Petauroidea is a

superfamily SUPERFAMILY is a database and search platform of structural and functional annotation for all proteins and genomes. It classifies amino acid sequences into known structural domains, especially into SCOP superfamilies. Domains are functional, str ...

marsupials Marsupials are any members of the mammalian infraclass Marsupialia. All extant marsupials are endemic to Australasia, Wallacea and the Americas. A distinctive characteristic common to most of these species is that the young are carried in a po ...

from

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

and

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu Hiri Motu, also known as Police Motu, Pidgin Motu, or just Hiri, is a language of Papua New Guinea, which is spoken in surrounding areas of Port Moresby (Capital of Papua New Guinea). It is a simplified version of ...

. It is part of the suborder

Phalangeriformes Phalangeriformes is a paraphyletic suborder of about 70 species of small to medium-sized arboreal marsupials native to Australia, New Guinea, and Sulawesi. The species are commonly known as possums, gliders, and cuscus. The common name "possum ...

within the order

Diprotodontia Diprotodontia (, from Greek language, Greek "two forward teeth") is the largest extant order (biology), order of marsupials, with about 155 species, including the kangaroos, Wallaby, wallabies, Phalangeriformes, possums, koala, wombats, and many ...

, which also includes, among others,

wombat Wombats are short-legged, muscular quadrupedal marsupials that are native to Australia. They are about in length with small, stubby tails and weigh between . All three of the extant species are members of the family Vombatidae. They are adap ...

kangaroo Kangaroos are four marsupials from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning "large foot"). In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the red kangaroo, as well as the antilopine kangaroo, eastern gre ...

cuscus Cuscus ( or ) is the common name generally given to the species within the four genera of Australasian possum of the family Phalangeridae with the most tropical distribution: * ''Ailurops'' * ''Phalanger'' * ''Spilocuscus'' * ''Strigocuscus'' ...

es. The superfamily

Phalangeroidea The Phalangeroidea are a superfamily of mammals that include the families Burramyidae and Phalangeridae The Phalangeridae are a family of mostly nocturnal marsupials native to Australia, New Guinea, and Eastern Indonesia, including the cusc ...

, including cuscuses and brushtail possums (family

Phalangeridae The Phalangeridae are a family of mostly nocturnal marsupials native to Australia, New Guinea, and Eastern Indonesia, including the cuscuses, brushtail possums, and their close relatives. Considered a type of possum, most species are arboreal, ...

) and pygmy possums (family

Burramyidae The pygmy possums are a family of small possums that together form the marsupial family Burramyidae. The five extant species of pygmy possum are grouped into two genera. Four of the species are endemic to Australia, with one species also co-occu ...

), is the immediate sister group of the Petauroidea. The superfamily includes the following recent species: *Superfamily Petauroidea ** Family

Pseudocheiridae Pseudocheiridae is a family of arboreal marsupials containing 17 extant species of ringtailed possums and close relatives. They are found in forested areas and shrublands throughout Australia and New Guinea. Characteristics Physically, they app ...

*** Subfamily

Hemibelideinae Pseudocheiridae is a family of arboreal marsupials containing 17 extant species of ringtailed possums and close relatives. They are found in forested areas and shrublands throughout Australia and New Guinea. Characteristics Physically, they ap ...

**** Genus '' Hemibelideus'' *****

Lemur-like ringtail possum The lemuroid ringtail possum (''Hemibelideus lemuroides''), also known as the lemur-like ringtail possum or the brushy-tailed ringtail, is a truly singular member of the ringtail possum group. It was once thought that they were gliding possums ( ...

, ''Hemibelideus lemuroides'' **** Genus ''

Petauroides The greater gliders are three species of large gliding marsupials in the genus ''Petauroides'', all of which are found in eastern Australia. Until 2020 they were considered to be one species, '' Petauroides volans''. In 2020 morphological and g ...

'' *****

Central greater glider The central greater glider (''Petauroides armillatus'') is a species of gliding marsupial native to the central coast of eastern Australia. Taxonomy It was initially described as a subspecies of ''Petauroides volans'', which alongside '' Pet ...

, ''Petauroides armillatus'' *****

Northern greater glider The northern greater glider (''Petauroides minor'') is a species of gliding marsupial endemic to the forests of north-central Queensland, Australia. Taxonomy It was initially described as a subspecies of ''Petauroides volans'', which alongsid ...

, ''Petauroides minor'' *****

Southern greater glider The southern greater glider (''Petauroides volans''), also known as the southern and central greater glider, is a species of large gliding marsupial native to the forests of southeastern Australia. It is a vulnerable species per the IUCN Red Li ...

, ''Petauroides volans'' *** Subfamily

Pseudocheirinae Pseudocheiridae is a family of arboreal marsupials containing 17 extant species of ringtailed possums and close relatives. They are found in forested areas and shrublands throughout Australia and New Guinea. Characteristics Physically, they ap ...

**** Genus '' Petropseudes'' ***** Rock-haunting ringtail possum, ''Petropseudes dahli'' **** Genus ''

Pseudocheirus ''Pseudocheirus'' is a genus of ringtail possums (family Pseudocheiridae). It includes a single living species, the common ringtail possum (''Pseudocheirus peregrinus'') of Australia, as well as the fossil ''Pseudocheirus marshalli'' from the Pli ...

