3. DISTCECHTJEXrS. 139 



3. DISTCECHURUS. „ 



Type. 



Distcechuius (sabg.), Peters, Ann. Mua. Genov. vi. p. 303 

 (1874) D. pennatus. 



Size small. Ears rather short, thinly hairy themselves, but with 

 small tufts round the bases as in Acrobates. Flanks without a 

 flying- membrane. Toes of normal proportions, their terminal pads 

 not expanded. Claws sharp and curved. Tail markedly distichous, 

 as in Acrobates. 



Skull as in Acrobates. 



Dentition-.-I. \^^, C. -J, P. i-^J, M. ^^^ = 14+5x2=34. 



Teeth essentially the same as in Acrobates, except that p.* is much 

 reduced above and is wholly absent below. 



Range. That of the only species. 



This genus is very closely allied to Acrobates, although externally 

 its single species presents a most striking contrast to A. pygmceus 

 in size, colour, and general appearance. The two genera together 

 stand some way apart from all the other Phalangers, their dentition 

 especially being wholly distinct. It is interesting to note that, as 

 in the case of so many other animals, the Papuan form is by far the 

 most brightly coloured of the two, whUe, at the same time, in all its 

 more essential characters it is in a far lower and less specialized 

 condition than its Australian representative. 



1. Distoecliurus pennatus. 



Phalangista (Distcechuius) pennata, Peters, Ann. Mm. Genov. vi. 

 p. 803 (1874) ; Peters ^ Boria, Ann. Mm. Genov. xvi. p. 677, 

 pi. vi. figs. 5-10 (skull), pi. xiii. (animal) (1881). 



Phalangista pirmata, Rams. P. Linn. Soe. N. S. W. ii. p. 12 (1878). 



FeATHBE-IAILED PHALANaEE. 



Form very dormouse-Uke. Fur soft, thick and woolly. General 

 colour of head striped, of body duU buff, the contrast between the 

 richly ornamented head and the dull plain body very striking. 

 Rhinarium sharply defined, pentagonal. Ground-colour of fac^ 

 white, but with two broad sharply defined black or dark brown 

 bands passing from the sides of the muzzle through the eyes on to 

 the crown just between the ears. Ears short, laid forward they do 

 not reach to the eye, broader than long, with a long anterior basal 

 projection ; their substance thin but with several thick fleshy 

 prominences on their inner surfaces, each of which has a distinct 

 tuft of long hairs upon it : region between eye and ear also tufted. 

 A prominent black patch present just below the ear. Back dull 

 buff or fawn, the hairs slate-coloured basally. Chin, chest, and 

 beUy white, the line of demarcation on sides not strongly marked. 

 Mammae two only *- Outsides of limbs like back, inner sides like 

 belly. Soles smooth, not granulated ; the pads low and rounded, 

 five anteriorly and posteriorly. Tail markedly longer than the 



* ids Peters and Doria, I. c. 



