Phalangeriformes is a paraphyletic suborder of about 70 species of small to medium-sized

arboreal Arboreal locomotion is the 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 (scansorial), but others are exclusively arboreal. The hab ...

marsupial Marsupials are a diverse group of mammals belonging to the infraclass Marsupialia. They are natively found in Australasia, Wallacea, and the Americas. One of marsupials' unique features is their reproductive strategy: the young are born in a r ...

s native to

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; , fossilized , also known as Papua or historically ) is the List of islands by area, world's second-largest island, with an area of . Located in Melanesia in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is ...

, and

Sulawesi Sulawesi ( ), also known as Celebes ( ), is an island in Indonesia. One of the four Greater Sunda Islands, and the List of islands by area, world's 11th-largest island, it is situated east of Borneo, west of the Maluku Islands, and south of Min ...

. The species are commonly known as possums, opossums, gliders, and cuscus. The common name "(o)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 126 species in 18 genera. Opossums originated in South America and entered North A ...

s of the

Americas The Americas, sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North America and South America.''Webster's New World College Dictionary'', 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio. When viewed as a sing ...

(the term comes from

Powhatan language Powhatan or Virginia Algonquian is an Eastern Algonquian subgroup of the Algonquian languages. It was formerly spoken by the Powhatan people of tidewater Virginia. Following 1970s linguistic research by Frank Thomas Siebert, Jr., some of the l ...

''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

kangaroo Kangaroos are 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 gre ...

s. 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 Nocturnality is a ethology, behavior in some non-human animals characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnality, diurnal meaning the opposite. Nocturnal creatur ...

and at least partially arboreal. They inhabit most vegetated habitats, and several species have adjusted well to urban settings. Diets range from generalist

herbivore A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically evolved to feed on plants, especially upon vascular tissues such as foliage, fruits or seeds, as the main component of its diet. These more broadly also encompass animals that eat ...

s or

omnivore An omnivore () is an animal that regularly consumes significant quantities of both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and animal matter, omnivores digest carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber, and metabolize t ...

s (the

common brushtail possum The common brushtail possum (''Trichosurus vulpecula'', from the Ancient Greek, Greek for "furry tailed" and the Latin for "little fox", previously in the genus ''Phalangista'') is a nocturnal, semiarboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae ...

) to specialist browsers of

eucalyptus ''Eucalyptus'' () is a genus of more than 700 species of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae. Most species of ''Eucalyptus'' are trees, often Mallee (habit), mallees, and a few are shrubs. Along with several other genera in the tribe Eucalyp ...

( greater glider),

insectivore file:Common brown robberfly with prey.jpg, A Asilidae, robber fly eating a hoverfly An insectivore is a carnivore, carnivorous animal or plant which eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which can also refer to the Entomophagy ...

s ( mountain pygmy possum) and nectar-feeders ( honey possum).

Classification

Ailurops ursinus Naemundung 2 North Sulawesi

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

suborder Order () is one of the eight major hierarchical taxonomic ranks in Linnaean taxonomy. It is classified between family and class. In biological classification, the order is a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms and recognized ...

s, namely the Vombatiformes (

wombat Wombats are short-legged, muscular quadrupedal marsupials of the family Vombatidae that are native to Australia. Living species are about in length with small, stubby tails and weigh between . They are adaptable and habitat tolerant, and are ...

s and the

koala The koala (''Phascolarctos cinereus''), sometimes inaccurately called the koala bear, is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia. It is the only Extant taxon, extant representative of the Family (biology), family ''Phascolar ...

, 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, p ...

(

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 and is the only genus in the tribe Potoroini. All three ...

s, 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 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, ''C. caudatus'' ***** Southwestern pygmy possum, ''C. concinnus'' ***** Tasmanian pygmy possum, ''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, ...

, ''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 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 So ...

, ''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 The common brushtail possum (''Trichosurus vulpecula'', from the Ancient Greek, Greek for "furry tailed" and the Latin for "little fox", previously in the genus ''Phalangista'') is a nocturnal, semiarboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae ...

, ''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 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 ...

, ''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 Leadbeater's possum (''Gymnobelideus leadbeateri'') is a critically endangered Phalangeriformes, possum largely restricted to small pockets of Eucalyptus delegatensis, alpine ash, Eucalyptus regnans, mountain ash, and Eucalyptus pauciflora, sno ...

, yellow-bellied glider, sugar glider,

mahogany glider The mahogany glider (''Petaurus gracilis'') is an endangered gliding possumsquirrel glider) **** Genus '' Dactylopsila'' ***** Great-tailed triok, ''D. megalura'' ***** Long-fingered triok, ''D. palpator'' ***** Tate's triok, ''D. tatei'' ***** Striped possum, ''D. trivirgata'' **** Genus '' Gymnobelideus'' *****

, ''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 The mahogany glider (''Petaurus gracilis'') is an endangered gliding possumSquirrel glider, ''P. norfolcensis'' ***** Krefft's glider, ''P. notatus'' *** Family Tarsipedidae: ( honey possum) **** Genus '' Tarsipes'' ***** Honey possum or ''noolbenger'', ''T. rostratus'' *** Family

Acrobatidae The Acrobatidae are a small family of flying and gliding animals, gliding marsupials containing two genera, each with a single species, the feathertail glider (''Acrobates pygmaeus'') from Australia and feather-tailed possum (''Distoechurus penna ...

: (

feathertail glider The feathertail glider (''Acrobates pygmaeus''), also known as the pygmy gliding possum, pygmy glider, pygmy phalanger, flying phalanger and flying mouse, is a species of marsupial native to eastern Australia. It is the world's smallest gliding ...

and

feather-tailed possum The feather-tailed possum (''Distoechurus pennatus'') is a species of marsupial in the family Acrobatidae. It is found in West Papua and Papua New Guinea. It is not to be confused with the feathertail glider, the only other species in the family ...

) **** Genus ''

Acrobates The feathertail glider (''Acrobates pygmaeus''), also known as the pygmy gliding possum, pygmy glider, pygmy phalanger, flying phalanger and flying mouse, is a species of marsupial native to eastern Australia. It is the world's smallest gliding ...

'' *****

Feathertail glider The feathertail glider (''Acrobates pygmaeus''), also known as the pygmy gliding possum, pygmy glider, pygmy phalanger, flying phalanger and flying mouse, is a species of marsupial native to eastern Australia. It is the world's smallest gliding ...

, ''A. pygmaeus'' **** Genus ''

Distoechurus The feather-tailed possum (''Distoechurus pennatus'') is a species of marsupial in the family Acrobatidae. It is found in West Papua and Papua New Guinea. It is not to be confused with the feathertail glider, the only other species in the family ...

'' *****

Feather-tailed possum The feather-tailed possum (''Distoechurus pennatus'') is a species of marsupial in the family Acrobatidae. It is found in West Papua and Papua New Guinea. It is not to be confused with the feathertail glider, the only other species in the family ...

, ''D. pennatus''

Classification

See also

References

Further reading