest of W. Rothschild and it was presented to the Zoological Society of London (London Zoo); it was originally described as a new species by Rothschild (1900) based on this specimen.

Casuarius unappendiculatus rothschildi (Matschie, 1901)
Type locality: “north coast of New Guinea, between Humboldt Bay and Geelvink Bay, northern New Guinea (Rothschild, 1900); western New Guinea (Davies, 2002).
Synonym: Casuarius rothschildi
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Matschie (1901); treated as a subspecies of C. unappendiculatus by Mathews (1927) and Peters (1931).

Casuarius unappendiculatus hagenbecki (Rothschild, 1904)
Type locality: Not designated (Rothschild, 1904; Davies, 2002).
Synonyms: Casuarius hagenbecki
The mounted holotype (immature female; 1939.12.9.925.) was purchased from C. Hagenbeck (Hamburg, Germany) on the bequest of W. Rothschild and it was described as a new species based on this immature specimen (Rothschild, 1904). This specimen died while it was still immature, the distribution of this subspecies in the wild remained unknown by the time of description and it still remains unknown today (Rothschild, 1904; Davies, 2002).

Casuarius unappendiculatus mitratus (Rothschild, 1904)
Type locality: Not designated (Rothschild, 1904); New Britain, Bismarck Archipelago (Davies, 2002).
Synonyms: Casuarius mitratus
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Rothschild (1904); treated as a seperate species by Mathews (1927), treated as a subspecies of C. unappendiculatus by Peters (1931).
The mounted holotype (adult female; 1939.12.9.920.) was collected by A. E. Jamrach on the bequest of W. Rothschild, it was described as a new species based on this live bird (Rothschild, 1904).
This subspecies is for certain only known from two specimens, the holotype mentioned above and a individual kept in the Taronga Zoo (Australia) in the 1920s and 1930s; the identity of the later was confirmed by W. Rothschild himself in March 1930 (Kinghorn, 1930).

Casuarius unappendiculatus jamrachi (Rothschild, 1904)
Type locality: Not designated (Rothschild, 1904; Davies, 2002).
Synonyms: Casuarius jamrachi
The mounted holotype (adult male; BMNH 1939.12.9.915.) was purchased from W. Jamrach on the bequest of W. Rothschild and it was described as a new species by Rothschild while this specimen was still immature (Rothschild, 1904); a type locality was not designated and the distribution of this subspecies in the wild remained unknown by the time of description and it still remains unknown today (Rothschild, 1904; Davies, 2002).

Casuarius unappendiculatus doggetti (Rothschild, 1904)
Type locality: Not designated (Rothschild, 1904; Davies, 2002).
Synonyms: Casuarius doggetti
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Rothschild (1904); treated as a subspecies of C. unappendiculatus by Peters (1931).
The mounted holotype (immature; 1939.12.9.926.) was purchased from C. Hagenbeck (Hamburg, Germany) on the bequest of W. Rothschild and it was described as a new species based on this immature specimen (Rothschild, 1904).

Casuarius unappendiculatus suffusus (Rothschild, 1904)
Type locality: Not designated (Rothschild, 1904).
Synonyms: Casuarius suffusus
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Rothschild (1904); treated as a subspecies of C. unappendiculatus by Peters (1931).
The mounted holotype (immature; 1939.12.9.911.) was purchased of W. Jamrach on the bequest of W. Rothschild and described as a new species based on this specimen (Rothschild, 1904).

Casuarius unappendiculatus multicolor (Le Souef, 1930)
Type locality: New Britain, Bismarck Archipelago (Le Souef, 1930).
Synonyms: Casuarius multicolor
Taxanomy: Described as a new subspecies by Le Souef (1930).
Casuarius b. bennetti (Gould, 1857)
Type locality: New Britain, Bismarck Archipelago (Gould, 1857; Davies, 2002).
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Gould (1857); treated as a subspecies of C. bennetti by Mathews (1927), Peters (1931) and Davies (2002).
The holotype (immature; 1864.7.2.2.) was described as a new species by Gould (1857) based on an immature specimen; this individual died when it was adult. Today only the preserved skeleton remains in the BMNH collection.
Casuarius bennetti papuanus (Schlegel, 1871)
Type locality: ?Vogelkop Peninsula.
Synonyms: Casuarius papuanus, Casuarius papuensis (Sclater, 1872), Casuarius papuanus (Schlegel, 1873), Casuarius p. papuanus
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Schlegel (1871); treated as a subspecies of C. bennetti by Peters (1931); treated as a seperate species by Mathews (1927) and Davies (2002).
Found in the Vogelkop Peninsula.
Casuarius bennetti picticollis (Sclater, 1874)
Type locality: Discovery Bay, Milne Bay Province, south-east Papua New Guinea (Sclater, 1874; Davies, 2002).
Synonyms: Casuarius picticollis
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Sclater (1874); treated as a seperate species by Mathews (1927); treated as a subspecies of C. bennetti by Peters (1931).
The mounted holotype (adult male; 1877.1.27.2.) was collected by Dr. Baine of H.M.S. Basilisk and it was purchased by the Zoological Society of London (London Zoo). It was described as a new species by P. L. Sclater who based the description on the immature male (the holotype); it was kept in the London Zoo until it died in 1876.
Found in south-easter Papua New Guinea.
Casuarius bennetti westermanni (Sclater, 1874)
Type locality: Munsinam, near Havre Dorey, north-west of Geelvink Bay, New Guinea (Sclater, 1874).
Synonyms: Casuarius westermanni
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Sclater (1874).
The holotype (adult, skin and sternum; 1876.4.24.1.) was collected by a missionary and purchased of the Zoological Society of London who received it in exchange from Amsterdam in 1869. It was described as a new species by P. L. Sclater (1874) based on this specimen.
Casuarius bennetti edwardsi (Oustalet, 1878)
Type locality: Discovery Bay, Milne Bay Province, south-east Papua New Guinea (Sclater, 1874; Davies, 2002).
Synonyms: Casuarius edwardsi, Casuarius p. edwardsi
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Outstalet (1878); treated as a subspecies of C. bennetti by Peters (1931); treated as a subspecies of Casuarius papuanus by Mathews (1927) and Davies (2002).

Casuarius bennetti kaupi (Sharpe, 1881)
Type locality: south-east New Guinea (Sharpe, 1881).
Synonyms: Casuarius kaupi
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Sharpe (1881).
Casuarius bennetti loriae (Rothschild, 1898)
Type locality: Aroa River, Owen Stanley Range, south-east Papua New Guinea (Rothschild, 1898; Davies, 2002).
Synonyms: Casuarius loriae
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Rothschild (1898); treated as a subspecies of C. bennetti by Peters (1931; Davies, 2002).
A mounted syntype (adult; 1939.12.9.921.), one of the skins used in the original description (Rothschild, 1898) was collected by Emil Weiske and deposited in the BMNH collection.
Casuarius bennetti hecki (Rothschild, 1899)
Type locality: ?north-east Papua New Guinea (Huon Peninsula?)
Synonyms: Casuarius hecki, Casuarius picticollis hecki
Taxanomy: Described as a new subspecies of C. picticollis by Rothschild (1899); treated as a subspecies of C. bennetti by Peters (1931; Davies, 2002).
Found from the Sepik River Basin and eastwards to the Huon Peninsula.

