Strigocuscus celebensis

Geographic Range

Strigocuscus celebensis occurs exclusively on Sulawesi and surrounding islands. Subspecies of S. celebensis occur throughout this range: S. c. celebensis is found in southern and central Sulawesi, S. c. feileri is found in north Sulawesi, and S. c. sangirensis is found on the Sangihe Islands north of Sulawesi.

• Biogeographic Regions
• australian australian
  • native native

• Other Geographic Terms
• island endemic island endemic

Habitat

Strigocuscus celebensis occurs in rainforests and in secondary forests and gardens around human dwellings.

• Habitat Regions
• tropical tropical
• terrestrial terrestrial

• Terrestrial Biomes
• forest forest
• rainforest rainforest

• Other Habitat Features
• suburban suburban
• agricultural agricultural

Physical Description

Little Celebes cuscuses have an overall pale buff coloration, lacking a dorsal stripe, and the tail is partially naked part. They are small possums, weighing 1 kg or less. Head and body length is 294 to 380 mm and tail length is 270 to 373 mm. The rostrum is narrower than other phalangerids , the lachrymal is retracted from the face, the ectotympanic is almost totally excluded from the anterior face of the postglenoid process, and the third upper premolar is set at a more oblique angle relative to the molar row than it is in other phalangerids. Little Celebes cuscuses are also characterized by the large size of the third upper premolar, a widening of the zygomatic arches at the orbits, and short paroccipital processes.

• Other Physical Features
• endothermic endothermic
• homoiothermic
• bilateral symmetry bilateral symmetry

• Sexual Dimorphism
• sexes alike

Reproduction

Little Celebes cuscuses are monogamous and occur in pairs.

• Mating System
• monogamous monogamous

Female S. celebensis have a forward-oriented pouch with two to four teats. Little Celebes cuscuses generally produce one to two litters per year, up to three to four young may be born, but only one is usually reared. Gestation is 20 days or less and young are born very small and unfurred.

• Key Reproductive Features
• iteroparous iteroparous
• year-round breeding year-round breeding
• gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
• sexual sexual
• viviparous viviparous

Infant S. celebensis exit their mother's pouch between five and eight months after birth, after which they are carried on their mother’s back.

• Parental Investment
• altricial altricial
• pre-fertilization
  • provisioning
  • protecting
    • female
• pre-hatching/birth
  • provisioning
    • female
  • protecting
    • female
• pre-weaning/fledging
  • provisioning
    • female
  • protecting
    • female
• pre-independence
  • provisioning
    • female
  • protecting
    • female

Lifespan/Longevity

The lifespan of S. celebensis is unknown. Other species of cuscus are known to live 3 to 11 years in captivity.

Behavior

Little Celebes cuscuses are nocturnal and arboreal, and have been known to occur in male-female pairs. They are known to sleep in the crowns of coconut palms. Strigocuscus celebensis occurs in sympatry with Sulawesi bear cuscuses ( Ailurops ursinus ) on the island of Sulawesi and surrounding islands. Males of most cuscus species are aggressive toward one another and cannot be kept together in captivity.

• Key Behaviors
• arboreal arboreal
• scansorial
• nocturnal nocturnal
• motile motile
• sedentary sedentary
• territorial territorial
• social social

Communication and Perception

Little is known about communication in Little Celebes cuscuses. Like most nocturnal mammals they are likely to use chemical cues (smells) and hearing extensively. Cuscuses have large eyes to help them see in low light.

• Communication Channels
• chemical chemical

• Perception Channels
• visual visual
• tactile tactile
• acoustic acoustic
• chemical chemical

Food Habits

Little Celebes cuscuses are presumed to be primarily frugivorous, based on their morphology and the diet of other cuscuses . Other species of cuscus include leaves, fruits, flowers, bark, pollen, and fungi in their diets.

