It has been suggested that black forest-wallabies represent a transitional form between tree kangaroos and other macropodids.
Perception Channels: tactile ; chemical
These wallabies are susceptible to hunting and a food source to native peoples. Because of their restricted range, they are also very susceptible to habitat destruction. Due to these factors, they are considered a threatened species and are classified as rare.
US Federal List: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: critically endangered
Black forest-wallabies are considered a valuable food animal and are eaten by natives of New Guinea islands.
Dorcopsis atrata is an herbivorous browser feeding mostly on soft vegetation, including leaves, roots, grasses and fruit. The incisors are used to pick up food, then it is then transferred to the hands so it can be processed by the premolars on the side of the mouth.
New Guinea; off the southeastern Papau coast of New Guinea on the Goodenough Islands.
Biogeographic Regions: australian (Native )
These wallabies generally have a fairly restricted range, but within their area they occupy a wide variety of niches including the moist forests of lowland and montane rain forest and some grasslands. On Goodenough Island, they live in oak forests at medium elevations in the mountains but may also come down to sea level. The general altitudinal range is between 900 and 1,800 m. above sea level.
Terrestrial Biomes: rainforest
The fur of black forest-wallabies is blackish on the dorsal part of their body and dark brown on the ventral side. The tail is haired except for the terminal half, where it is naked. The wallabie's nose is large, broad, and naked and its ears are small and rounded. The hind limbs and feet are small, while the front limbs are well-developed and robust. Unlike most other wallaby species, the black forest-wallaby is not specialized for jumping. Females of the species have four mammae and a pouch that opens forward. The head and body length is between 28.9 and 39.2 inches. The tail length is usually between 11.2 and 15.6 inches and an adult can weigh between 1.8 and 2.3 kg.
Range mass: 1.8 to 2.3 kg.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry
Females usually give birth to one young at a time. They also have four mammae and a well-developed pouch.
Key Reproductive Features: gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual
The black dorcopsis or black forest wallaby (Dorcopsis atrata) is a species of marsupial in the family Macropodidae. It is endemic to an island at the eastern end of New Guinea where its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests.[1] It is threatened by habitat loss and hunting, its population is declining and the IUCN lists it as being "Critically endangered".
The black dorcopsis has black upper parts and dark brown underparts. It has a long muzzle, a naked snout, small rounded ears and a tail which lacks hair on its hind half. Its fore limbs are robust but its hind limbs and feet are relatively small. Adults reach a length of between 29 and 39 inches (74 and 99 cm) with a tail of 11 to 16 inches (28 to 41 cm) and weigh around 2 kilograms (4.4 lb).[3]
The black dorcopsis is believed to be mainly nocturnal but may move around during the day in dense forest. It feeds on shoots, leaves, grasses, fruit and roots which it gathers with its mouth and manipulates with its fore paws. A young black dorcopsis develops in its mother's pouch. There are four nipples in the pouch despite the fact that there is normally only a single juvenile developing there at any one time.[3]
The black dorcopsis is known from a single location, Goodenough Island at the eastern end of Papua New Guinea where it has a total extent of occurrence of less than 100 square kilometres (39 sq mi).[1] It spends most of the year in oak forests at altitudes of between 1,000 and 1,800 metres (3,300 and 5,900 ft) where there is little undergrowth but the ground is carpeted with mosses, lichens and ferns. It descends seasonally to gullies and lower ground at which time it is vulnerable to being hunted. The montane forest is being degraded using slash and burn techniques and is eventually being converted into grassland. Although the black dorcopsis is common in suitable habitat, the overall population is declining and the IUCN lists its conservation status as being "Critically endangered".[1]
The black dorcopsis or black forest wallaby (Dorcopsis atrata) is a species of marsupial in the family Macropodidae. It is endemic to an island at the eastern end of New Guinea where its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is threatened by habitat loss and hunting, its population is declining and the IUCN lists it as being "Critically endangered".