Casuarius bennetti maculatus (Rothschild, 1900)
Type locality: ?
Synonyms: Casuarius maculatus
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Rothschild (1900); treated as a subspecies of C. bennetti by Peters (1931).

Casuarius bennetti roseigularis (Rothschild, 1905)
Type locality: Not designated (Rothschild, 1905).
Synonyms: Casuarius roseigularis
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Rothschild (1905); treated as a subspecies of C. bennetti by Peters (1931).
The holotype (juvenile female; 1939.12.9.923.) was purchased of Easton (a dealer) on the bequest of W. Rothschild, it was presented to the Zoological Society of London (London Zoo) and Rothschild (1905) described it as a new species based on this specimen while it was living at the London Zoo.

Casuarius bennetti claudii (Ogilvie-Grant, 1911)
Type locality: 4000-5000 feet, Iwaka River, Dutch New Guinea (Ogilvie-Grant, 1911); Nassau Range, New Guinea (Davies, 2002).
Synonyms: Casuarius claudii
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Ogilvie-Grant (1911); treated as a subspecies of C. bennetti by Peters (1931).
The mounted holotype (adult male; 1916.5.30.1479.) was collected by C. H. B. Grant, on the British Ornithologists' Union Expedition to Dutch New Guinea and it was described as a new species by Ogilvie-Grant (1911) based on this specimen.
Found in the Nassau Range (Mountains), mainly the southern slopes.

Casuarius bennetti keysseri (Rothschild, 1912)
Type locality: Rawlinson Mountains, Huon Peninsula, north-east Papua New Guinea (Rothschild, 1912).
Synonyms: Casuarius keysseri
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Rothschild (1912); treated as a subspecies of C. bennetti by Peters (1931).
The mounted holotype (adult; 1939.12.9.924.) was collected by Rev. Keysser and brought hime alive on the bequest of W. Rothschild, it was presented to the Zoological Society of London (London Zoo) and it was described as a new species based on this specimen (Rothschild, 1912).

Casuarius bennetti foersteri (Rothschild, 1913)
Type locality: “two days inland from north-west of Huon Gulf, Papua New Guinea” (Rothschild, 1913).
Synonyms: Casuarius foersteri
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Rothschild (1913); treated as a subspecies of C. bennetti by Peters (1931).
The mounted holotype (adult; 1939.12.9.916.) was collected by Rev. Keysser on the bequest of W. Rothschild and it was and it was originally described as a new species by Rothschild (1913) based on this specimen.

Casuarius bennetti goodfellowi (Rothschild, 1914)
Type locality: Yapen (Jobi) Island, Cenderawasih Bay, north-west New Guinea (Rothschild, 1914; Davies, 2002).
Synonyms: Casuarius goodfellowi, Casuarius papuanus goodfellowi
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Rothschild (1914); treated as a subspecies of C. bennetti by Peters (1931).
The mounted holotype (adult; 1939.12.9.918.) was collected by A. E. Pratt on the bequest of W. Rothschild, it was brought home alive (to the UK) by W. Goodfellow. It was described as a new species by Rothschild (1914), it was presented to the Zoological Society of London (London Zoo) where it eventually died in January 1917.
Found on Yapen Island, Cenderawasih Bay.

Casuarius bennetti rogersi (Rothschild, 1928)
Type locality: Not designated (Rothschild, 1928).
Synonyms: Casuarius rogersi
The mounted holotype (adult female; 1939.12.9.914.) was obtained from the Rogers of Liverpool (a dealer) on the bequest of W. Rothschild and it was presented to the Zoological Society of London (London Zoo); it was originally described as a new species by Rothschild (1928) based on the holotype as an an immature bird.

Casuarius bennetti shawmayeri (Rothschild, 1937)
Type locality: 4500 feet, Arau district, Kratke Mountains, north-east New Guinea (Rothschild, 1937); Kratke
Mts, New Guinea; its range said to include most of Waghi Valley, north of the type locality (Sims, 1956; Davies, 2002).
Synonyms: Casuarius papuanus shawmayeri; Casuarius bennetti shawmeyeri
Taxanomy: Described as a new species by Rothschild (1937); treated as a subspecies of C. bennetti by Peters (1931).
The mounted holotype (adult female; 1939.12.9.932.) was collected by F. Shaw Mayer on 30 December 1932 on the bequest of W. Rothschild and it was originally described as a subspecies of Casuarius papuanus (Rothschild, 1937).
Found in the Kratke Mountains, Papua New Guinea.

Refs.
Gould (1857): Proc. zool. Soc. Lond., 1857 (pub'd 1858): 269, pl. 29.
Sclater, P. L (1860): Proc. zool. Soc. Lond., 1860 : 211, 249.
Sclater, P, L. (1874): Proc. zool. Soc. Lond., 1874 : 248
Sclater, P, L. (1878): Nature, 17 : 375.
Salvadorii (1878): Annal. Mus. civ. Stor. nat. Giacomo Doria, 12 : 442.
Rothschild, W (1898): Novit. Zool., 5 : 513
Rothschild, W (1899): Bull. Br. Orn. Cl., 8 : 27
Rothschild, W (1900): Trans. zool. Soc. Lond., 15 : 137
Rothschild, W (1904): Bull. Br. Orn. Cl., 14 : 39
Rothschild, W (1905): Bull. Br. Orn. Cl., 15 ; 32
Ogilvie-Grant (1911): Bull. Br. Orn. Cl., 29 : 25.
Rothschild, W (1912): Bull. Br. Orn. Cl., 29 : 50
Rothschild, W (1913): Bull. Br. Orn. Cl., 33 : 66
Rothschild, W (1914): Bull. Br. Orn. Cl., 35 : 7
Rothschild, W (1925): Bull. Br. Orn. Cl., 46 : 30
Rothschild, W (1928): Bull. Br. Orn. Cl., 48 : 87
Kinghorn, J. R. (1930): The Many-coloured Cassowary: A correction. The Emu.
Rothschild, W (1937): Bull. Br. Orn. Cl., 57 : 120
Peters, J. L. (1931): Checklist of birds of the world. Vol. 1. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA.
Rothschild, W (1937): Bull. Br. Orn. Cl., 57 .
White, C. M. N. (1975): The problem of the Cassowary in Seram. Bull. B. O. C., 95, 165-170.
White, C. M. N (1976): The problem of the Cassowary in New Britain. Bull. B. O. C., 96, 66-68.
Whitehead, P. J. P. and Keates, C. (1981): The British Museum (Natural History). P. Wilson (London).
Rothschild, M. (1983): Dear Lord Rothschild: Birds, butterflies and history. Balaban Publishers (Glenside, Pennsylvania).
Davies, S (2002): Ratites and Tinamous (Bird Families of the World). Oxford University Press.

