Eastern Long-beaked Echidna Information & Eastern Long-beaked Echidna Links at HealthHaven.com

Eastern Long-beaked Echidna
Conservation status
	; Critically Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia;
Phylum:	Chordata;
Class:	Mammalia;
Order:	Monotremata;
Family:	Tachyglossidae;
Genus:	Zaglossus;
Species:	Z. bartoni;
Binomial name
	Zaglossus bartoni; (Thomas, 1907)

The Eastern Long-beaked Echidna (Zaglossus bartoni), also known as Barton's Long-beaked Echidna, is one of three species from the genus Zaglossus to occur in New Guinea. It is found mainly in Papua New Guinea at elevations between 2000 and 3000 meters.

It can be distinguished from other members of the genus by the number of claws on the fore and hind feet: it has five claws on its fore feet and four on its hind feet. Weight varies from 5–10 kg (11–22 lb); its body length ranges from 60–100 cm (23.5–39 in); it has no tail. It has dense black fur. The species is the largest monotreme and is slow-moving. It rolls into a spiny ball for defense.

There are four recognised subspecies:

Z. bartoni bartoni
Z. bartoni clunius
Z. bartoni smeenki
Z. bartoni diamondi

The population of each subspecies is geographically isolated. The subspecies are distinguished primarily by differences in body size.

[edit] References

^ Groves, C. (2005). Wilson, D. E., & Reeder, D. M.. ed. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 1. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3.
^ Leary, T., Seri, L., Flannery, T., Wright, D., Hamilton, S., Helgen, K., Singadan, R., Menzies, J., Allison, A., James, R., Aplin, K., Salas, L. & Dickman, C. (2008). Zaglossus bartoni. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 28 December 2008. Database entry includes justification for why this species is listed as critically endangered.

Flannery, T.F. and Groves, C.P. 1998. A revision of the genus Zaglossus (Monotremata, Tachyglossidae), with description of new species and subspecies. Mammalia, 62(3): 367–396

[edit] External links

Wikispecies has information related to: Zaglossus

EDGE of Existence (Zaglossus spp.) – Saving the World's most Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) species

[msw3-0] Groves, C. (2005). Wilson, D. E., & Reeder, D. M.. ed. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 1. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3.

[1] Leary, T., Seri, L., Flannery, T., Wright, D., Hamilton, S., Helgen, K., Singadan, R., Menzies, J., Allison, A., James, R., Aplin, K., Salas, L. & Dickman, C. (2008). Zaglossus bartoni. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 28 December 2008. Database entry includes justification for why this species is listed as critically endangered.

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