Pygmy possum

Family of marsupials

Pygmy possums[1]

Temporal range: Pleistocene–Recent

PreꞒ

Eastern pygmy possum (Cercartetus nanus)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Chordata
Class:  | Mammalia
Infraclass:  | Marsupialia
Order:  | Diprotodontia
Suborder:  | Phalangeriformes
Superfamily:  | Phalangeroidea
Family:  | Burramyidae
Broom, 1898
Genera

* Burramys
* Cercartetus

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-occurring in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.

Pygmy possums range in length from about 5 to 12 cm (2.0 to 4.7 in), and usually weigh between 10 and 50 grams (0.35 and 1.76 oz). They are nocturnal and omnivorous, living on a diet of invertebrates, fruit, seed, nectar and pollen. They are excellent climbers, due in part to their prehensile tails. Although they cannot glide like some possums, some species can leap long distances.[2] They have a prehensile tail for grabbing branches, but spend most of their time on the ground.

Conservation International (CI) and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) reported the possible discovery of a new species of Cercartetus pygmy possum upon visit to the Foja Mountains in June 2007.[3]

The mountain pygmy possum is the only mammal restricted to the alpine and sub-alpine areas of mainland Australia. It was thought to be extinct until rediscovered in 1966 at Mt Higginbotham in Victoria. They are the only Australian marsupial that hibernates. Given the alpine climates in which they live they store energy in fat deposits before rolling into a ball and engaging in heterothermy during winter months.

## Classification

[edit]

The two genera of pygmy possums are Burramys and Cercartetus. Burramys contains only one extant species, the mountain pygmy possum, B. parvus. As currently understood, Cercartetus consists of four extant species.

* Family Burramyidae: pygmy possums
* Genus Burramys
* Mountain pygmy possum, B. parvus
* †Burramys wakefieldi
* †Burramys triradiatus
* †Burramys brutyi
* Genus Cercartetus
* Long-tailed pygmy possum, C. caudatus
* Western pygmy possum, C. concinnus
* Tasmanian pygmy possum, C. lepidus
* Eastern pygmy possum, C. nanus

† = extinct species

## References

[edit]

Wikispecies has information related to Burramyidae.

1. ^ Groves, C. P. (2005). Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 44–45\. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. OCLC 62265494.
2. ^ Turner, Vivienne & McKay, G. M. (1989). "27. Burramyidae". In Walton, D.W. & Richardson, B. J. (eds.). Fauna of Australia, Volume 1B: Mammalia. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. ISBN 0-644-06056-5.
3. ^ "Afp.google.com, Two new mammals found in Indonesian 'lost world': green group". Archived from the original on 2007-06-09. Retrieved 2007-12-17.

## External links

[edit]

* Mikko's Phylogeny Archive

* v
* t
* e

Phalangerida

* Kingdom: Animalia
* Phylum: Chordata
* Class: Mammalia
* Order: Diprotodontia

Phalangerida

Phalangerida

* †Miminipossum

†Pilkipildridae|

* Djilgaringa
* Pilkipildra

Phalangeroidea|

* †Durudawiri
* †Miralina

Burramyidae|

* Burramys
* Cercartetus

†Ektopodontidae|

* Chunia
* Darcius
* Ektopodon
* Ngathachunia

Phalangeridae|

* Ailurops
* †Archerus
* †Onirocuscus
* Phalanger
* Spilocuscus
* Strigocuscus
* Trichosurus
* Wyulda

Petauroidea|

* Tarsipes

Acrobatidae|

* Acrobates
* Distoechurus

Petauridae|

* Dactylopsila
* †Djaludjangi
* Gymnobelideus
* Petaurus

Pseudocheiridae|

* †Gawinga
* †Marlu
* Petropseudes
* Pseudochirops
* Hemibelideus
* †Paljara
* Peteuroides
* †Pildra
* Pseudocheirus
* Pseudochirulus
* †Pseudokoala

Macropodiformes|

*     * see below↓

Macropodiformes

Macropodiformes

* †Barguru?
* †Bulungamaya
* †Gumardee
* †Ngamaroo
* †Palaeopotorous
* †Purtia
* †Wakiewakie