Chromis unipa, a new damselfish from West Papua.

2009-07-22T04:32:00.000-07:00

Gerald R. Allen and Mark V. Erdmann (2009a): Two new species of damselfishes (Pomacentridae: Chromis) from Indonesia

Abstract

Two new species in the pomacentrid genus Chromis are described from Indonesian seas. Chromis albicauda is described from nine specimens, 79.6-133.7 mm SL, collected at Nusa Penida, off the east coast of Bali. It closely resembles C. analis, which ranges widely in the western Pacific. Both species have a similar yellow colouration, but C. albicauda has an abruptly white caudal fin compared to the yellow caudal of C. analis. It also differs in having a more densely scaled preorbital and a suborbital margin that is obscured by scales. Additional differences include a black blotch covering the anal opening, a larger size, and taller dorsal spines. The other new species, Chromis unipa, is described from five specimens, 42.8-50.4 mm SL collected in 45-60 m in Cenderawasih Bay, Western Papua, Indonesia. Diagnostic features include XIV,11 dorsal rays; II,11 anal rays; 18 pectoral rays; 3 spiniform caudal rays; 14-17 tubed lateral-line scales; body depth 2.0-2.2 in SL, and a distinctive colouration of alternating blue-grey and brassy yellow stripes on the side of the body, blue-grey ventrally on the head and body, bluish fins except for brown basal portion of the caudal fin, and a prominent black spot on the anal fin. It belongs to a complex of deep-dwelling Chromis possessing 14 dorsal spines and it appears most similar to C. degruyi, known from 85-120 m depths in the Caroline Islands. Although both species have similar counts for pectoral-fin rays, tubed lateral-line scales, and gill rakers, they differ with respect to modal numbers of soft dorsal and anal-fin rays as well as body depth and snout length. They also exhibit significant colour pattern differences.

Source

Gerald R. Allen and Mark V. Erdmann (2009a): Two new species of damselfishes (Pomacentridae: Chromis) from Indonesia, pp. 121-134. International Journal of Ichthyology, Volume 15, Issue 3.

Heteroconger mercyae, a new garden eel from West Papua

2009-07-22T04:25:00.000-07:00

Gerald R. Allen and Mark V. Erdmann (2009b): Heteroconger mercyae, a new species of garden eel (Congridae: Heterocongrinae) from West Papua, Indonesia.

Abstract
A new species of heterocongrine garden eel is described from West Papua, Indonesia based on 13 specimens, 106.3-678.1 mm TL. It differs from other members of the genus by its distinct colour pattern, consisting of zebra-like black and white barring on the head grading to a complex black and white maze pattern on the body and a combination of features that include dorsal fin origin anterior to gill opening, pterygoid teeth present, body depth at gill opening 28.8-35.2 percent of head length, 62-71 (mean = 65) preanal vertebrae, 204-213 (mean =207.4) total vertebrae, and 63-69 (mean = 65.7) preanal lateral-line pores. A key is provided for the Indo-west Pacific species of Heteroconger.

Source

Gerald R. Allen and Mark V. Erdmann (2009b): Heteroconger mercyae, a new species of garden eel (Congridae: Heterocongrinae) from West Papua, Indonesia, pp. 135-142. International Journal of Ichthyology, Volume 15, Issue 3.

The Foja Mts, a "Lost World" teeming with species

2009-07-21T10:31:00.000-07:00

The Foja Mts, or the Foja Range which possibly is a more appropirate name, is situated just north of the Mamberamo River Basin, approx 60-70km south of the town of Sarmi, along the northern coast of New Guinea.

In December 2005 a international team (Australian, Indonesian and American scientists) lead by Bruce Beehler from Conservation International (CI) visited the Foja Mts for the first time, the team spent nearly a month in the Foja Mts in 2005 and among the most important discoveries made include:

-The discovery of a Melipotes sp. new to science; officially described as a new species, Wattled Smoky Honeyeater M. carolae by B. Beehler in 2007 (Beehler, 2007).
-The first records of the male bird of the Berlepsch's Parotia (P. berlepschi) in the wild, previously known only from 4 museum specimens collected in the late 19th. Female individuals was seen by J. Diamond during his visit to the Foja Mts in 1979, but he failed to observe any males.
-The first photographs showing the display of the Yellow-fronted Bowerbird at its bower. This species was rediscovered by J. Diamond during his visit to the Foja Mts in 1979, but he only made sketches of the birds and their bower.
-The first records ever of a Aegotheles sp. from the Foja Mts.
-Discovering two mammls new to science; a Mallomys sp. and and a Cercartetus sp. both which yet remains to be formally described.
-Discovering important populations of several mammals, including the Grizzled and Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos and the Western Long-beaked Echidna.
-Over 20 frogs new to science; none of which has been officially described yet (including members of the Callulops and Albericus genus).
-Around a dozen butterflies new to science; out of which about 5 has been described so far: D. cumanau, D. durai and D. fojaensis (Mastrigt, 2006), D. papuana and I. fojana (Mastrigt, 2009; Peggie, 2009).
-A unknown number of plants new to science, as well as several important range extensions for several species with a restricted distribution.

It took B. Beehler over 20 years to gain permission by the Indonesian government to visit the remote place on earth; the team needed at least 6 different permissions to visit this remote place.

Source
Beehler, B., D. Prawiradilaga, Y. de Fretes, and N. Kemp (2007): A new species of smoky honeyeater (Meliphagidae: Melipotes) from western New Guinea. The Auk 124(3): 1000-1009.
http://avianlibrary.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/beehler-etal_newspecies_smokyhoneyeater_papua.pdf
Mastrigt, v, H. (2009): Some notes on Delias (Hübner, 1819) from the Foja Mountains, Papua, Indonesia (Lepidoptera: Pieridae). SUGAPA (Suara Serangga Papua), Volume 3(3): January-March 2009.
http://www.papua-insects.nl/index/Hot%20news.htm
Peggie, D., Vane-Wright R, I. and Mastrigt, v, H. (2009): A new member of the Ideopsis gaura superspecies (Lepidoptera: Danainae) from the Foja Mountains, Papua, Indonesia. SUGAPA (Suara Serangga Papua), Volume 3(4): April-June 2009
http://www.papua-insects.nl/index/Hot%20news.htm

The Eupholus beetles, jewels of the forest

2009-07-20T15:06:00.000-07:00

Eupholus geoffroyi geoffroyi (Guérin-Méneville, 1831)
Synonyms: Eupholus mirabilis, Eupholus intermedius
Distribution: West Papua: Andai, Dorey, Humboldt Bay, Triton Bay; Papua New Guinea: Bogia, Lumi, Madang, Vanimo (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus chevrolatii (Guérin-Méneville, 1838)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Aru Islands (Setliff, 2007).
Eupholus cuvierii (Guérin-Méneville, 1838)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: West Papua: Andai, Arfak Range, Dorey, Hatam, Humboldt Bay (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus schoenherrii schoenherrii (Guérin-Méneville, 1838)
Synonyms: Eupholus celebesus, Eupholus desmaresti, Eupholus salawattensis
Distribution: West Papua: Andai, Arfak Range, Dorey, Korido Island, Salawati Island; Papua New Guinea: Lumi, Maprik, Wewak (Setliff, 2007), Sorong.

