Dingiso

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iDingiso

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Infraclass:	Marsupialia
Order:	Diprotodontia
Family:	Macropodidae
Genus:	Dendrolagus
Species:	D. mbaiso

Binomial name

Dendrolagus mbaiso
Flannery, Boeadi & Szalay, 1995

The Dingiso or Bondegezou, Dendrolagus mbaiso, is a species of tree-kangaroo native to Irian Jaya (Indonesian New Guinea).

It has a distinctive pattern of black and white fur, with white belly and black head, back and limbs. Unlike other tree kangaroos, it spends little time in the trees.

It is most common in the western part of Irian Jaya because it is protected by members of the Moni tribe, for whom it is an ancestor. The species epithet, mbaiso, means "the forbidden animal" in Moni.

It remains common in the west because of the protection conferred on it by the Moni people. For many Moni, it is an ancestor which must never be harmed.

It was described and named in 1995 by Australian Museum zoologist Tim Flannery, Indonesian zoologist Boeadi and zoologist Szalay.

[edit] References

Groves, Colin (16 November 2005). Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 60. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.
Australasian Marsupial & Monotreme Specialist Group (1996). Dendrolagus mbaiso. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Listed as Vulnerable (VU A1d v2.3)