'' ***** Common ringtail possum, ''Pseudocheirus peregrinus'' **** Genus '' Pseudochirulus'' ***** Lowland ringtail possum, ''Pseudochirulus canescens'' *****

Weyland ringtail possum The Weyland ringtail possum (''Pseudochirulus caroli'') is a species of marsupial in the family Pseudocheiridae. It is endemic to the western Central Cordillera of Papua Province, Indonesia. ''P. caroli'' is also "known from four localitie ...

, ''Pseudochirulus caroli'' *****

Cinereus ringtail possum The Daintree River ringtail possum (''Pseudochirulus cinereus''), also known as the cinereus ringtail possum, is a species of possum found in northeastern Queensland, Australia. It was long believed to be the same as the Herbert River ringtail ...

, ''Pseudochirulus cinereus'' *****

Painted ringtail possum The painted ringtail possum or moss-forest ringtail possum (''Pseudochirulus forbesi'') is a species of marsupial in the family Pseudocheiridae. It is found in Papua New Guinea. Names It is known as skoyd or boñay in the Kalam language of Papua ...

, ''Pseudochirulus forbesi'' *****

Herbert River ringtail possum The Herbert River ringtail possum (''Pseudochirulus herbertensis'') is a species of possum found in northeastern Queensland, Australia. It is a dark brown to black species, sometimes with a white belly. The Herbert River ringtail possum was lo ...

, ''Pseudochirulus herbertensis'' *****

Masked ringtail possum The masked ringtail possum (''Pseudochirulus larvatus'') is a marsupial possum of the family Pseudocheiridae. It is found in northeastern New Guinea in the Star Mountains. the eastern Central Cordillera, the Huon Peninsula and the northern coast ...

, ''Pseudochirulus larvatus'' ***** Pygmy ringtail possum, ''Pseudochirulus mayeri'' *****

Vogelkop ringtail possum The Vogelkop ringtail possum (''Pseudochirulus schlegeli'') is a species of marsupial in the family Pseudocheiridae. It is endemic to the Bird's Head Peninsula, Vogelkop Peninsula, West Papua (province), West Papua, Indonesia. References

...

, ''Pseudochirulus schlegeli'' *** Subfamily

Pseudochiropsinae False ringtail possums (''Pseudochirops'') are members of a genus of marsupial in the family Pseudocheiridae. It contains the following species: *D'Albertis's ringtail possum, ''Pseudochirops albertisii'' *Green ringtail possum, ''Pseudochirops a ...

**** Genus ''

Pseudochirops False ringtail possums (''Pseudochirops'') are members of a genus of marsupial in the family Pseudocheiridae Pseudocheiridae is a family of arboreal marsupials containing 17 extant species of ringtailed possums and close relatives. They are f ...

'' ***** D'Albertis' ringtail possum, ''Pseudochirops albertisii'' *****

Green ringtail possum The green ringtail possum (''Pseudochirops archeri'') is a species of ringtail possum found only in northern Australia. This makes it unique in its genus, all other members of which are found in New Guinea or nearby islands. The green ringtail po ...

, ''Pseudochirops archeri'' *****

Plush-coated ringtail possum The plush-coated ringtail possum or golden ringtail possum (''Pseudochirops corinnae'') is a species of marsupial in the family Pseudocheiridae. It is found in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. Its natural habitat is subtropic ...

, ''Pseudochirops corinnae'' *****

Reclusive ringtail possum The reclusive ringtail possum or Monk ringtail possum (''Pseudochirops coronatus'') is a species of marsupial in the family Pseudocheiridae. It is endemic to the Arfak Mountains in the Vogelkop Peninsula of West Papua, Indonesia Indonesia ...

, ''Pseudochirops coronatus'' *****

Coppery ringtail possum The coppery ringtail possum (''Pseudochirops cupreus'') is a species of marsupial in the family Pseudocheiridae. It is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. It is known as ymduŋ; bald, kagm, kas-gs, tglem-tud in the Kalam language of Papua N ...

, ''Pseudochirops cupreus'' ** Family

Petauridae Petauridae is a family of possums containing 13 species: four species of trioks and striped possum (genus ''Dactylopsila''), eight species of wrist-winged glider (genus ''Petaurus''), and Leadbeater's possum (''Gymnobelideus leadbeateri''), whic ...

*** Genus ''

Dactylopsila ''Dactylopsila'' is a genus of marsupial in the family Petauridae. Species The genus includes the following four species: * Great-tailed triok, ''Dactylopsila megalura'' * Long-fingered triok, ''Dactylopsila palpator'' * Tate's triok, ''Dact ...

'' ****

Great-tailed triok The great-tailed triok (''Dactylopsila megalura'') is a species of marsupial in the family Petauridae. It is found in West Papua and Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), off ...

, ''Dactylopsila megalura'' ****

Long-fingered triok The long-fingered triok (''Dactylopsila palpator'') is a species of marsupial in the family Petauridae. It is found in West Papua, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. It is known as blc in the Kalam language of Papua New Guinea Papua New ...