Eupholus schoenherrii petiti (Guérin-Méneville, 1841c)
Synonyms: Eupholus latreillei, Eupholus guerini, Eupholus schoenherrii v. arfaki
Distribution: West Papua: Dorey, Triton Bay, Waigeo; Aru Island; Misool Island (Setliff, 2007), Arfak Mts, Mapia.
Eupholus linnei (Thomson, 1857b)
Synonyms: Eupholus bandanus, Eupholus thomsoni
Distribution: Aru Islands; Banda Island (Setliff, 2007), Kai Islands.

Eupholus amaliae (Gestro, 1875)
Synonyms: Eupholus amaliae v. arfaki
Distribution: West Papua: Ramoi (Setliff, 2007), Sorong. Eupholus beccarii (Gestro, 1875)
Synonyms: Eupholus admirandus
Distribution: West Papua: Dorey, Rubi (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus bruijnii (Gestro, 1875)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: West Papua: Arfak, Hatam (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus bennetti (Gestro, 1876)

Synonyms: Eupholus bennetti v. apicalis, Eupholus bennetti v. bicolor

Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Aseki, Kanabea, Menyamya, Aroa River, Kapakapa, Paumomu River, Bulolo (Setliff, 2007; U. Schmidt pers comm 2008).

Eupholus browni (Bates, 1877)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Bismarck Archipelago: Duke of York Island, New Britain, New Ireland (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus alternans (Kirsch, 1877)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: West Papua: Rubi (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus magnificus (Kirsch, 1877)
Synonyms: Eupholus raffrayi, Eupholus magnificus v. concolor
Distribution: West Papua: Ansus, Korido, Ransiki, Numfor Island (Setliff, 2007; U. Schmidt pers comm 2008), Yapen Island, Nabire, Wapoga, Timika.

Eupholus quadrimaculatus (Kirsch, 1877)
Synonyms: Eupholus quadrimaculatus v. jugatus
Distribution: West Papua: Arfak Mountains, Andai (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus azureus (Macleay, 1885)
Synonyms: Eupholus azureus v. bilineellus
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Finschhafen, Haia, Wareo (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus cinnamomeus (Pascoe, 1888)
Synonyms: Eupholus cinnamomeus v. caesius, Eupholus cinnamomeus v. fasciatus
Distribution: Papua New Guinea; Astrolabe Range, Mailu, Moroka, Mt. Alexander - Mt. Nisbet, Port Moresby, Haveri (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus compositus (Faust, 1892b)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Finschhafen, Wasu (Setliff, 2007)..

Eupholus humeridens (Heller, 1895b)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Finschhafen, Mt. Bosavi, Sattelberg (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus loriai (Gestro, 1902)
Synonyms: Eupholus modestus
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Aseki, Marawaka, Watut, Wau (Setliff, 2007).
Eupholus humeralis (Heller, 1908a)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Daru, Mt. Bosavi, Bulolo (Setliff, 2007; U. Schmidt pers comm 2008).

Eupholus bennigseni (Heller, 1908a)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Siassi Island; Bismarck Archipelago: New Britain (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus prasinus (Heller, 1910a)
Synonyms: Eupholus humeridens prasinus
Distribution: West Papua: Cyclops Mountains; Papua New Guinea: Goroka, Kani (Kandt?), Lufa, Torricelli Mountains (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus albofasciatus (Heller, 1910b)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Garina, Waria Valley, Bulolo (Setliff, 2007; U. Schmidt pers comm 2008)

Eupholus nickerli (Heller, 1913)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Goroka, Kainantu, Lae, Bulolo, Okapa, Watut (Setliff, 2007; U. Schmidt pers comm 2008).

Eupholus vethi (Heller, 1914d)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Bulolo, Finschhafen (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus geoffroyi chrysites (Heller, 1915)
Synonyms: Eupholus geoffroyi v. tupinieri
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Monumbo, Djawur Island (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus quinitaenia (Heller, 1915)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Marprik, Wewak (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus sulcicollis (Heller, 1915)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Wewak (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus schoenherrii semicoeruleus (Heller, 1915)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Dallmannhafen (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus schoenherrii mimikanus (Heller, 1923)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: West Papua: Mimika River (Setliff, 2007), Timika, Wamena

Eupholus astrolabensis (Heller, 1937a)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Astrolabe Mountains (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus mamberamonis (Heller, 1942)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Mamberamo River, Mt. Bosavi (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus lachaumei (Porion, 1993)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Lufa (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus helleri (Porion, 1993)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Marawaka (Setliff, 2007).
Eupholus messagieri (Porion, 1993)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Bulolo, Okapa (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus hephaistos (Porion, 1993)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Kainantu, Kerowagi, Okapa, Wau (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus amalulu (Porion 1993)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Baga, Popondetta, Bulolo (Porion, 1993; Setliff, 2007; U. Schmidt pers comm 2008).

Eupholus clarki (Porion, 1993)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea; Lumi (Porion, 2000; Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus euphrosyne (Porion, 1993)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Aseki (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus nagaii (Porion, 1993)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Maprik (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus fleurenti (Porion, 1993)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Okapa, Upper Jimmi Valley, Wapenamanda, Yanderra (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus rigouti (Porion, 1993)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Goroka, Kainantu, Okapa (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus saugrenus (Porion, 1993)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Kainantu, Okapa (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus labbei (Porion, 2000)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: West Papua: Bokondini (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus sofia (Porion, 2000)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Kayapit, Mangiang (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus suhandai (Porion, 2000)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: West Papua: Sorong (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus kotaseaoi (Porion, 2000)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Philimu (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus hudsoni (Porion, 2000)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Yaningya (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus malotrus (Porion, 2000)
Synonyms: Eupholus raffrayi, Eupholus magnificus v. concolor
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Madang, Yanderra, Jimmi Valley (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus chaminadei (Porion, 2000)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: West Papua: Sorong (Porion, 2000; Setliff, 2007).
Eupholus dhuyi (Porion, 2000)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Karimui, Kerowagi, Lufa, Tari, Bulolo (Setliff, 2007; U. Schmidt pers comm 2008).

