Phalangeriformes
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Phalangeriformes is a paraphyletic suborder of about 70 species of small to medium-sized
arboreal Arboreal locomotion is the Animal locomotion, locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some animals may scale trees only occasionally, but others are exclusively arboreal. Th ...
marsupial 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 ...
s native to
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 ...
,
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 ...
, and
Sulawesi Sulawesi (), also known as Celebes (), is an island in Indonesia. One of the four Greater Sunda Islands, and the world's eleventh-largest island, it is situated east of Borneo, west of the Maluku Islands, and south of Mindanao and the Sulu Ar ...
. The species are commonly known as possums, gliders, and cuscus. The common name "possum" for various Phalangeriformes species derives from the creatures' resemblance to the
opossum Opossums () are members of the marsupial order Didelphimorphia () endemic to the Americas. The largest order of marsupials in the Western Hemisphere, it comprises 93 species in 18 genera. Opossums originated in South America and entered North ...
s of the
Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...
(the term comes from Powhatan language ''aposoum'' "white animal", from
Proto-Algonquian Proto-Algonquian (commonly abbreviated PA) is the proto-language from which the various Algonquian languages are descended. It is generally estimated to have been spoken around 2,500 to 3,000 years ago, but there is less agreement on where it was ...
*''wa·p-aʔɬemwa'' "white dog"). However, although opossums are also marsupials, Australasian possums are more closely related to other Australasian marsupials such as
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 ...
s. Phalangeriformes are
quadrupedal Quadrupedalism is a form of locomotion where four limbs are used to bear weight and move around. An animal or machine that usually maintains a four-legged posture and moves using all four limbs is said to be a quadruped (from Latin ''quattuor ...
diprotodont Diprotodontia (, from Greek "two forward teeth") is the largest extant order of marsupials, with about 155 species, including the kangaroos, wallabies, possums, koala, wombats, and many others. Extinct diprotodonts include the hippopotamus-sized ...
marsupials with long tails. The smallest species, indeed the smallest diprotodont marsupial, is the
Tasmanian pygmy possum The Tasmanian pygmy possum (''Cercartetus lepidus''), also known as the little pygmy possum or tiny pygmy possum, is the world's smallest Phalangeriformes, possum. It was first described by Oldfield Thomas in 1888, after he identified that a mus ...
, with an adult head-body length of and a weight of . The largest are the two species of bear cuscus, which may exceed . Phalangeriformes species are typically
nocturnal Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnal meaning the opposite. Nocturnal creatures generally have highly developed sens ...
and at least partially arboreal. They inhabit most vegetated habitats, and several species have adjusted well to urban settings. Diets range from
generalist A generalist is a person with a wide array of knowledge on a variety of subjects, useful or not. It may also refer to: Occupations * a physician who provides general health care, as opposed to a medical specialist; see also: ** General pract ...
herbivore A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example foliage or marine algae, for the main component of its diet. As a result of their plant diet, herbivorous animals typically have mouthpart ...
s or
omnivore An omnivore () is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and animal matter, omnivores digest carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber, and metabolize the nutr ...
s (the
common brushtail possum The common brushtail possum (''Trichosurus vulpecula'', from the Greek for "furry tailed" and the Latin for "little fox", previously in the genus ''Phalangista'') is a nocturnal, semiarboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae, native to Austr ...
) to specialist browsers of
eucalyptus ''Eucalyptus'' () is a genus of over seven hundred species of flowering trees, shrubs or mallees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Along with several other genera in the tribe Eucalypteae, including '' Corymbia'', they are commonly known as euca ...
( greater glider),
insectivore A robber fly eating a hoverfly An insectivore is a carnivorous animal or plant that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which can also refer to the human practice of eating insects. The first vertebrate insectivores wer ...
s (
mountain pygmy possum The mountain pygmy possum (''Burramys parvus''); also simply known as the burramys, is a small, mouse-sized (weighs ) nocturnal marsupial of Australia found in dense alpine rock screes and boulder fields, mainly southern Victoria and around Moun ...
) and nectar-feeders (
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 '' ...
).


