Systematic Revision Within the Phalanger ornatus Complex (Phalangeridae: Marsupialia), With Description of a New Species and Subspecies.

Abstract

The Phalanger ornatus species complex includes three species (P. omatus, P. rothschildi, and P. alexandrae n. sp.), which have allopatric distributions on the islands of the North Moluccas, Indonesia. They are unique in the genus in sharing a plesiomorphic condition (a diastema between C1 and I3) (Flannery et al. 1987). There is considerable geographic variation within Phalanger omatus, and two subspecies (P. o. ornatus from Batjan, Halmahera and possibly Morotai; and P.o. matabiru from Temate and Tidore) are recognised here.