Herbert River ringtail possum

Species of marsupial

Herbert River ringtail possum[1]
Conservation status

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Diprotodontia
Family: Pseudocheiridae
Genus: Pseudochirulus
Species:
P. herbertensis
Binomial name
Pseudochirulus herbertensis
(Collett, 1884)
Herbert River ringtail possum range

The Herbert River ringtail possum (Pseudochirulus herbertensis) is a species of possum found in northeastern Queensland, Australia. It is a dark brown to black species, sometimes with a white belly. The Herbert River ringtail possum was long considered conspecific with the cinereus ringtail possum (P. cinereus), despite the fact that they are very different in appearance. They are, however, the only members of their New Guinea-centred genus found in Australia. The Herbert River ringtail possum is restricted to tropical rainforest from Mount Lee, west of Ingham, to the Lamb Range, west of Cairns.[3]

Ecological problems

The Herbert River ringtail's diet mainly consists of leaves with high levels of protein.[4] Some secondary food sources are pink bloodwood, cadaghi, bumpy satinash and white basswood.[4] Pink bloodwood and cadaghi are two different types of Eucalyptus trees.[4] Since the P. herbertensis diet consists of these Eucalyptus trees, ecologist John Kanowski of the Rainforest Cooperative Research Centre at Atherton believes P. herbertensis is one of "seven rare marsupials" threatened by global warming.[5] Kanowski believes that both the Herbert River Ringtail Possum and Daintree River Ringtail Possum are at risk because the increased temperatures from global warming force them and other marsupials to retreat up the mountains, thus “reducing [their] area of favorable habitat.”[6] However, Kanowski is more worried about the increase in Carbon Dioxide (CO2) levels.[6] When CO2 levels increase, it leads to a change in the metabolic process of trees thus "chang[ing] the balance of protein in their leaves" and leading to an increase in production of tannins by the tree.[6] This is problematic because "tannins can potentially inhibit the ability of leaf eating animals to digest protein; [and] at high concentrations, tannins are actually toxic."[6] Therefore, while P. herbertensis may seem secure, their dependency on the rainforest "makes them vulnerable to habitat destruction."[4]

