Phalangeriformes
| Phalangeriformes Temporal range: Oligocene–present PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N | |
|---|---|
 | |
Common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Marsupialia |
| Order: | Diprotodontia |
| Suborder: | Phalangeriformes Szalay in Archer, 1982 |
Superfamilies and Families | |
Phalangeroidea
Petauroidea
| |
Phalangeriformes is a suborder of any of about 70 small- to medium-sized arboreal marsupial species native to Australia, New Guinea, and Sulawesi (and introduced to New Zealand and China). The suborder includes animals 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 70 mm (2 3⁄4 in) and a weight of 10 g (3⁄8 oz). The largest are the two species of bear cuscus which may exceed 7 kg (15 lb 7 oz). 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).
Contents
1 Classification
2 In New Zealand
3 See also
4 References
5 Further reading
Classification
Ringtail possum in an urban area at night
Brushtail possums in a eucalyptus tree
Tame possum in Busselton, Western Australia
Ringtail possum hunched on a utility pole
About two-thirds of Australian marsupials belong to the order Diprotodontia, which is split into three suborders: 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.
- Suborder Phalangeriformes: possums, gliders and allies
- Superfamily Phalangeroidea
- family †Ektopodontidae: (sprite possums)
- Genus †Ektopodon
- †Ektopodon serratus
- †Ektopodon stirtoni
- †Ektopodon ulta
- Genus †Ektopodon
- 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
- Genus Burramys
- Family Phalangeridae: (brushtail possums and cuscuses) 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
- Genus Ailurops
- 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
- Genus Phalanger
- 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
- Genus Trichosurus
- Tribe Phalangerini
- Subfamily Ailuropinae
- family †Ektopodontidae: (sprite possums)
- Superfamily Petauroidea
- Family Pseudocheiridae: (ring-tailed possums and allies)
- Subfamily Hemibelideinae
- Genus Hemibelideus
Lemur-like ringtail possum, H. lemuroides
- Genus Petauroides
Greater glider, P. volans
- Genus Hemibelideus
- 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
- Genus Petropseudes
- Subfamily Pseudochiropinae
- Genus Pseudochirops
D'Albertis' ringtail possum, Pseudochirops albertisii
Green ringtail possum, Pseudochirops archeri
Plush-coated ringtail possum, Pseudochirops corinnae
Reclusive ringtail possum, Pseudochirops coronatus
Coppery ringtail possum, Pseudochirops cupreus
- Genus Pseudochirops
- Subfamily Hemibelideinae
- 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
Yellow-bellied glider, P. australis
Biak glider, P. biacensis
Sugar glider, P. breviceps
Mahogany glider, P. gracilis
Squirrel glider, P. norfolcensis
- Genus Dactylopsila
- Family Tarsipedidae: (honey possum)
- Genus Tarsipes
Honey possum or noolbenger, T. rostratus
- Genus Tarsipes
- Family Acrobatidae: (feathertail glider and feather-tailed possum)
- Genus Acrobates
Feathertail glider, A. pygmaeus
- Genus Distoechurus
Feather-tailed possum, D. pennatus
- Genus Acrobates
- Family Pseudocheiridae: (ring-tailed possums and allies)
- Superfamily Phalangeroidea
In New Zealand
The common brushtail possum was introduced to New Zealand by European settlers in an attempt to establish a fur industry. There are no native predators of the possum in New Zealand, so its numbers in New Zealand have risen to the point where it is considered a serious pest. Numerous attempts to eradicate them have been made because of the damage they do to native trees and wildlife, as well as acting as a carrier of bovine tuberculosis. By 2009, these measures had reduced the possum numbers to less than half of the 1980s levels – from around 70 million to around 30 million animals.[1]
See also
- Fauna of Australia
Opossum - distantly related marsupial of the Americas
References
^ "New research estimates there are about 30 million possums in New Zealand". Landcare Research. 9 December 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2011..mw-parser-output cite.citationfont-style:inherit.mw-parser-output qquotes:"""""""'""'".mw-parser-output code.cs1-codecolor:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registrationcolor:#555.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration spanborder-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-errordisplay:none;font-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-errorfont-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-formatfont-size:95%.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-leftpadding-left:0.2em.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-rightpadding-right:0.2em
Further reading
Possums and Gliders — Australia Zoo
Urban Possums — ABC (Science), Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Ruedas, L.A.; Morales, J.C. (2005). "Evolutionary relationships among genera of Phalangeridae (Metatheria: Diprotodontia) inferred from mitochondrial data". Journal of Mammalogy. 86 (2): 353–365. doi:10.1644/BER-117.1. JSTOR 4094355. Archived from the original on 11 August 2013.
Possums or Opossums? on Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
