Mammals · Diprotodontia · Phalangeridae

Common Spotted Cuscus

Spilocuscus maculatus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The common spotted cuscus is a tree-dwelling marsupial of New Guinea, the neighbouring islands and the northern tip of the Cape York Peninsula, in Australia. It has a dense, woolly coat, large bulging reddish eyes and a prehensile tail that is bare along its outer half. It shows a striking dimorphism: the males are white or cream with large irregular blotches, while the females are a uniform colour with no spots. It feeds on leaves, fruit and occasionally eggs.

Weight

3 kg – 6 kg

Size

35 cm – 58 cm

Lifespan

11 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

RainforestIslandsHerbivore Nocturnal Solitary Rainforest Islands Mammal

5countries 5parks2same family

Fun facts

Only the males are spotted: the females are a uniform colour, and the irregular blotching of the males is so variable that no two are alike.
It moves so slowly that the peoples of New Guinea catch it by hand simply by climbing the tree, and that ease of capture, together with its prized meat, has caused it to disappear from the more populated areas.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Canopy of tropical rainforest, mangroves and secondary forest of New Guinea and northern Australia
Sexual maturity: 7.3 months
Gestation / incubation: 13 days
Litter / clutch size: 2

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spilocuscus_maculatus