Coloration in the genus ranges from white, reds, and buffs through various shades of brown to light grays and different intensities of black. Some members of this genus have suffusions of yellow or tawny over the shoulder region, and others have dark dorsal stripes that extend from the head to the rump. These are heavy and rather powerfully built animals. Their yellow-rimmed protruding eyes, bright yellow noses, inconspicuous ears, and prehensile tails give them a somewhat monkeylike appearance. The terminal portion of the tail is covered with scales and lacks hair.
Females have four mammae in a well-developed pouch.
Cuscuses are mainly inhabitants of tropical forests and thick scrub. They are arboreal animals, with strongly prehensile tails, but sometimes descend to the ground. They are nocturnal, resting by day curled up in the thick foliage of a vine tangle, in a tree or tree hollow, under tree roots, or among rocks. Even when handled gently, cuscuses usually emit a penetrating musk odor. Snarls and barks are the sounds they make.