Mammals of the WorldCommon Spotted Cuscus
Spilocuscus maculatus
- Order
- Diprotodontia
- Family
- Phalangeridae
- Genus
- Spilocuscus
- IUCN status
- LC
- Distribution
- Indonesia|Papua New Guinea
- Realm
- Australasia
Other names: Short-tailed Spotted Cuscus|Spotted Phalanger
About this species
The common spotted cuscus (Spilocuscus maculatus), also known as the white cuscus, is a cuscus, a marsupial that lives in the Cape York region of Australia, New Guinea, and nearby smaller islands. It is known as aklang or gabi in the Kalam language of Papua New Guinea. The species is about the size of a common house cat, weighing 1.5 to 6 kilograms (3.3 to 13.2 lb), body size about 35 to 65 centimetres (14 to 26 in) long, and a tail 32 to 60 centimetres (13 to 24 in) long. (Wikipedia, general species account).
Its eyes range in colour from yellows and oranges to reds, and are slit much like a snake's. The undersides of its paws are bare and striated, which also help it grasp trees and food. It is nocturnal, hunting and feeding at night and sleeping during the day on self-made platforms in tree branches. It also has been found resting in tree hollows, under tree roots, or among rocks. (Wikipedia, general species account).
Description: Wildlife of sulawesi guide, Wildlife of Everywhere (wildlifeofeverywhere.com); general species information paraphrased from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)