Eupholus ducopeaui (Porion, 2000)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Jimmi Valley (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus schneideri (Riedel, 2002b)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: West Papua: Membahan near Kosarek (Riedel, 2002B; Setliff, 2007).
Eupholus vlasimskii (Riedel, 2002b)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: West Papua: Wondiwoi Mountains, Yeretua (Riedel, 2002b; Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus detanii (Limoges and Porion, 2004)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: West Papua: Mapia (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus kuntzmannorum (Limoges and Porion, 2004)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Papua New Guinea: Eastern Highlands, Lifu (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus lacordairei (Limoges and Porion, 2004)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: West Papua: Kebar (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus leblanci (Limoges and Porion, 2004)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Bismarck Archipelago: Bainings Mountains, New Britain, Raunsepna (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus waigeuensis (Limoges and Porion, 2004)
Synonyms: None
Distribution: Waigeo Island (Setliff, 2007).

Eupholus circulifer (Riedel and Porion, 2009)
Synonyms: None

Source

Riedel, A (2002b): Two new species of Eupholus Boisduval (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae) from West New Guinea, a discussion of their taxonomic characters, and notes on nomenclature. ZOOTAXA 90: 1-16.

Setliff, G (2007): Annotated checklist of weevils from the Papuan region (Coleoptera, Curculionoidea). Zootaxa 1536: 1–296.

A new Ideopsis from the Foja Mountains, West Papua

2009-07-20T14:38:00.000-07:00

A new member of the Ideopsis gaura superspecies (Lepidoptera: Danainae) from the Foja Mountains, Papua, Indonesia. D. Peggie, R.I. Vane-Wright & H. v. Mastrigt

A new member of the Ideopsis gaura superspecies, Ideopsis (Ideopsis) fojana sp.nov., from the Foja Mountains, Papua, Indonesia, is described. This new species is the most easterly representative of the superspecies yet discovered. Reasons for according this taxon status as a semispecies (rather than subspecies) within this taxonomically challenging group are discussed.

Source

SUGAPA (Suara Serangga Papua), Volume 3(4): April-June 2009

http://www.papua-insects.nl/index/Hot%20news.htm

A new Delias from the Foja Mts, West Papua

2009-07-20T14:35:00.000-07:00

Some notes on Delias (Hübner, 1819) from the Foja Mountains, Papua, Indonesia (Lepidoptera: Pieridae). Henk van Mastrigt

The second survey to the Foja Mts (at 1,650 m) increased the number of Delias species recorded in that area from eight to twelve, including a new species (Delias papuana sp. nov) described in this issue (see picture on the left). On 1,250 m three species were collected, including one not recorded at 1,650 m. Further information about the Foja Delias, including descriptions of the female of D. durai and the male of D. microsticha weja is provided.

Source
SUGAPA (Suara Serangga Papua), Volume 3(3): January-March 2009.
http://www.papua-insects.nl/index/Hot%20news.htm

Nine new species of Cophixalus (Anura: Microhylidae) from Papua New Guinea

2009-07-18T09:27:00.000-07:00

Abstract

We describe nine new species of the microhylid frog genus Cophixalus from the Southeastern Peninsula and adjacent islands of Papua New Guinea. All but one of the new species are small – adult males attain 20 mm in only one of the new forms. None of the new species has finger discs consistently larger than toe discs, a character state sometimes claimed to be diagnostic for the genus; most have finger discs distinctly and consistently smaller than toe discs. This raises the number of recognized Papuan members of the genus to 34, and several more undescribed forms exist, making this one of the largest frog genera in the region.

Cophixalus cupricarenus, sp. nov.
Cophixalus kethuk, sp. nov.
Cophixalus iovaorum, sp. nov.
Cophixalus desticans, sp. nov.
Cophixalus melanops, sp. nov.
Cophixalus interruptus, sp. nov.
Cophixalus linnaeus, sp. nov.
Cophixalus phaeobalius, sp. nov.
Cophixalus tomaiodactylus, sp. nov.

http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2009/f/z02128p038f.pdf

A new species of bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus: Gekkonidae) from Seram Island, Indonesia

2009-07-18T09:13:00.000-07:00

Abstract

A new species of Cyrtodacylus is described from the island of Seram, Maluku Province, Indonesia. Cyrtodactylus nuaulu sp. nov. can be distinguished from other described Cyrtodactylus by the combination of moderate size, dorsal colouration consisting of relatively few large dark brown blotches, presence of a precloacal groove and whorls of dentate tubercles extending the length of the tail. The new species is the fourth reptile currently known only from Seram and surrounding islands, and the herpetofauna of this area appears to include a small but biogeographically significant endemic component.

http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2009/f/z02115p055f.pdf

The Grizzled Tree-kangaroo (Müller, 1840)

2009-07-18T07:33:00.000-07:00

Other common names: This species in also known under the name; Spanish: Canguro arboricola gris; French: Kangourou arboricole gris, Dendrolague gris; German: Braunes Baumkanguruh; Italian: Dendrolago grigio.

Local names: Wakera (Lobo Bay area, West Papua), Yonqui (Olo, Sandaun Province, PNG).

Synonyms: Dendrolagus maximus (Rothschild and Rothschild, 1898), Dendrolagus sorongensis (Matschie, 1916), Dendrolagus schoedei (Matschie, 1916), Dendrolagus keiensis (Matschie, 1916).

Type locality: see the type locality for; D. i. inustus (Müller, 1840): Mt. Lamantsjieri, near Lobo, Triton Bay, West Papua, Indonesia (Husson, 1955; Groves, 1982); D. i. finschi (Matschie, 1916): Tami River, 5km east of the border between West Papua and PNG (then German and Dutch New Guinea), north coastal range (Matschie, 1916; Groves, 1982).

Taxanomy: The Grizzled Tree Kangaroo was originally described by Müller (1840) based on a subadult female collected from Mt. Lamantsjieri in “German New Guinea” (West Papua), being only the second Dendrolagus sp. to be described scientifically. The genus Dendrolagus was described by Schlegel and Müller (1841) with D. ursinus and D. inustus being ascribed to it. In the late 19th and early 20th the eastern half of New Guinea was a German colony and the Museum for Naturkunde (Berlin) recived a large collection of Dendrolagus specimens. Paul Matschie (curator of mammals at the time) described eight new species and subspecies based on this collection during the years 1912-1916, including D. sorongensis, D schoedei, D. keiensis and D. finschi in 1916, out of which only D. finschi has survived the test of time. In the original description Matschie (1916) described D. finschi as a full species, based on a unsexed tail skin only. The complete Dendrolagus genus was reviewed for the first time by Rothschild and Dollman (1936) and they were of the opinion that finschi was better treated as a subspecies of Dendrolagus inustus.