Classification

About two-thirds of Australian marsupials belong to 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 is split into three suborders, namely the
Vombatiformes The Vombatiformes are one of the three suborders of the large marsupial order Diprotodontia. Seven of the nine known families within this suborder are extinct; only the families Phascolarctidae, with the koala, and Vombatidae, with three extan ...
(
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 ...
s and the
koala The koala or, inaccurately, koala bear (''Phascolarctos cinereus''), is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia. It is the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae and its closest living relatives are the womb ...
, four species in total); the large and diverse Phalangeriformes (the possums and gliders) and
Macropodiformes The Macropodiformes , also known as macropods, are one of the three suborders of the large marsupial order Diprotodontia. They may in fact be nested within one of the suborders, Phalangeriformes. Kangaroos, wallabies and allies, bettongs, potoro ...
(
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 ...
s,
potoroo Potoroo is a common name for species of ''Potorous'', a genus of smaller marsupials. They are allied to the Macropodiformes, the suborder of kangaroo, wallaby, and other rat-kangaroo genera. All three extant species are threatened by ecological c ...
s,
wallabies A wallaby () is a small or middle-sized macropod native to Australia and New Guinea, with introduced populations in New Zealand, Hawaii, the United Kingdom and other countries. They belong to the same taxonomic family as kangaroos and so ...
and the
musky rat-kangaroo The musky rat-kangaroo (''Hypsiprymnodon moschatus'') is a small marsupial found only in the rainforests of northeastern Australia. First described in the later 19th century, the only other species are known from fossil specimens. They are simil ...
). Note: this classification is based on Ruedas & Morales 2005. However, Phalangeriformes has been recovered as paraphyletic with respect to Macropodiformes, rendering the latter a subset of the former if Phalangeriformes are to be considered a natural group. * Suborder Phalangeriformes: possums, gliders and allies ** 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 ...
*** Family †
Ektopodontidae ''Ektopodon'' is an extinct genus of marsupial, and is the type genus of the family Ektopodontidae which occurred in forested environments in South Australia, Queensland and Victoria. The last species of this group went extinct in the early Ple ...
: **** Genus †''
Ektopodon ''Ektopodon'' is an extinct genus of marsupial, and is the type genus of the family Ektopodontidae which occurred in forested environments in South Australia, Queensland and Victoria. The last species of this group went extinct in the early Plei ...
'' ***** ''†
Ektopodon serratus ''Ektopodon'' is an extinct genus of marsupial, and is the type genus of the family Ektopodontidae which occurred in forested environments in South Australia, Queensland and Victoria. The last species of this group went extinct in the early Plei ...
'' ***** ''† Ektopodon stirtoni'' ***** ''† Ektopodon ulta'' *** 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 ...
: ( pygmy possums) **** Genus '' Burramys'' *****
Mountain pygmy possum The mountain pygmy possum (''Burramys parvus''); also simply known as the burramys, is a small, mouse-sized (weighs ) nocturnal marsupial of Australia found in dense alpine rock screes and boulder fields, mainly southern Victoria and around Moun ...
, ''B. parvus'' **** Genus ''
Cercartetus The genus ''Cercartetus'' is a group of very small possums known as pygmy possums. Four species comprise this genus, which together with the genus '' Burramys'' make up the marsupial family Burramyidae. It has occasionally been presumed that ' ...
'' *****
Long-tailed pygmy possum The long-tailed pygmy possum (''Cercartetus caudatus'') is a diprotodont marsupial found in the rainforests of northern Australia and New Guinea. Living at altitudes of above , it eats insects and nectar, and may eat pollen in place of insects in ...
, ''C. caudatus'' *****
Southwestern pygmy possum The western pygmy possum (''Cercartetus concinnus''), also known as the southwestern pygmy possum or the ''mundarda'', is a small marsupial found in Australia. Genetic studies indicate its closest relative is probably the eastern pygmy possum, ...
, ''C. concinnus'' *****
Tasmanian pygmy possum The Tasmanian pygmy possum (''Cercartetus lepidus''), also known as the little pygmy possum or tiny pygmy possum, is the world's smallest Phalangeriformes, possum. It was first described by Oldfield Thomas in 1888, after he identified that a mus ...
, ''C. lepidus'' *****
Eastern pygmy possum The eastern pygmy possum (''Cercartetus nanus'') is a diprotodont marsupial of south-eastern Australia. Occurring from southern Queensland to eastern South Australia and also Tasmania, it is found in a range of habitats, including rainforest, s ...