, ''Dactylopsila palpator'' ****

Tate's triok Tate's triok, also known as the Fergusson Island striped possum (''Dactylopsila tatei''), is a species of marsupial in the family Petauridae. It is endemic to Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ...

, ''Dactylopsila tatei'' ****

Striped possum The striped possum or common striped possum (''Dactylopsila trivirgata'') is a member of the marsupial family Petauridae. it is found mainly in New Guinea. The species is black with three white stripes running head to tail, and its head has whi ...

, ''Dactylopsila trivirgata'' *** Genus '' Gymnobelideus'' ****

Leadbeater's possum Leadbeater's possum (''Gymnobelideus leadbeateri'') is a critically endangered possum largely restricted to small pockets of alpine ash, mountain ash, and snow gum forests in the Central Highlands of Victoria, Australia, north-east of Melbour ...

, ''Gymnobelideus leadbeateri'' *** Genus '' Petaurus'' ****

Northern glider The northern glider (''Petaurus abidi'') is a species of marsupial in the family Petauridae. It is endemic to Papua New Guinea, becoming known to science in 1981 after being discovered in the Torricelli Mountains. This species has been found i ...

, ''Petaurus abidi'' ****

Savanna glider The savanna glider (''Petaurus ariel'') is a species of arboreal gliding possum in the genus ''Petaurus''. Taxonomy It was long considered a subspecies of the sugar glider (''P. breviceps''), but a 2020 study split ''P. breviceps'' into 3 disti ...

, ''Petaurus ariel'' ****

Yellow-bellied glider The yellow-bellied glider (''Petaurus australis''), also known as the fluffy glider, is an arboreal and nocturnal gliding possum that lives in native eucalypt forests in eastern Australia, from northern Queensland south to Victoria. Habitat ...

, ''Petaurus australis'' **** Biak glider, ''Petaurus biacensis'' ****

Sugar glider The sugar glider (''Petaurus breviceps'') is a small, omnivorous, arboreal, and nocturnal gliding possum belonging to the marsupial infraclass. The common name refers to its predilection for sugary foods such as sap and nectar and its ability ...

, ''Petaurus breviceps'' **** Mahogany glider, ''Petaurus gracilis'' ****

Squirrel glider The squirrel glider (''Petaurus norfolcensis'') is a nocturnal gliding possum. The squirrel glider is one of the wrist-winged gliders of the genus '' Petaurus''. Habitat This species' home range extends from Bordertown near the South Australia ...

, ''Petaurus norfolcensis'' ****

Krefft's glider Krefft's glider (''Petaurus notatus'') is a species of arboreal nocturnal gliding possum, a type of small marsupial. It is native to most of eastern mainland Australia and has been introduced to Tasmania. Populations of ''Petaurus'' from New Gui ...

, ''Petaurus notatus'' ** Family

Tarsipedidae The honey possum or noolbenger (''Tarsipes rostratus''), is a tiny species of marsupial that feeds on the nectar and pollen of a diverse range of flowering plants. Found in southwest Australia, it is an important pollinator for such plants as '' ...

*** Genus '' Tarsipes'' ****

Honey possum The honey possum or noolbenger (''Tarsipes rostratus''), is a tiny species of marsupial that feeds on the nectar and pollen of a diverse range of flowering plants. Found in southwest Australia, it is an important pollinator for such plants as '' ...

or Noolbenger, ''Tarsipes rostratus'' ** Family

Acrobatidae The Acrobatidae are a small family of flying and gliding animals, gliding marsupials containing two genera, each with a single species, the feathertail glider (''Acrobates pygmaeus'') from Australia and feather-tailed possum (''Distoechurus penn ...

*** Genus ''

Acrobates The feathertail glider (''Acrobates pygmaeus''), also known as the pygmy gliding possum, pygmy glider, pygmy phalanger, flying phalanger and flying mouse, is a species of marsupial native to eastern Australia. It is the world's smallest gliding ...

'' ****

Feathertail glider The feathertail glider (''Acrobates pygmaeus''), also known as the pygmy gliding possum, pygmy glider, pygmy phalanger, flying phalanger and flying mouse, is a species of marsupial native to eastern Australia. It is the world's smallest gliding ...

, ''Acrobates pygmaeus'' *** Genus ''

Distoechurus The feather-tailed possum (''Distoechurus pennatus'') is a species of marsupial in the family Acrobatidae. It is found in West Papua and Papua New Guinea. It is not to be confused with the feathertail glider, the only other species in the family ...

'' ****

Feather-tailed possum The feather-tailed possum (''Distoechurus pennatus'') is a species of marsupial in the family Acrobatidae. It is found in West Papua and Papua New Guinea. It is not to be confused with the feathertail glider, the only other species in the famil ...

, ''Distoechurus pennatus''

Literature

*Groves, C.P. 2005. Order Diprotodontia. pp. 43–70 in Wilson, D.E. & Reeder, D.M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: a taxonomic and geographic reference. 3rd ed. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2 vols., 2142 pp. Possums Mammal superfamilies Taxa named by Charles Lucien Bonaparte {{Diprotodont-stub