The genus was revised again by Tate (1948) who choosed to place D. inustus in the “D. ursinus-group”, this revision however seems to have been based on very few actual specimens and he went on to strongly argue that D. ursinus and D. inustus was acctually colour phases of the same species, both having been collected from the same type locality (Groves, 1982). Unfortunely the revision by Tate (1948) seems to have been given priority over Rothschild and Dollman (1936) by some later authors; such as Lidicker and Ziegler (1968) which treated D. inustus as a synonym of D. ursinus, largely based on the revision by Tate (1948). Kirsch and Calaby (1978) followed the revision of Rotschild and Dollman (1936). Groves (1982) gave a compherensive review of the Dendrolagus genus and clearly showed that D. ursinus and D. inustus should be classified as two seperate species and further that D. finschi is a subspecies of D. inustus, a treatment which since has been followed by most authors (Flannery, 1990, 1995ab, 1996; Groves, 2005; Helgen, 2007; Leary, 2008).

Size and identification: The Dendrolagus inustus can be distinguished from all other New Guinean Dendrolagus sp. by its longer hindfoot (140-160 versus 90-135mm), this species belong to a primitive group (together with D. lumholtzi and D. bennettianus), being less arboreal adapted in hindlimb morpology; the grizzled colouration with a distinct black ear on a grey head and large callosity at the base of tail on the dorsal side. The D. i. inustus does reach a very large size, and males are almost twice as large as females; with one captive male held in the Gladys Porter Zoo (USA) weighed 23,18kg, by far the heaviest tree-kangaroo ever recorded, with the possibility that this specific individual was obese, the bones of wild caught specimens suggest that Grizzled Tree-kangaroos sometimes reach an enormous size while D. i. finschi also get very large, with adult males reaching 17 kilograms in the wild (heaviest Dendrolagus ever recorded in the wild) but males average 15.5 kilograms, while females average 11.4 kilograms (Flannery, 1995ab, 1996).

Compared with most other New Guinea tree-kangaroos, the Grizzled Tree-kangaroo is a rather rangy animal, with long limbs and a small head. In this regard it somewhat resembles in shape the terrestrial kangaroos. The males, in particular, show massive development of the forearms. From a distance, its overall colour appears to be grey, although some individuals have a rusty tinge.

The tail is very long, grey and often thickly furred. Occasionally, bands of lighter and darker grey can be discerned, giving it a ringed appearance. It has very large ears for a tree-kangaroo, and when it is sitting in a tree, they characteristically point sideways from the head rather that upwards as in most kangaroos. This doubtless tends to focus the animal's hearing towards the forest below, the direction from which danger is most likely to come. Most tree-kangaroos tend to do this, but because the ears are so large it is particularly noticeable in this species (Flannery, 1995ab, 1996).

The distinctiveness of the two subspecies of Dendrolagus inustus recognised rests on rather slim grounds, as museum specimens are few and little detailed study has been done on this species and they are indeed very similar. Probably more closely similar than any other Dendrolagus species; D. i. inustus: the most important difference discerned so far concerns the colour of the face; the forehead is grey or brownish in the nominate subspecies, the colour of the limbs and tail is similar to that of the body (more contrasting in D. i. finschi); D. d. finschi: the darker forehead is probably the most reliable distinguishing feature (Flannery, 1995ab, 1996). The few specimens from Yapen Island has been described by Groves (1982) as being different from individuals elsewhere in throughout the distribution, he mention them as having a red-brown cast, though not as much as is usual in D. i. finschi, and that this tone extends to the cheeks and underparts unlike other specimens of either race.

Distribution: The two subspecies of D. inustus currently reckognized has a somewhat disjunct distribution pattern; the holotype of the nominate subspecies, D. i. inustus (Müller, 1840) was collected from the Lobo Bay (West Papua) by local hunters according to early authors (Müller and Macklot, 1828; Jentink, 1879); this was later corrected as Mt. Lamantsjieri, near Lobo, Triton Bay, West Papua, Indonesia by Husson (1955).

Jentink (1879) did summarize all the specimens of D. i. inustus known to be held at the RMNH (Leiden) by the time, and is as follows; specimens was secured from by van Rosenberg at Andai (Vogelkop), by Hoedt at Dorei (Vogelkop), by Diard from the Arfak Mts (Vogelkop), by Wallace from north-west New Guinea (Vogelkop) meanwhile Beccari and d. Albertis secured specimens from Sorong and Dorei (Vogelkop).

Matschie (1916b) described a number of new species based on a relatively large collection of Dendrolagus specimens; including D. sorongensis (Matschie, 1916b) on the basis of a specimen collected from Sorong Island (Vogelkop).

The D. i. inustus (Müller, 1840) is distributed from the Vogelkop Peninsula (with records from the Sorong-area and the Manokwari-Arfak Mts region), eastwards to the Fakfak Peninsula (Fakfak and Kumawa Mts), and further eastwards to the Triton Bay/Nabire region which constitute the known eastern distributuion boundary for this subspecies (Groves, 1982; Flannery, 1995ab, 1996; Martin, 2005; Helgen, 2007; Leary, 2008).

Though areas further to the east still remains very poorly explored in biological terms and this subspecies should be expected to be found in lowland areas along the eastern shores of the Cenderawasih Bay, and possible also in mountain massives to the east as well, such as the Weyland Mts, though the later has been visited by numerous mammalian collectors throughout history and they have all clearly failed to encounter this species there so it may be truly absent, but if so why is it not found there and at the Western marginals of the Snow Mts?

In the extensive revision of the Dendrolagus genus carried out by Groves (1982) he included two specimens from Mt. Eiori on Yapen Island (Cenderawasih Bay); mentioning that these two specimens are best placed in the nominate subspecies but that they could represent an undescribed subspecies.

Groves (1982) mention examining a single specimen from Waigeo, though he considered this locality to be dubious hence Flannery (1995b) followed the opinion that the record from Waigeo was best considered doubtful, but maybe just being cautious rather than choosing to accept a record from Waigeo based on a single specimen with poor locality data. Furthermore, Flannery (1995b) does briefly mention the possible presence of the Grizzled Tree Kangaroo on Salawati, there has been no previous records of any Dendrolagus sp. from this Island but during interviews with local people on northern Salawati in October 1992 he obtained good descriptions of the animal, but failed to make any direct observations and the occurence of this species on Salawati remains unconfirmed.

Leary (2008) did choose to include both Waigeo and Salawati in distribution of the Grizzled Tree Kangaroo, on what basis these descisions was made remains unknown to me, likewise if any new information has been gained about the presence of this species on either of these two Islands. Furthermore, Leary (2008) does include Misool in the distribution of this subspecies, and also that it may possibly occur on Batanta, again the source of either remains unknown to me.

An allegedly specimen from the Aru Islands is in error, as Rothschild and Dollman (1936) reported that a Mr. Frost (a well known mammal collector in the Aru-Kai Islands) stated that no Dendrolagus occured in the Aru Islands, and this specimen are in fact from mainland New Guinea (Groves, 1982; Flannery, 1995b).

While the second reckognized subspecies, D. i. finschi (Matschie, 1916b) is nearly exclusively restricted to the northern slopes of the North Coastal Range, with the exception of the Amanab area (Sandaun Province, PNG). Being distributed from the Foja Mts and eastwards througout the Cyclops, Bewani and Torricelli Mts, with the eastern flanks of the later constituting the eastern boundary for this subspecies (Groves, 1982; Flannery, 1995ab, 1996; Leary, 2008).