, ''C. nanus'' *** 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, ...
: ( brushtail possums and
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) **** Subfamily Ailuropinae ***** Genus ''
Ailurops The bear cuscuses are the members of the genus ''Ailurops''. They are marsupials of the family Phalangeridae. The bear cuscuses are arboreal marsupials. Almost nothing is known of their status and ecology. Although some scientists assign all po ...
'' ****** Talaud bear cuscus, ''A. melanotis'' ****** Sulawesi bear cuscus, ''A. ursinus'' ***** Genus ''
Strigocuscus Dwarf cuscus (''Strigocuscus'') is a nocturnal, arboreal marsupial genus in the family Phalangeridae found only in Sulawesi (the largest island in Wallacea) and some of its surrounding small offshore islands. Due to the unique biogeography o ...
'' ****** Sulawesi dwarf cuscus, ''S. celebensis'' ******
Banggai cuscus The Banggai cuscus (''Strigocuscus pelengensis'') is a species of cuscus, a type of possum. It is found in the Peleng and Sula Islands to the east of Sulawesi Sulawesi (), also known as Celebes (), is an island in Indonesia. One of the fou ...
, ''S. pelegensis'' **** Subfamily Phalangerinae ***** Tribe Phalangerini ****** Genus ''
Phalanger ''Phalanger'' (from the Greek ''phalangion'', meaning spider's web, from their webbed (fused) toesChambers English Dictionary) is a genus of possums. Its members are found on New Guinea, the Maluku Islands, other nearby small islands, and Aust ...
'' *******
Gebe cuscus The Gebe cuscus (''Phalanger alexandrae'') is a species of marsupial in the family Phalangeridae. It is endemic to the island of Gebe, North Maluku province, Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in South ...
, ''P. alexandrae'' ******* Mountain cuscus, ''P. carmelitae'' *******
Ground cuscus The ground cuscus (''Phalanger gymnotis'') is a marsupial from the order Diprotodontia and belongs within the family Phalangeridae, a diverse family consisting of the other cuscus species and the brushtail possums (''Trichosurus'' spp.) and the ...
, ''P. gymnotis'' *******
Eastern common cuscus The eastern common cuscus (''Phalanger intercastellanus'') is a species of marsupial in the family Phalangeridae found in eastern Papua New Guinea. Until recently, it was considered conspecific with '' P. mimicus'', and before that also with '' P ...
, ''P. intercastellanus'' *******
Woodlark cuscus The Woodlark cuscus (''Phalanger lullulae'') is a species of marsupial in the family Phalangeridae endemic to Papua New Guinea, specifically on Madau and Woodlark Island, a part of the Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea. It happens to be the ...
, ''P. lullulae'' *******
Blue-eyed cuscus The blue-eyed cuscus (''Phalanger matabiru'') is a species of marsupial in the family Phalangeridae. It is endemic to the two small islands of Ternate and Tidore, west of the island of Halmahera in North Maluku province, Indonesia Indonesi ...
, ''P. matabiru'' *******
Telefomin cuscus The Telefomin cuscus (''Phalanger matanim'') is a critically endangered possum found on New Guinea. It is named after the Telefol ethnic group, who hunted the animal long before it was identified scientifically by the Australian zoologist Tim ...
, ''P. matanim'' *******
Southern common cuscus The southern common cuscus (''Phalanger mimicus''), also known as Australian cuscus, gray phalanger, and ''to-ili'', is an arboreal marsupial endemic to Australia ( Cape York), southern New Guinea and possibly the Aru Islands. Until recently, it ...
, ''P. mimicus'' *******
Northern common cuscus The northern common cuscus (''Phalanger orientalis''), also known as the gray cuscus, is a species of marsupial in the family Phalangeridae native to northern New Guinea and adjacent smaller islands, but is now also found in the Bismarck Archipel ...
, ''P. orientalis'' *******
Ornate cuscus The ornate cuscus or Molluccan cuscus (''Phalanger ornatus'') is a species of marsupial in the family Phalangeridae. It is endemic to Indonesia, where it is found on the North Maluku islands of Halmahera, Bacan and Morotai Morotai Island ( i ...
, ''P. ornatus'' *******
Rothschild's cuscus Rothschild's cuscus (''Phalanger rothschildi''), also called the Obi Island cuscus, is a species of marsupial in the family Phalangeridae. It is endemic to the islands of Obi, Bisa and Obilatu in the Obi Islands of Maluku province, Indonesia ...
, ''P. rothschildi'' *******
Silky cuscus The silky cuscus (''Phalanger sericeus'') is a species of marsupial in the family Phalangeridae. It is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Names It is known as atwak, añ, sosus, or beŋ-tud in the Kalam language of Papua New Guinea.Pawley, ...
, ''P. sericeus'' ******* Stein's cuscus, ''P. vestitus'' ****** Genus ''
Spilocuscus ''Spilocuscus'' is a genus of marsupial in the family Phalangeridae. Its members are found on the Cape York Peninsula of Australia, New Guinea, and smaller nearby islands. It contains the following species: *Admiralty Island cuscus, ''Spilocusc ...
