By Stephen Shemes
Geographic Range
Gray dorcopsis are native to eastern and southeastern New Guinea. (Bourke, 1989; Morrison, 2001)
Biogeographic Regions:
australian 
(native ).
Other Geographic Terms:
island endemic .
Habitat
(1640 ft)
Living only up to an altitude of 500 meters, Dorcopsis luctuosa inhabits dense, lowland tropical rainforests. ("Dorcopsis Luctuosa", 2003; Morrison, 2001)
These animals are found in the following types of habitat:
tropical ; terrestrial .
Terrestrial Biomes:
rainforest .
Physical Description
(7.92 to 25.52 lbs)
(20.67 to 38.19 in)
The general color of the thick, short fur on the back of Dorcopsis luctuosa is dark smoky gray. The fur color gradually transitions from this color to dull gray on the chest and belly. A conspicuous yellow patch surrounds the cloaca. The fur on the nape projects forward. The tip of the tail is cornified and lacks hair. The fore and hind limbs of gray dorcopsis are similar in size compared to those in other macropodids. They have small, round ears and long, narrow faces. The dentition includes small upper canines and large premolars. The fourth premolar is greater in length than the length of the first and second molars combined. Dimorphism between the sexes is great; males weigh up to 11.6 kg (25 lbs), while females weigh up to just 3.6 kg (8 lbs). Males grow up to 970 mm in head and body length, and the tail is an additional 390 mm. Females have a head and body length of 525 mm, with a 310 mm tail. However, these ranges are based on the measurements of relatively few individuals. ("Dorcopsis Luctuosa", 2003; Bourke, 1989; British Museum (Natural History) and Thomas, 1888; Fisher, Owens, and Johnson, 2001; Flannery, 1995)
Some key physical features:
endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry .
Sexual dimorphism: male larger.
Reproduction
The female may give birth to another offspring once the previous offspring leaves the pouch, so time between births is around 190 days.
Breeding occurs year round.
Gray dorcopsis are presumed to be promiscuous. A dominance heirarchy, which is established by size and fighting, generally dictates which males are allowed to mate. In captivity, males has been known to chase females and sniff around the cloaca before mating. By checking the cloaca, the male determines if the female is in estrus. ("Dorcopsis Luctuosa", 2003; Bourke, 1989; Menzies, 1989)
Mating systems:
polygynandrous (promiscuous) .
Female Dorcopsis luctuosa reach maturity at 15 months. Females give birth to one offspring, which travels to the pouch, attaches to a nipple, and suckles to further develop. Total time spent in the pouch is 180-190 days, but the joey continues to nurse after it has left the pouch. In a closely related species, Dorcopsis muelleri, the time until weaning is 270 days. The female gives birth to another offspring soon after the previous one has left the pouch. The gestation period is probably very similar to other Macropodidae, from 30 to 45 days. (Bourke, 1989; Fisher, Owens, and Johnson, 2001; Flannery, 1995; Menzies, 1989)
Key reproductive features:
iteroparous ; year-round breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; viviparous ; embryonic diapause ; post-partum estrous.
Female gray dorcopsis are responsible for parental care. A female may support up to three offspring at a time: an embryo, one offspring in the pouch, and another outside of the pouch. As a result, the mother may be nursing two offspring simultaneously. The mother produces different kinds of milk suited to the needs of each offspring. The joey is not independent once it leaves the pouch; the mother provides milk and protection from other gray dorcopsis. The mother may also engage in play fighting with the joey. (Ganslosser, 1989; Menzies, 1989)
Parental investment:
altricial ; pre-fertilization (provisioning, protecting: female); pre-hatching/birth (provisioning: female, protecting: female); pre-weaning/fledging (provisioning: female, protecting: female); pre-independence (provisioning: female, protecting: female).
Lifespan/Longevity
Little is known about the lifespan of gray dorcopsis in the wild, but they have lived to nearly 14 years old in captivity. ("Ageing, longevity,, and life history of Dorcopsis luctuosa", 2005)
Behavior
Gray dorcopsis are crepuscular in captivity, though thought to be nocturnal in the wild. They do not hop much, which is probably an adaptation to their enclosed forest habitat. As is true of other Dorcopsis, their tail is arched and only the tip touches the ground when the animal is resting. When eating, gray dorcopsis nip food with their incisors, and then they use their forepaws to transfer the food to the premolars and molars at the side of the mouth for chewing. (Bourke, 1989; Menzies, 1989)
Dorcopsis luctuosa is a social species, with groups of a few males and females. Both males and females fight, with female bouts lasting just a few seconds and male bouts lasting over ten seconds. Females typically bite, while males hit when fighting. In captivity, these animals are usually not aggressive, which promotes social grouping. ("Dorcopsis Luctuosa", 2003; Bourke, 1989; Ganslosser, 1989)
Age and size typically dictates social rank in Dorcopsis luctuosa, but both sexes will fight. They can usually stop a chase or attack by lowering their head and stooping. ("Dorcopsis Luctuosa", 2003; Bourke, 1989; Ganslosser, 1989)
Home Range
No information is available on home ranges in gray dorcopsis.
Key behaviors:
terricolous; saltatorial ; nocturnal ; crepuscular ; motile ; sedentary ; social ; dominance hierarchies .
Communication and Perception
These animals can usually stop a chase or attack by lowering their head and stooping. As in most Macropodidae, stamping of the feet signifies alarm. Another behavior of the gray dorcopsis is to stand against a tree and rub their chest, which contains scent glands, against the tree. They also mark by rubbing their cloaca on the ground. (Bourke, 1989; Ganslosser, 1989; Menzies, 1989)
Other communication keywords:
pheromones ; scent marks .
Food Habits
An herbivore and a browser, gray dorcopsis eat soft vegetation such as leaves, flowers, and fruits. (Bourke, 1989)
Plant Foods:
leaves; fruit; flowers.
Predation
There is no information on gray dorcopsis predators. Social groups help to protect each other from danger because many eyes are watching for signs of attack.
Ecosystem Roles
Dorcopsis luctuosa are known to host several parasites which are listed below. More research needs to be done, as other parasite species of the gray dorcopsis likely exist. As a fairly large browser, D. luctuosa likely influences the growth of vegetation such as trees and flowers, and it is probably a disperser of the seeds of the fruit it consumes. (Royal Society of South Australia, 1999; Royal Society of South Australia, 2001)
Key ways these animals impact their ecosystem:
disperses seeds.
- Cervonemella reardoni
- Coronostrongylus coronatus
- Paralabiostrongylus bicollaris
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
There are no known adverse effects of Dorcopsis luctuosa on humans.
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Gray dorcopsis are a food source for the natives of New Guinea. They are sold for meat in the markets of Port Moresby. They may be a tourist attraction in zoos, as gray dorcopsis are raised and held in captivity, and they may attract ecotourist interest in their native habitats. ("Dorcopsis Luctuosa", 2003; Flannery, 1995; Menzies, 1989)
Ways that people benefit from these animals:
food ; ecotourism .
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List: [link]:
Lower Risk - Least Concern.
US Federal List: [link]:
No special status.
CITES: [link]:
No special status.
Gray dorcopsis are not vulnerable or endangered currently.
For More Information
Find Dorcopsis luctuosa information at
Contributors
Stephen Shemes (author), University of Michigan. Phil Myers (editor, instructor), Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan.
Tanya Dewey (editor), Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.