Hypsiprymnodontidae|

* †Ekaltadeta
* Hypsiprymnodon
* †Jackmahoneya
* †Propleopus

†Balbaridae|

* Balbaroo
* Galanarla
* Ganawamaya
* Nambaroo
* Wururoo

Potoroidae|

* Aepyprymnus
* Bettongia
* †Borungaboodie
* †Caloprymnus
* †Milliyowi
* Potorous

Macropodidae|

* †Cookeroo
* †Ganguroo
* †Nowidgee
* †Wabularoo
* †Wanburoo

Lagostrophinae|

* Lagostrophus
* †Tjukuru
* †Troposodon

†Sthenurinae|

* Archaeosimos
* Eosthenurus
* Hadronomas
* Metasthenurus
* Procoptodon
* Rhizosthenurus
* Simosthenurus
* Sthenurus

Macropodinae|

* †Baringa
* †Bohra
* †Congruus
* Dendrolagus
* Dorcopsis
* †Dorcopsoides
* Dorcopsulus
* †Kurrabi
* Lagorchestes
* Macropus
* Notamacropus
* Onychogalea
* Osphranter
* Petrogale
* †Prionotemnus
* †Protemnodon
* Setonix
* †Silvaroo
* Thylogale
* Wallabia
* †Watutia

* v
* t
* e

Extant Diprotodontia species

* Kingdom Animalia
* Phylum Chordata
* Class Mammalia
* Infraclass Marsupialia

Suborder Vombatiformes

| Phascolarctidae|

| Phascolarctos|

* Koala (P. cinereus)

|

Vombatidae
(wombats)|

| Vombatus|

* Common wombat (V. ursinus)

|

Lasiorhinus|

* Southern hairy-nosed wombat (L. latifrons)
* Northern hairy-nosed wombat (L. krefftii)

Suborder Phalangeriformes (possums)

| Phalangeridae
(including cuscuses)|

| Ailurops
(bear cuscuses)|

* Talaud bear cuscus (A. melanotis)
* Sulawesi bear cuscus (A. ursinus)

|

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)

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)

Strigocuscus|

* Sulawesi dwarf cuscus (S. celebensis)
* Banggai cuscus (S. pelegensis)

Trichosurus
(brushtail possums)|

* 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)

Wyulda|

* Scaly-tailed possum (W. squamicaudata)

Burramyidae
(pygmy possums)|

| Burramys|

* Mountain pygmy possum (B. parvus)

|

Cercartetus|

* Long-tailed pygmy possum (C. caudatus)
* Western pygmy possum (C. concinnus)
* Tasmanian pygmy possum (C. lepidus)
* Eastern pygmy possum (C. nanus)

Tarsipedidae|

| Tarsipes|

* Honey possum (T. rostratus)

|

Petauridae|

| Dactylopsila|

* Great-tailed triok (D. megalura)
* Long-fingered triok (D. palpator)
* Tate's triok (D. tatei)
* Striped possum (D. trivirgata)

|

Gymnobelideus|

* Leadbeater's possum (G. leadbeateri)

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)

Pseudocheiridae|

| Hemibelideus|

* Lemur-like ringtail possum (H. lemuroides)

|

Petauroides
(greater gliders)|

* Central greater glider (P. armillatus)
* Northern greater glider (P. minor)
* Southern greater glider (P. volans)

Petropseudes|

* Rock-haunting ringtail possum (P. dahli)

Pseudocheirus|

* Common ringtail possum (P. peregrinus)

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)

Pseudochirops|

* D'Albertis's 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)

Acrobatidae|

| Acrobates|

* Feathertail glider (A. pygmaeus)

|

Distoechurus|

* Feather-tailed possum (D. pennatus)

Suborder Macropodiformes

| Macropodidae
(includes wallabies)|

| Lagostrophus|

* Banded hare-wallaby (L. fasciatus)

|

Dendrolagus
(tree-kangaroos)|

* Bennett's tree-kangaroo (D. bennettianus)
* Doria's tree-kangaroo (D. dorianus)
* Goodfellow's tree-kangaroo (D. goodfellowi)
* Grizzled tree-kangaroo (D. inustus)
* Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo (D. lumholtzi)
* Matschie's tree-kangaroo (D. matschiei)
* Dingiso (D. mbaiso)
* Ifola (D. notatus)
* Golden-mantled tree-kangaroo (D. pulcherrimus)
* Lowlands tree-kangaroo (D. spadix)
* Tenkile (D. scottae)
* Seri's tree-kangaroo (D. stellarum)
* Ursine tree-kangaroo (D. ursinus)