'' *******
Admiralty Island cuscus The Admiralty Island cuscus or Manus Island spotted cuscus (''Spilocuscus kraemeri'') is a species of marsupial in the family Phalangeridae. It is endemic to the Admiralty Islands of Papua New Guinea. It is the smallest member of the genus ''Spil ...
, ''S. kraemeri'' *******
Common spotted cuscus The common spotted cuscus (''Spilocuscus maculatus''), also known as the white cuscus, is a cuscus, a marsupial that lives in the Cape York region of Australia, New Guinea, and nearby smaller islands. Names It is known as aklang or gabi in the ...
, ''S. maculatus'' *******
Waigeou cuscus The Waigeou cuscus or Waigeou spotted cuscus (''Spilocuscus papuensis'') is a species of marsupial in the family Phalangeridae. It is endemic to the island of Waigeo in Indonesia, and consequently the spelling Waigeo cuscus is often used instead ...
, ''S. papuensis'' *******
Black-spotted cuscus The black-spotted cuscus (''Spilocuscus rufoniger'') is a species of marsupial in the family Phalangeridae. It is among the largest members of the family, only being surpassed by the bear cuscus. It is a relatively colourful species found in for ...
, ''S. rufoniger'' *******
Blue-eyed spotted cuscus The blue-eyed spotted cuscus or Biak spotted cuscus (''Spilocuscus wilsoni'') is a species of critically endangered marsupial in the family Phalangeridae. Taxonomy The blue-eyed spotted cuscus is one of five species of spotted cuscus in the g ...
, ''S. wilsoni'' ***** Tribe Trichosurini ****** Genus ''
Trichosurus The brushtail possums are the members of the genus ''Trichosurus'' in the Phalangeridae, a family of marsupials. They are native to Australia (including Tasmania) and some small nearby islands. Unique among marsupials, they have shifted the hyp ...
'' *******
Northern brushtail possum The northern brushtail possum (''Trichosurus arnhemensis'') is a nocturnal marsupial inhabiting northern Australia. The northern brushtail possum is sometimes considered a species, however more often than not is considered a subspecies of the c ...
, ''T. arnhemensis'' ******* Short-eared possum, ''T. caninus'' *******
Mountain brushtail possum The mountain brushtail possum, or southern bobuck (''Trichosurus cunninghami''), is a nocturnal, semi-arboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae native to southeastern Australia. It was not described as a separate species until 2002. Taxon ...
, ''T. cunninghami'' ******* Coppery brushtail possum, ''T. johnstonii'' *******
Common brushtail possum The common brushtail possum (''Trichosurus vulpecula'', from the Greek for "furry tailed" and the Latin for "little fox", previously in the genus ''Phalangista'') is a nocturnal, semiarboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae, native to Austr ...
, ''T. vulpecula'' ****** Genus ''
Wyulda ''Wyulda'' is a genus of phalanger. The scaly-tailed possum is the only extant species, but a single extinct species ('' Wyulda asherjoeli'') from the Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends f ...
'' *******
Scaly-tailed possum The scaly-tailed possum (''Wyulda squamicaudata'') is found in northwestern Australia, where it is restricted to the Kimberley. They are light grey over most of the body and have relatively short ears and muzzle. The mostly hairless tail is ab ...
, ''W. squamicaudata'' ** Superfamily
Petauroidea Petauroidea is a superfamily of marsupials from Australia and New Guinea. It is part of the suborder Phalangeriformes within the order Diprotodontia, which also includes, among others, wombats, kangaroos, cuscuses. The superfamily Phalangeroidea ...
*** 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 ...
: (
ring-tailed possum The common ringtail possum (''Pseudocheirus peregrinus'', Greek for "false hand" and Latin for "pilgrim" or "alien") is an Australian marsupial. It lives in a variety of habitats and eats a variety of leaves of both native and introduced plants, ...
s and allies) **** Subfamily Hemibelideinae ***** 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 ( ...
, ''H. lemuroides'' ***** Genus '' Petauroides'' ******
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 ...
, ''P. 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 ...
, ''P. 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 ...
, ''P. volans'' **** Subfamily Pseudocheirinae ***** Genus '' Petropseudes'' ****** Rock-haunting ringtail possum, ''P. 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, ''P. peregrinus'' ***** Genus '' Pseudochirulus'' ****** Lowland ringtail possum, ''P. 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 ...
, ''P. 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 ...
, ''P. 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 ...
, ''P. 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 ...
, ''P. 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 ...
, ''P. larvatus'' ****** Pygmy ringtail possum, ''P. 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