Among the large serie of Dendrolagus specimens examined by Matschie (1916b) he described several new species and subspecies; including the description of D. keiensis (Matschie, 1916b) upon which he based on a adult female specimen supposdely collected from the Kai Islands. Rothschild and Dollman (1936) reported that a Mr. Frost (a well known mammal collector in the Aru-Kai Islands) stated that no Dendrolagus occured in the Kai Islands with Tate (1948) concluding that this specimen was obtained from a dealer in north-east New Guinea; which since has been followed by the majority of all authors and it is now being treated as a synonym (Groves, 1982; Flannery, 1995ab).

Sources

Jentink, F, A (1879): Notes from the Leyden Museum. Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie te Leiden.

Rothschild, W. and Dollman, G. (1936): The genus Dendrolagus. Trans. Zoological Society London Z1; 477-548.
Tate, G. H, H. (1948): Results of the Archbold Expeditions. No. 59. Studies on the anatomy and phylogeny of the Macropodidae (Marsupialia). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 91; 233-357.
Husson, A. M. (1955): Notes on mammals collected by the Swedish New Guinea Expedition. 1948-1949. Nova Guinea, N.S 6; 283-306
Groves, P, C (1982): The systematics of Tree Kangaroos (Dendrolagus; Marsupialia, Macropodidae). Aust. Mammal 5; 157-186.
Flannery, T (1990): Mammals of New Guinea. First Edition.
Flannery, T (1995a): Mammals of New Guinea. Second Edition. Reed Books.
Flannery, T (1995b): Mammals of the South-west Pacific and Moluccan Islands. Reed Books.
Flannery, T (1996): Tree-kangaroos: A Curious Natural History. Reed Books.

Martin, R (2005): Tree Kangaroos of Australia and New Guinea. Australian Natural History Series

Is there a undescribed Dendrolagus on New Britain?

2009-07-18T03:54:00.000-07:00

John Lake had lead four expeditions on the behalf of the Nature Conservancy (a USA-based environmental organization) to New Britain in the Bismarck Archipelago. Back in 2007, when he led a six-week expedition to New Britain, the team noted the existence of tree kangaroos on the island, along with new species of butterfly, frog, snake and fish. If his team is able to capture a tree kangaroo and take some DNA samples from it, his project will help to preserve the area from loggers and palm-oil encroachment and the discovery of a new mammal could reach epic proportions. Through my contacts I have come to known that the same team is on New Britain at present (fifth expedition) and it will be interesting to see whatever or not they will be able to find out something more about it. This announcement was not officially released until sometime in early June 2009.

The Matschie's Tree-kangaroo was introduced on Mt. Agulupella (west New Britain) by Melanesian voyagers in prehistoric times (Flannery, 1996) and to the best of my knowledge a population still exist there. The same species has also been introduced to Umboi Island, though I would imagine that the continued existence on this Island is probably in doubt.

There is still very limited information available about the discovery of a new population/species of Dendrolagus on New Britain; to be honest I do not even know which area of New Britain we are talking about here as I have been unable to find any news article stating where on New Britain these surveys have been carried out, and short communications with some of my contacts at the AMNH has not lead to any clarification of this matter. A number of photographs showing the allegedly new Dendrolagus sp. have leaked out it seems, but again, aim not sure about the source of some of those images and as everyone probably knows one should be very careful when viewing images out on the Internet as they often show something completely else than what is being stated. I have however found one photograph said to have been taken by John Lane himself, showing a Dendrolagus being kept in a wired cage.

This animal do show some very interesting features, if it indeed was taken of New Britain then the choices are few, the animal on the photograph do show some features which is typically seen in captive Dendrolagus matschiei. In the wild they are known from the high reaches of the Huon Peninsula (which is both wet and cold) and photographs of wild specimens tends to show individuals with beautiful thick and long fur while specimens in captivity looks to relatively "naked" in comparison, but again that seems to differ from individual to individual and I suppose it all has to do with climate where they are being kept in as well as the diet that they are being given (do not know much of zoo husbandry). The animal on the photograph above is clearly a captive one and it does definitely share some of the features that can be seen on captive D. matschiei in Europe and USA.

A quick google search will show you that most individuals of this species show a very speckled face (different shades of orange-white-brown-yellow), orange/yellowish limbs and belly as well as being chestnut-brown on the back. I did spend many years in the Huon Peninsula by the end of the 1980s and I think I saw a fair share of D. matschiei in the wild during this period, many enough to realize that in the wild the characteristics mentioned above does seem to apply to the majority of all individuals, but of course not all of them (recall seeing a all chocolate brown individual on a occasion). In short, why is this simply not a very sparsely-furred of D. matschiei? most important of all, the body shape of the animal above does not remind you of a Huon TK which tends to be more "robust" in its appearance, the fur coloration can be quite variable but I have seen a museum specimen (although somewhat faded) from Mt. Agulupella and it looked very similar to both skins and alive individuals from the Huon Peninsula. Its very clear that additional photographs is needed of the individual above to fully resolve this issue (and aim sure there are some) but the image above make me believe that this individual is more close related to the Dendrolagus goodfellowi-complex rather than the Huon TK.There is much variation within the Dendrolagus goodfellowi-complex, just compare photographs of the D. pulcherrimus with photographs of the D. g. buergersi and I would expect that the isolated populations of D. g. goodfellowi looks quite different from all other goodfellowi populations (though the last one is known from very few specimens so its hard to say for sure). Given the relatively recent discovery of a population of D. pulcherrimus in the Foja Mts and further more recent material skeleton remains assigned to the later species from the Vogelkop Peninsula. Clear is that the D. goodfellowi-complex is far from being resolved and finding a new population of this species hiding away in some poorly-explored mountain massive on New Britain would be pretty amazing.

The Dendrolagus genus was first made known to the western science in the early 18th but the majority of the 12 species currently recognized (Helgen, 2007) remains very poorly known and much still remains to be learn, especially data from the wild is lacking. With several new species described only in the last 20 years, including the beautiful Golden-mantled Dendrolagus pulcherrimus described in 1993 and famous Dendrolagus mbaiso described in 1995, and there is a still undescribed subspecies of the Dendrolagus scottae lurking deep within the Bewani Mts, so why could there not be a undescribed Dendrolagus lurking deep within some mountain massive on New Britain? only time will tell I guess and aim for sure will keep an close eye on this, keeping you posted on any updates.

Sources

Groves, P, C (1982): The systematics of Tree Kangaroos (Dendrolagus; Marsupialia, Macropodidae). Aust. Mammal 5; 157-186.
Flannery, T (1990): Mammals of New Guinea. First Edition.
Flannery, T (1995a): Mammals of New Guinea. Second Edition. Reed Books.
Flannery, T (1995b): Mammals of the South-west Pacific and Moluccan Islands. Reed Books.