References

  1. ^ Groves, C. P. (2005). Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 52. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. OCLC 62265494.
  2. ^ Burnett, S.; Winter, J. (2016). "Pseudochirulus herbertensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T18509A21962231. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T18509A21962231.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  3. ^ Menkhorst, Peter (2001). A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia. Oxford University Press. p. 98.
  4. ^ a b c d Berger, Alison. "Pseudochirulus Herbertensis (Herbert River Ringtail)." Animal Diversity Web. Regents University of Michigan, 1 July. 2006. Web. 24 Nov. 2014. http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Pseudochirulus_herbertensis/
  5. ^ O'Neill, Graeme . "Treetoptremors." Greenhouse Effects 99 (1999): p.15, 15-19. ECOS Magazine. Web. 14 Oct. 2014. http://www.ecosmagazine.com/?act=view_file&file_id=EC99p15.pdf
  6. ^ a b c d O'Neill, Graeme . "Treetoptremors." Greenhouse Effects 99 (1999): p.16, 15-19. ECOS Magazine. Web. 14 Oct. 2014. http://www.ecosmagazine.com/?act=view_file&file_id=EC99p15.pdf
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Extant Diprotodontia species
Suborder Vombatiformes
Phascolarctidae
Phascolarctos
  • Koala (P. cinereus)
Vombatidae
(wombats)
Vombatus
  • Common wombat (V. ursinus)
Lasiorhinus
  • Southern hairy-nosed wombat (L. latifrons)
  • Northern hairy-nosed wombat (L. krefftii)
Suborder Phalangeriformes (possums)
Phalangeridae
(including cuscuses)
Ailurops
(bear cuscuses)
  • Talaud bear cuscus (A. melanotis)
  • Sulawesi bear cuscus (A. ursinus)
Phalanger
  • Gebe cuscus (P. alexandrae)
  • Mountain cuscus (P. carmelitae)
  • Ground cuscus (P. gymnotis)
  • Eastern common cuscus (P. intercastellanus)
  • Woodlark cuscus (P. lullulae)
  • Blue-eyed cuscus (P. matabiru)
  • Telefomin cuscus (P. matanim)
  • Southern common cuscus (P. mimicus)
  • Northern common cuscus (P. orientalis)
  • Ornate cuscus (P. ornatus)
  • Rothschild's cuscus (P. rothschildi)
  • Silky cuscus (P. sericeus)
  • Stein's cuscus (P. vestitus)
Spilocuscus
  • Admiralty Island cuscus (S. kraemeri)
  • Common spotted cuscus (S. maculatus)
  • Waigeou cuscus (S. papuensis)
  • Black-spotted cuscus (S. rufoniger)
  • Blue-eyed spotted cuscus (S. wilsoni)
Strigocuscus
  • Sulawesi dwarf cuscus (S. celebensis)
  • Banggai cuscus (S. pelegensis)
Trichosurus
(brushtail possums)
  • Northern brushtail possum (T. arnhemensis)
  • Short-eared possum (T. caninus)
  • Mountain brushtail possum (T. cunninghami)
  • Coppery brushtail possum (T. johnstonii)
  • Common brushtail possum (T. vulpecula)
Wyulda
  • Scaly-tailed possum (W. squamicaudata)
Burramyidae
(pygmy possums)
Burramys
  • Mountain pygmy possum (B. parvus)
Cercartetus
  • Long-tailed pygmy possum (C. caudatus)
  • Western pygmy possum (C. concinnus)
  • Tasmanian pygmy possum (C. lepidus)
  • Eastern pygmy possum (C. nanus)
Tarsipedidae
Tarsipes
  • Honey possum (T. rostratus)
Petauridae
Dactylopsila
  • Great-tailed triok (D. megalura)
  • Long-fingered triok (D. palpator)
  • Tate's triok (D. tatei)
  • Striped possum (D. trivirgata)
Gymnobelideus
  • Leadbeater's possum (G. leadbeateri)
Petaurus
  • Northern glider (P. abidi)
  • Yellow-bellied glider (P. australis)
  • Biak glider (P. biacensis)
  • Sugar glider (P. breviceps)
  • Mahogany glider (P. gracilis)
  • Squirrel glider (P. norfolcensis)
Pseudocheiridae
Hemibelideus
  • Lemur-like ringtail possum (H. lemuroides)
Petauroides
(greater gliders)
  • Central greater glider (P. armillatus)
  • Northern greater glider (P. minor)
  • Southern greater glider (P. volans)
Petropseudes
  • Rock-haunting ringtail possum (P. dahli)
Pseudocheirus
  • Common ringtail possum (P. peregrinus)
Pseudochirulus
  • Lowland ringtail possum (P. canescens)
  • Weyland ringtail possum (P. caroli)
