Animals - part 1 - marsupials

Robin Hide rhide at postbox.anu.edu.au
Mon Oct 22 06:49:08 EST 2001


A comment or two on some of the marsupial definitions, which are useful:

 >kapul: any of various marsupials, e.g., possums, cuscuses or kangaroos<

OK. perhaps: wallabys or tree kangaroos better than  kangaroo?  (see below 
re kangaroo).
But not usually restricted to marsupial: add
(i)  'and either of the two monotremes (echidnas)' that occur in New Guinea 
(ii) and some of the large rodents (e.g. Malomys spp. etc.)

 >kuskus: marsupials of the family Phalangeridae (true cuscuses) and the 
family Pseudocheiridae (ringtails). The white (spotted) cuscus is 
Spilocuscus maculatus maculatus (waitpela kuskus) (Flannery, 1995: 161-187; 
210-230).>
Almost certainly includes at times and places, members of the family 
Petauridae , and ? possibly the Feather-tailed possum in the Family 
Acrobatidae? tho the latter is very small.

 >Question: has anyone heard of kuskus referring to a tree kangaroo as 
Mihalic reports?  >
No but I suspect the kuskus/kapul distinction may not all that rigid, 
especially as mammal knowledge declines?


<Referring to a secretary, clerk, etc.?>

I thought the difference here was one of pronunciation? with the clerical 
one pronounced like kus the cough?

<mang: "small rat-like creature with a long thin tail" (Murphy, 1985: 60) 
Question: This sounds like it may refer to rodents and bandicoots.  Has 
anyone heard the term used?  Does anyone know which animals it applies to 
specifically?>

I have never heard this one used.


<mumut: 1. bandicoot (Microperoryctes spp. and Peroryctes spp.) and the 
related echymipera (Echymipera spp.); marsupials in the family Peroryctidae 
(Flannery, 1995: 104-121) 2. to scavenge (as per Mihalic)>

Perhaps better simply
1.  bandicoot, marsupials in the families Peroryctidae and 
Peramelidae...(leave out genera?).
2. ..
3. to harvest sequentially (mumutim kaukau....?)


<sikau: 1. bandicoots (family Peroryctidae) (Flannery, 1995: 104-121) 2. 
kangaroos (family Macropodidae)  (Flannery, 1995: 124-160)>

1. I've never heard sikau applied to bandicoots
2.  rather than just kangaroos; better wallabies and tree kangaroos?   The 
common term kangaroo is never usually applied to NG's terrestrial macropods 
I think.

<sikau bilong diwai: tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus spp.) (Murphy, 1985: 60; 
Flannery, 1995: 124)>
Ok

<References: Flannery, Timothy F. (1995). Mammals of New Guinea. Ithaca, 
NY: Cornell University Press.
Murphy (already in Web site bibliography)>

Add:

Menzies, J. (1991). A Handbook of New Guinea Marsupials & Monotremes. 
Madang, Kristen Pres Inc.

Menzies, J. I. and E. Dennis (1979). Handbook of New Guinea Rodents. Wau, 
Wau Ecology Institute.

Robin

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