Flannery, T (1996): Tree-kangaroos: A Curious Natural History. Reed Books.

A new and minute species of Austrochaperina (Amphibia: Anura: Microhylidae) from western New Guinea

2009-06-27T18:12:00.000-07:00

Abstract
A new and extremely small species of the Australopapuan microhylid frog genus Austrochaperina is described on the basis of recently collected material from the base of the Wandammen Peninsula, Cenderawasih Bay, neck of Vogelkop, Papua Province, Indonesia. The description is based mainly on morphological, osteological, and bioacoustic data.

The name of this new species is Austrochaperina minutissima sp. nov. (GÜNTHER, 2009).

Type locality: on the ridge of the Wondiwoi Mountains at the base of the Wandammen Peninsula, elevation 920 m a.s.l., coordinates 2°56´S and 134°36´E , border between Nabire and Manokwari districts, Papua Province, Indonesia.
http://globiz.sachsen.de/snsd/publikationen/vertebrate-zoology/vz59-1/10_Vertebrate_Zoology_59-1_Guenther.pdf

In a recent visition Zweifel (2000) decided to split the Australopapuan microhylid genus Sphenophryne (sensu Parker, 1934) into four genera. Namely Austrochaperina (Fry, 1912), Liophryne (Boulenger, 1897), Oxydactyla (van Kampen, 1913) and Sphenophryne (Peters and Doria, 1878).

Out of the 24 species reckognized in the Austrochaperina genus, 21 has been recorded from New Guinea (20 being endemic to this region); the following members of the Austrochaperina genus is known from New Guinea following (Zweifel, 2000; Kraus and Allison, 2003; Gunther, 2009).

Austrochaperina brevipes (Boulenger, 1897)
Distribution: Mount Victoria, and the Myola Guest House, in the Owen Stanley Range in south-eastern Papua New Guinea. It is possibly more widely distributed. Found around 2000m.

Austrochaperina polysticta (Méhelÿ, 1901)
Distribution: near Sattelberg, on the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea. Has not been found since the original description.

Austrochaperina basipalmata (van Kampen, 1906)
Distribution: Known from the north coast mountain ranges of mainland New Guinea, between Tawarin River in West Papua Papua and the Torricelli Mountains, Papua New Guinea. Found around 1000m.

Austrochaperina macrorhyncha (van Kampen, 1906)
Distribution: between the eastern Vogelkop and the Lorentz River, West Papua. Probably more widespread. Found between 850-2,500m.

Austrochaperina gracilipes (Fry, 1912)
Distribution: known from the trans-Fly region of southern Papua New Guinea, probably also southeastern West Papua; it is also found in the Cape York Peninsula (Northern Australia). Found from sea level and up to 50m.

Austrochaperina mehelyi (Parker, 1934)
Distribution: known from the Adelbert Mountains and the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea. Found between 900-1,600m.

Austrochaperina palmipes (Zweifel, 1956)
Distribution: has a wide distribution in the eastern half of Papua New Guinea, including the Huon Peninsula and several islands off the eastern tip of the mainland. Found between 60-1,750m.

Austrochaperina hooglandi (Zweifel, 1967)
Distribution: known from the Hunstein, Schrader and Adelbert Mountains, Papua New Guinea. Found between 600-1,370m.

Austrochaperina adamantina (Zweifel, 2000)
Distribution: Mount Nibo, 9km north and 15.5km east of Lumi, in the Torriceli Mountains, West Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea. Found between 700-1,550m.

Austrochaperina aquilonia (Zweifel, 2000)
Distribution: Mount Somoro and Wilbeite Village, in the Torricelli Mountains, West Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea. Found between 730-1,420m.

Austrochaperina archboldi (Zweifel, 2000)
Distribution: Arau, in the Kratke Mountains, Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea. Found at around 1400m.

Austrochaperina blumi (Zweifel, 2000)
Distribution: known from several localities on the northern slopes of the central mountains of West Papua, including the Star Mountains, and the Kosarek, Bimi and Oksibil areas of Jayawijaya District. Possible also occurs at a site 9km west of Telefomin, in Papua New Guinea.

Austrochaperina derongo (Zweifel, 2000)
Distribution: broadly distributed along the flanks of the central mountain range of New Guinea, between the Wapoga drainage in West Papua and the Purari River drainage in Papua New Guinea. Found between 80-1,520m.

Austrochaperina guttata (Zweifel, 2000)
Distribution: known from several widely scattered localities in the Gulf Province of Papua New Guinea, and it is probably widely distributed in suitable habitats in southern Papua New Guinea. Only found below 600m.

Austrochaperina kosarek (Zweifel, 2000)
Distribution: Kosarek, Papua, West Papua. Possibly more widespread. Found at 1400m.

Austrochaperina novaebritanniae (Zweifel, 2000)
Distribution: known from north-eastern New Britain, Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea. Found between 350-1,000m.

Austrochaperina parkeri (Zweifel, 2000)
Distribution: 4km north of Lae (at sea level), and from the north-west slope of Mount Shungol 30km to the south-west of the type locality (at around 700m asl), in Papua New Guinea.

Austrochaperina rivularis (Zweifel, 2000)
Distribution: occurs in a relatively wide area of mountains in western Papua New Guinea, extending almost to the West Papuan border, but no records from there as of yet. Found between 600-1,600m.

Austrochaperina yelaensis (Zweifel, 2000)
Distribution: found on Mount Rossel, Rossel Island and Tagula Island. Found between 700-1,150m.

Austrochaperina septentrionalis (Allison and Kraus, 2003)
Distribution: found in the Bewani Mountains, north-western Papua New Guinea. Possibly found in the Cyclops Mountains and Torricelli Mountains as well. Found between 950-1,200m.

Austrochaperina minutissima (Gunther, 2009)
Distribution: found in the Wondiwoi Mountains, West Papua. Found between 700-900m.

Sources
Zweifel, G. R. (1962): A systematic review of the microhylid frogs of Australia. American Museum novitates ; no. 2113.

Zweifel, G, R. (2000): Partition of the Australopapuan microhylid frog genus Sphenophryne with descriptions of new species. Bulletin of the AMNH ; no. 253.
http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/dspace/bitstream/2246/1600/1/B253.pdf

Allison, A. and Kraus, F. (2003): A New Species of Austrochaperina (Anura: Microhylidae) From Northern Papua New Guinea. Journal of Herpetology. December 2003
http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1670/0022-1511%282003%29037%5B0637%3AANSOAA%5D2.0.CO%3B2

Gunther, R (2009): A new and minute species of Austrochaperina (Amphibia: Anura: Microhylidae) from western New Guinea. Vertebrate Zoology 59 (1); 81-89.
http://globiz.sachsen.de/snsd/publikationen/vertebrate-zoology/vz59-1/10_Vertebrate_Zoology_59-1_Guenther.pdf