Marsupials and rodents of the Admiralty Islands, Papua New Guinea

Abstract

We provide the first account of all non-volant, non-marine mammals recorded, whether reliably, questionably, or erroneously, from the Admiralty Islands, Papua New Guinea. Species recorded with certainty, or near certainty, are the bandicoot Echymipera cf. kalubu, the widespread cuscus Phalanger orientalis, the endemic (?) cuscus Spilocuscus kraemeri, the endemic rat Melomys matambuai, a recently described species of endemic Rattus, R. detentus, and the commensal rodents Rattus exulans and Rattus rattus. Species erroneously reported from the islands or whose presence has yet to be confirmed are the rats Melomys bougainville, Rattus mordax, Rattus praetor, and Uromys neobrittanicus. Included additional specimens to those previously reported in the literature are of Spilocuscus kraemeri and two new specimens of the endemic Melomys matambuai, previously known only from the holotype and a paratype, and new specimens of Rattus exulans. The identity of a specimen previously thought to be of Spilocuscus kraemeri and said to have been taken on Bali, an island off the coast of West New Britain, does appear to be of that species, although this animal is generally thought of as occurring only in the Admiralties and vicinity. Summaries from the literature and new information are provided on the morphology, variation, natural history, and zoogeography of the species treated.