• Primary Diet
• herbivore herbivore
  • frugivore frugivore

• Plant Foods
• leaves
• roots and tubers
• wood, bark, or stems
• seeds, grains, and nuts
• fruit
• pollen
• flowers

• Other Foods
• fungus

Predation

Little information is known on possible predators of S. celebensis . It is assumed they have a limited number due to their arboreal lifestyle. Other species of cuscus are eaten by humans and New Guinea singing dogs.

Ecosystem Roles

Because of their frugivorous diet S. celebensis help the ecosystem by dispersing seeds.

• Ecosystem Impact
• disperses seeds

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive

Little Celebes cuscuses are an important source of meat for people in New Guinea and are widely hunted. In some areas of Indonesia, such as the Sula Islands in the Western Moluccas, cuscuses are not eaten in accordance with religious beliefs. Little Celebes cuscuses help to disperse fruiting tree seeds.

• Positive Impacts
• food food

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

Little Celebes cuscuses are sometimes considered household pests. They tend to be found in suburban areas and are known to eat plants from gardens and to nest in roofs.

• Negative Impacts
• crop pest
• household pest

Conservation Status

The status of S. celebensis is uncertain. According to IUCN S. celebensis is data deficient, there is not enough information to determine population status.

Other Comments

For a detailed analysis of mitochondrial DNA of S. celebensis see the work of Ruedas and Morales (2005). For a detailed analysis of morphological and skeletal analysis of S. celebensis see the work of Crosby and Norris (2003). For a detailed analysis of museum study skins and skeletons of S. celebensis and its subspecies see the work of Groves (1987).

Additional Links

Encyclopedia of Life

Contributors

Tanya Dewey (editor), Animal Diversity Web.

Brittany Moe (author), University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Chris Yahnke (editor, instructor), University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

References

Crosby, K., C. Norris. 2003. Periodic Morphology in the Trichosurin Possums Strigocuscus celebensis and Wyulda squamicaudata (Diprotodontia, Phalangeridae) and a Revised Diagnosis of the Tribe Trichosurini. American Museum Novitates , 3414: 1-16.

Dwiyahreni, A., M. Kinnard, T. O'Brien, J. Supriatna, N. Andayani. 1999. Diet and Activity of the Bear Cuscus, Ailurops ursinus, in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Journal of Mammalogy , 80 / 3: 905-912.

Flannery, T. 1994. Possums of the World: A Monograph of the Phalangeroidea . Chatswood, Australia: GEO Productions Pty Ltd.

Groves, C. 1987. Possums and Opossums: Studies in Evolution . Sydney: Surrey Beatty & Sons and the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales. Accessed November 27, 2006 at http://arts.anu.edu.au/grovco/Marsup.htm .

Nowak, R. 1999. Ground Cuscuses. Pp. 91-92 in Walker's Mammals of the World , Vol. 1, Sixth Edition. Baltimore & London: The Johns Hopkins University Press.

Ruedas, L., J. Morales. 2005. Evolutionary Relationships Among Genera of Phalangeridae (Metatheria: Diprotodontia) Inferred from Mitochondrial DNA. Journal of Mammalogy , 86 / 2: 353-365.

Wikipedia, 2006. "Possum" (On-line). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Accessed November 28, 2006 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Possum .

1996. "Australasian Marsupial & Monotreme Specialist Group 1996. Strigocuscus celebensis. In: IUCN 2006." (On-line). ICUN Red List of Threatened Species. Accessed November 28, 2006 at http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/20890/all .

2006. "Cuscus" (On-line). Accessed November 29, 2006 at http://www.planet-pets.com/plntcusc.htm .

2004. Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia. Pp. 57-64 in Possums and Cuscuses , Vol. 13 / Mammals II, 2nd Edition. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group Inc..

2000. "Other Creatures at the Center" (On-line). Wildlife Science Center. Accessed November 29, 2006 at http://www.wildlifesciencecenter.org/Creatures.html .

2006. "Possums and cuscuses" (On-line). Answers.com. Accessed November 29, 2006 at http://www.answers.com/topic/phalanger .