...
, ''P. 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, ''P. 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 ...
, ''P. 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 ...
, ''P. 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 ...
, ''P. 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 ...
, ''P. 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 ...
: (
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 ...
,
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 Melbou ...
,
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 ...
,
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 abili ...
, mahogany glider,
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 ...
) **** 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 ...
, ''D. megalura'' ***** Long-fingered triok, ''D. palpator'' ***** Tate's triok, ''D. tatei'' ***** Striped possum, ''D. 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 Melbou ...
, ''G. leadbeateri'' **** Genus ''Petaurus'' ***** Northern glider, ''P''. ''abidi'' ***** Savanna glider, ''P. ariel'' ***** Yellow-bellied glider, ''P. australis'' ***** Biak glider, ''P. biacensis'' ***** Sugar glider, ''P. breviceps'' ***** Mahogany glider, ''P. gracilis'' ***** Squirrel glider, ''P. norfolcensis'' ***** Krefft's glider, ''P. notatus'' *** Family Tarsipedidae: (
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 '' ...
) **** Genus ''Tarsipes'' ***** Honey possum or ''noolbenger'', ''T. rostratus'' *** Family Acrobatidae: (feathertail glider and feather-tailed possum) **** Genus ''Acrobates'' ***** Feathertail glider, ''A. pygmaeus'' **** Genus ''Distoechurus'' ***** Feather-tailed possum, ''D. pennatus''


See also

* Fauna of Australia


References


Further reading


Possums and Gliders
— Australia Zoo

— ABC (Science), Australian Broadcasting Corporation *
Possums or Opossums?
on Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa {{Taxonbar, from=Q279198 Possums, Marsupials of Oceania Extant Oligocene first appearances Diprotodonts Paraphyletic groups