Sir David's Long-beaked Echidna

Taxobox
name = Sir David's Long-beaked EchidnaMSW3 Groves|pages=1]
status = CR
status_system = iucn3.1
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Monotremata
familia = Tachyglossidae
genus = "Zaglossus"
species = "Z. attenboroughi"
binomial = "Zaglossus attenboroughi"
binomial_authority = Flannery & Groves, 1998

Sir David's Long-beaked Echidna ("Zaglossus attenboroughi"), also known as the Attenborough's Long-beaked Echidna or Cyclops Long-beaked Echidna, is one of three species from the genus "Zaglossus" to occur in New Guinea. It is named in honour of Sir David Attenborough. It lives in the Cyclops mountains in Papua province of Indonesia near the cities of Sentani and Jayapura.

It is the smallest member of the genus, being closer in size to the Short-beaked Echidna than other members of the genus. It has five claws on its fore and hind feet. It has dense short fur.

The species was described from a single damaged specimen collected in the Dutch colonial era (c. 1961), and has apparently not been collected since that time. [ cite journal | last = Flannery | first = T.F. | coauthors = C.P. Groves | title = A revision of the genus "Zaglossus" (Monotremata, Tachyglossidae), with description of new species and subspecies |journal = Mammalia | volume = 62 | issue = 3 | pages = 387–390 | year = 1998 | url = http://arts.anu.edu.au/grovco/Zaglossus.pdf] Given the ongoing anthropogenic disturbance of the Cyclops Mountain forest habitat, this has raised concern that "Z. attenboroughi" populations may already be endangered or even locally extirpated. However, it is important to note that biological surveys of Papua province are notoriously incomplete and it is possible that the animal still exists there or in related mountain ranges.

It was reported on July 15 2007 that researchers from EDGE visiting Papua's Cyclops Mountains have recently discovered burrows and tracks thought to be those of "Zaglossus attenboroughi". Furthermore, communication with local people revealed that the species had perhaps been seen as recently as 2005. [cite web | last = BBC News | first = | title = New hope over 'extinct' echidna | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6897977.stm | accessdate = 2007-07-16 ]

Sir David's Long-beaked Echidna was identified as one of the top-10 "focal species" in 2007 by the Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) project. [Cite news | title = Protection for 'weirdest' species | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6263331.stm | date = 2007-01-16 | accessdate = 2007-05-22 | work = BBC]

References