Dorcopsis|

* Black dorcopsis (D. atrata)
* White-striped dorcopsis (D. hageni)
* Gray dorcopsis (D. luctuosa)
* Brown dorcopsis (D. muelleri)

Dorcopsulus|

* Macleay's dorcopsis (D. macleayi)
* Small dorcopsis (D. vanheurni)

Lagorchestes
(hare-wallabies)|

* Spectacled hare-wallaby (L. conspicillatus)
* Rufous hare-wallaby (L. hirsutus)

Macropus|

* Western grey kangaroo (M. fuliginosus)
* Eastern grey kangaroo (M. giganteus)

Notamacropus|

* Agile wallaby (N. agilis)
* Black-striped wallaby (N. dorsalis)
* Tammar wallaby (N. eugenii)
* Western brush wallaby (N. irma)
* Parma wallaby (N. parma)
* Whiptail wallaby (N. parryi)
* Red-necked wallaby (N. rufogriseus)

Onychogalea
(nail-tail wallabies)|

* Bridled nail-tail wallaby (O. fraenata)
* Northern nail-tail wallaby (O. unguifera)

Osphranter|

* Antilopine kangaroo (O. antilopinus)
* Black wallaroo (O. bernardus)
* Common wallaroo (O. robustus)
* Red kangaroo (O. rufus)

Petrogale
(rock-wallabies)|

* P. brachyotis species group: Short-eared rock-wallaby (P. brachyotis)
* Monjon (P. burbidgei)
* Nabarlek (P. concinna)
* Eastern short-eared rock-wallaby (P. wilkinsi)

* P. xanthopus species group: Proserpine rock-wallaby (P. persephone)
* Rothschild's rock-wallaby (P. rothschildi)
* Yellow-footed rock-wallaby (P. xanthopus)

* P. lateralis/penicillata species group: Allied rock-wallaby (P. assimilis)
* Cape York rock-wallaby (P. coenensis)
* Godman's rock-wallaby (P. godmani)
* Herbert's rock-wallaby (P. herberti)
* Unadorned rock-wallaby (P. inornata)
* Black-flanked rock-wallaby (P. lateralis)
* Mareeba rock-wallaby (P. mareeba)
* Brush-tailed rock-wallaby (P. penicillata)
* Purple-necked rock-wallaby (P. purpureicollis)
* Mount Claro rock-wallaby (P. sharmani)

Setonix|

* Quokka (S. brachyurus)

Thylogale
(pademelons)|

* Tasmanian pademelon (T. billardierii)
* Brown's pademelon (T. browni)
* Dusky pademelon (T. brunii)
* Calaby's pademelon (T. calabyi)
* Mountain pademelon (T. lanatus)
* Red-legged pademelon (T. stigmatica)
* Red-necked pademelon (T. thetis)

Wallabia|

* Swamp wallaby (W. bicolor)

Potoroidae|

| Aepyprymnus|

* Rufous rat-kangaroo (A. rufescens)

|

Bettongia
(bettongs)|

* Eastern bettong (B. gaimardi)
* Boodie (B. lesueur)
* Woylie (B. penicillata)
* Northern bettong (B. tropica)

Potorous
(potoroos)|

* Long-footed potoroo (P. longipes)
* Long-nosed potoroo (P. tridactylus)
* Gilbert's potoroo (P. gilbertii)

Hypsiprymnodontidae|

| Hypsiprymnodon|

* Musky rat-kangaroo (H. moschatus)

|

Taxon identifiers

Burramyidae|

* Wikidata: Q23254
* Wikispecies: Burramyidae
* ADW: Burramyidae
* AFD: Burramyidae
* BOLD: 79450
* CoL: 7GS
* EoL: 7619
* GBIF: 9371
* iNaturalist: 42790
* IRMNG: 104794
* ITIS: 609785
* MSW: 11000017
* NCBI: 30658
* Open Tree of Life: 987677
* Paleobiology Database: 40134

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[†]: Extinct