  • Cinereus ringtail possum (P. cinereus)
  • Painted ringtail possum (P. forbesi)
  • Herbert River ringtail possum (P. herbertensis)
  • Masked ringtail possum (P. larvatus)
  • Pygmy ringtail possum (P. mayeri)
  • Vogelkop ringtail possum (P. schlegeli)
Pseudochirops
  • D'Albertis's ringtail possum (P. albertisii)
  • Green ringtail possum (P. archeri)
  • Plush-coated ringtail possum (P. corinnae)
  • Reclusive ringtail possum (P. coronatus)
  • Coppery ringtail possum (P. cupreus)
Acrobatidae
Acrobates
  • Feathertail glider (A. pygmaeus)
Distoechurus
  • Feather-tailed possum (D. pennatus)
Macropodidae
(includes wallabies)
Lagostrophus
  • Banded hare-wallaby (L. fasciatus)
Dendrolagus
(tree-kangaroos)
  • Bennett's tree-kangaroo (D. bennettianus)
  • Doria's tree-kangaroo (D. dorianus)
  • Goodfellow's tree-kangaroo (D. goodfellowi)
  • Grizzled tree-kangaroo (D. inustus)
  • Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo (D. lumholtzi)
  • Matschie's tree-kangaroo (D. matschiei)
  • Dingiso (D. mbaiso)
  • Ifola (D. notatus)
  • Golden-mantled tree-kangaroo (D. pulcherrimus)
  • Lowlands tree-kangaroo (D. spadix)
  • Tenkile (D. scottae)
  • Seri's tree-kangaroo (D. stellarum)
  • Ursine tree-kangaroo (D. ursinus)
Dorcopsis
  • Black dorcopsis (D. atrata)
  • White-striped dorcopsis (D. hageni)
  • Gray dorcopsis (D. luctuosa)
  • Brown dorcopsis (D. muelleri)
Dorcopsulus
  • Macleay's dorcopsis (D. macleayi)
  • Small dorcopsis (D. vanheurni)
Lagorchestes
(hare-wallabies)
  • Spectacled hare-wallaby (L. conspicillatus)
  • Rufous hare-wallaby (L. hirsutus)
Macropus
  • Western grey kangaroo (M. fuliginosus)
  • Eastern grey kangaroo (M. giganteus)
Notamacropus
  • Agile wallaby (N. agilis)
  • Black-striped wallaby (N. dorsalis)
  • Tammar wallaby (N. eugenii)
  • Western brush wallaby (N. irma)
  • Parma wallaby (N. parma)
  • Whiptail wallaby (N. parryi)
  • Red-necked wallaby (N. rufogriseus)
Onychogalea
(nail-tail wallabies)
  • Bridled nail-tail wallaby (O. fraenata)
  • Northern nail-tail wallaby (O. unguifera)
Osphranter
  • Antilopine kangaroo (O. antilopinus)
  • Black wallaroo (O. bernardus)
  • Common wallaroo (O. robustus)
  • Red kangaroo (O. rufus)
Petrogale
(rock-wallabies)
  • P. brachyotis species group: Short-eared rock-wallaby (P. brachyotis)
  • Monjon (P. burbidgei)
  • Nabarlek (P. concinna)
  • Eastern short-eared rock-wallaby (P. wilkinsi)
  • P. xanthopus species group: Proserpine rock-wallaby (P. persephone)
  • Rothschild's rock-wallaby (P. rothschildi)
  • Yellow-footed rock-wallaby (P. xanthopus)
  • P. lateralis/penicillata species group: Allied rock-wallaby (P. assimilis)
  • Cape York rock-wallaby (P. coenensis)
  • Godman's rock-wallaby (P. godmani)
  • Herbert's rock-wallaby (P. herberti)
  • Unadorned rock-wallaby (P. inornata)
  • Black-flanked rock-wallaby (P. lateralis)
  • Mareeba rock-wallaby (P. mareeba)
  • Brush-tailed rock-wallaby (P. penicillata)
  • Purple-necked rock-wallaby (P. purpureicollis)
  • Mount Claro rock-wallaby (P. sharmani)
Setonix
  • Quokka (S. brachyurus)
Thylogale
(pademelons)
  • Tasmanian pademelon (T. billardierii)
  • Brown's pademelon (T. browni)
  • Dusky pademelon (T. brunii)
  • Calaby's pademelon (T. calabyi)
  • Mountain pademelon (T. lanatus)
  • Red-legged pademelon (T. stigmatica)
  • Red-necked pademelon (T. thetis)
Wallabia
  • Swamp wallaby (W. bicolor)
Potoroidae
Aepyprymnus
  • Rufous rat-kangaroo (A. rufescens)
Bettongia
(bettongs)
  • Eastern bettong (B. gaimardi)
  • Boodie (B. lesueur)
  • Woylie (B. penicillata)
  • Northern bettong (B. tropica)
Potorous
(potoroos)
  • Long-footed potoroo (P. longipes)
  • Long-nosed potoroo (P. tridactylus)
  • Gilbert's potoroo (P. gilbertii)
Hypsiprymnodontidae
Hypsiprymnodon
  • Musky rat-kangaroo (H. moschatus)
Taxon identifiers
Pseudochirulus herbertensis


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