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" for various Phalangeriformes species derives from the creatures' resemblance to the opossums of the Americas (the term comes from Powhatan language aposoum "white animal", from Proto-Algonquian *wa·p-aʔɬemwa "white dog"). However, although opossums are also marsupials, Australasian possums are more closely related to other Australasian marsupials such as kangaroos.
Phalangeriformes are quadrupedal diprotodont marsupials with long tails. The smallest species, indeed the smallest diprotodont marsupial, is the Tasmanian pygmy possum, 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 and at least partially arboreal. They inhabit most vegetated habitats, and several species have adjusted well to urban settings. Diets range from generalist herbivores or omnivores (the common brushtail possum) to specialist browsers of eucalyptus (greater glider), insectivores (mountain pygmy possum) and nectar-feeders (honey possum).
Classification
About two-thirds of Australian marsupials belong to the order Diprotodontia, which is split into three suborders, namely the Vombatiformes (wombats and the koala, four species in total); the large and diverse Phalangeriformes (the possums and gliders) and Macropodiformes (kangaroos, potoroos, wallabies and the musky rat-kangaroo). 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
Family †Ektopodontidae:
Genus †Ektopodon
†Ektopodon serratus
†Ektopodon stirtoni
†Ektopodon ulta
Family Burramyidae: (pygmy possums)
Genus Burramys
Mountain pygmy possum, B. parvus
Genus Cercartetus
Long-tailed pygmy possum, C. caudatus
Southwestern pygmy possum, C. concinnus
Tasmanian pygmy possum, C. lepidus
Eastern pygmy possum, C. nanus
Family Phalangeridae: (brushtail possums and cuscuses)
Subfamily Ailuropinae
Genus Ailurops
Talaud bear cuscus, A. melanotis
Sulawesi bear cuscus, A. ursinus
Genus Strigocuscus
Sulawesi dwarf cuscus, S. celebensis
Banggai cuscus, S. pelegensis
Subfamily Phalangerinae
Tribe Phalangerini
Genus Phalanger
Gebe cuscus, P. alexandrae
Mountain cuscus, P. carmelitae
Ground cuscus, P. gymnotis
Eastern common cuscus, P. intercastellanus
Woodlark cuscus, P. lullulae
Blue-eyed cuscus, P. matabiru
Telefomin cuscus, P. matanim
Southern common cuscus, P. mimicus
Northern common cuscus, P. orientalis
Ornate cuscus, P. ornatus
Rothschild's cuscus, P. rothschildi
Silky cuscus, P. sericeus
Stein's cuscus, P. vestitus
Genus Spilocuscus
Admiralty Island cuscus, S. kraemeri
Common spotted cuscus, S. maculatus
Waigeou cuscus, S. papuensis
Black-spotted cuscus, S. rufoniger
Blue-eyed spotted cuscus, S. wilsoni
Tribe Trichosurini
Genus Trichosurus
Northern brushtail possum, T. arnhemensis
Short-eared possum, T. caninus
Mountain brushtail possum, T. cunninghami
Coppery brushtail possum, T. johnstonii
Common brushtail possum, T. vulpecula
Genus Wyulda
Scaly-tailed possum, W. squamicaudata
Superfamily Petauroidea
Family Pseudocheiridae: (ring-tailed possums and allies)
Subfamily Hemibelideinae
Genus Hemibelideus
Lemur-like ringtail possum, H. lemuroides
Genus Petauroides
Central greater glider, P. armillatus
Northern greater glider, P. minor
Southern greater glider, P. volans
Subfamily Pseudocheirinae
Genus Petropseudes
Rock-haunting ringtail possum, P. dahli
Genus Pseudocheirus
Common ringtail possum, P. peregrinus
Genus Pseudochirulus
Lowland ringtail possum, P. canescens
Weyland ringtail possum, P. caroli
Cinereus ringtail possum, P. cinereus
Painted ringtail possum, P. forbesi
Herbert River ringtail possum, P. herbertensis
Masked ringtail possum, P. larvatus
Pygmy ringtail possum, P. mayeri
Vogelkop ringtail possum, P. schlegeli
Subfamily Pseudochiropsinae
Genus Pseudochirops
D'Albertis' ringtail possum, P. albertisii
Green ringtail possum, P. archeri
Plush-coated ringtail possum, P. corinnae
Reclusive ringtail possum, P. coronatus
Coppery ringtail possum, P. cupreus
Family Petauridae: (striped possum, Leadbeater's possum, yellow-bellied glider, sugar glider, mahogany glider, squirrel glider)
Genus Dactylopsila
Great-tailed triok, D. megalura
Long-fingered triok, D. palpator
Tate's triok, D. tatei
Striped possum, D. trivirgata
Genus Gymnobelideus
Leadbeater's possum, 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)
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
Urban Possums — ABC (Science), Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Possums or Opossums? on Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Marsupials of Oceania
Extant Oligocene first appearances
Diprotodonts
Paraphyletic groups