Three-striped dasyure

Females have six nipples; young are born underdeveloped and remain in the pouch for a prolonged period.
The first specimen was collected in 1828; locals called it “Insinsie”.
Colouration ranges from uniformly black (melanistic) to brightly patterned individuals with three black dorsal stripes and reddish patches.
Body length about 17–24 cm, male weight 172–255 g.
Its range covers northern and western New Guinea plus the islands of Salawati, Waigeo and Yapen.
It is mainly terrestrial and nocturnal in lowland and montane forests up to 1800 m elevation.
It feeds on small vertebrates and invertebrates.

Age

Müller’s three-striped dasyures typically live for four years, although the maximum recorded lifespan is seven years; the species reaches sexual maturity between eight months and one year and one month. The young spend the first few months in their mother's pouch, where they feed on milk and grow for a duration of one to four months. During this “young” stage, the animal develops; afterward, it enters the “adult” stage, lasting from four months to five years, at which point the species is capable of hunting and reproducing.

Phenotype

The young müller’s three-striped dasyures have pink skin and little to no fur in the first weeks. Adult individuals possess short, dense fur and strong claws on their paws that aid in climbing and hunting prey. The species has large eyes for good vision in twilight, and three black stripes along its back provide camouflage in forest litter. A long tail helps the adult maintain balance, and it also possesses numerous sharp teeth for catching and tearing prey.

Physiology

Müller’s three-striped dasyure has a body length ranging from 16 to 23 centimeters and weighs from 110 to 220 grams; the adult stage exhibits a body length of 17 to 23 centimeters and a weight of 140 to 220 grams, while the young dasyures have a body length of 1 to 5 centimeters and a body mass ranging from 0.5 to 15 grams.

Habitat

Müller’s three-striped dasyures inhabit elevations up to 2 kilometers above sea level and are found in tropical moist forests, which are characterized by constant heat and humidity, large trees, and vines; the species occupies terrestrial landscapes, including ground forests and woodlands. The climate is consistently hot and wet, with very high humidity year-round and rain almost every day, although it can also be consistently hot with frequent rainfall but occasional dry periods, or consistently very wet with rain occurring almost constantly and extreme humidity.

Shelter

Müller’s three-striped dasyures inhabit dense vegetation, tree hollows, or beneath fallen logs. The species does not have a permanent or long-term shelter. It uses these locations for protection from predators and for resting. Müller’s three-striped dasyures do not have a fixed den site.

Geography

Müller’s three-striped dasyures are found within the biogeographical region of Australasia and inhabit the Fogelkop mountain rainforest ecosystems. The species' distribution is limited to these specific locations, where they occupy a niche within the unique environment of the Fogelkop mountain rainforests.

Feeding

Müller’s three-striped dasyures are active predators that hunt and consume insects, small mammals, lizards, and nestlings. The species employs an active hunting strategy and hunts in trees to obtain food; its diet includes dragonflies, beetles, butterflies, flies, Hymenoptera, bedbugs, Orthoptera, stoneflies, and net-winged insects. The daily food requirement ranges from 20 grams to 50 grams.

Reproduction

Müller’s three-striped dasyures inhabit and develop on land, away from bodies of water, and their young develop in a pouch or in the parent's mouth on land, with the mother carrying the offspring in a pouch or in her mouth on land. A litter consists of 3 to 6 individuals; the female gives birth to very small offspring that immediately move into a pouch. The young feed on milk within the pouch for several months. The species reproduces at an interval of 8 months to 1 year, and females reach maturity from 1 year to 1 year 6 months. Eggs or young develop in a nest built on or near the ground, with nests located inside tree trunks or in caves/crevices.