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Possums Are From Australia

(Opossums Are From South America)

 

Despite the similarity in name, the 60+ "Opossums" from South America and the 20+ "Possums" from Australia are very different. Opossums received their name in 1612 from Captain John Smith of the Jamestown colony in Virginia. The word came from the Cherokee Indian name for the American animal. Possums received their name in 1770 from Captain Cook's botanist Sir Joseph Banks. He described an Australian common ringtail possum as "an animal of the Opossum tribe" based on their similar appearance. However, they are not closely related biologically. They are separated by 2 continents and 70+ million years.

The possums are small to mid-sized, nocturnal, omnivorous, mostly arboreal and generally brown or gray. In the Australian ecosystem their place is roughly similar to squirrels in the northern hemisphere. The 1st toe on hind feet is opposable, and the 2nd and 3rd toes are fused except for claws at the tip used for grooming. There are several types of possums, including possums, gliders, the triok and cuscus.


Acrobatidae

Feathertail Gliders

Acrobates pygmaeus - Feathertail Glider

Photo from Rochedale State School

Acrobates pygmaeus - Feathertail Glider

Photo from Simon & Schuster

Acrobates pygmaeus - Feathertail Glider

Photo from und.edu

Distoechurus pennatus - Feathertail Possum

Photo from floranimal.ru

 

Acrobates pygmaeus Feathertail Glider
Distoechurus pennatus Feathertail Possum
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Burramyidae

Pygmy Possums

Burramys parvus - Mountain Pygmy Possum

Photo from Diamantina Touring

Burramys parvus - Mountain Pygmy Possum

Photo from Linda Broome

Cercartetus caudatus - Long-Tailed Pygmy Possum

Photo from Planet-Mammiferos

Cercartetus caudatus - Long-Tailed Pygmy Possum

Photo from ANT Photo Library

Cercartetus concinnus - Western Pygmy Possum

Photo from Ian McCann

Cercartetus concinnus - Western Pygmy Possum

Photo from ANT Photo Library

Cercartetus lepidus - Little Pygmy Possum

Photo from Peter Robertson

Cercartetus lepidus - Little Pygmy Possum

Photo from ANT Photo Library

Cercartetus nanus - Eastern Pygmy Possum

Photo from Gary Lewis

Cercatetus nanus - Eastern Pygmy Possum

Photo from Pavel German

Cercatetus nanus - Eastern Pygmy Possum

Photo from NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service

 

Burramys parvus Mountain Pygmy Possum
Cercartetus caudatus Long-tailed Pygmy Possum
Cercartetus concinnus Western Pygmy Possum
Cercartetus lepidus Little Pygmy Possum
Cercartetus nanus Eastern Pygmy Possum
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Petauridae

Mostly Gliders

Dactylopsila palpator - Long-Fingered Triok

Photo from Howard Hughes

Dactylopsila tatei - Tate's Triok

Photo from Pavel German

Dactylopsila trivirgata Striped Possum

Photo from Neil Hewett 2002

Gymnobelideus leadbeateri - Leadbeater's Possum

Photo from Gary Lewis

Gymnobelideus leadbeateri - Leadbeater's Possum

Photo from filin.km.ru

Petaurus australis - Yellow Bellied Glider

Photo from Gary Lewis

Petaurus australis - Yellow Bellied Glider

Photo from filin.km.ru

Petaurus breviceps - Sugar Glider

Photo from Planet-Mammiferos

Petaurus breviceps - Sugar Glider

Photo from filin.km.ru

Petaurus gracilis - Mahogany Possum

Photo from Queensland Government

Petaurus norfolcencis - Squirrel Glider

Photo from Gary Lewis

Petaurus norfolcensis - Squirrel Glider

Photo from Australian Terrestrial Biodiversity Assessment

 

Dactylopsila megalura Great-tailed Triok
Dactylopsila palpator Long-fingered Triok
Dactylopsila tatei Tate's Triok
Dactylopsila trivirgata Striped Possum
Gymnobelideus leadbeateri Leadbeater's Possum
Petaurus abidi Northern Glider
Petaurus australis Yellow-bellied Glider
Petaurus breviceps Sugar Glider
Petaurus gracilis Mahogany Glider
Petaurus norfolcensis Squirrel Glider
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Phalangeridae

Brushtail Possums and Cuscuses

Ailurops ursinus - Bear Cuscus

Photo from Rob Sinke

Ailurops ursinus - Bear Cuscus

Photo from Tropical Wildlife of Southeast Asia

Phalanger orientalis - Gray Cuscus

Photo from ANT Photo Library

Phalanger pelengensis - Ground Cuscus

Photo from Tim Flannery

Spilocuscus maculatus - (Male) Common Spotted Cuscus

Photo from Hans and Judy Beste

Spilocuscus maculatus - (Female) Common Spotted Cuscus

Photo from steveker.com

Strigocuscus celebensis - Dwarf Cuscus

Photo from Dazirangsheou

Strigocuscus gymnotis - Ground Cuscus

Photo from und.edu

Trichosurus arnhemensis - Northern Brushtailed Possum

Photo from ANT Photo Library

Trichosurus caninus - Mountain Brushtail Possum

Photo from Gary Lewis

Trichosurus caninus - Mountain Brushtail Possum

Photo from Ozwildlife

Trichosurus vulpecula - Common Brushtail Possum

Photo by Gary Lewis

Trichosurus vulpecula - Common Brushtail Possum

Photo from Queensland Government

Wyulda squamicaudata - Scaly-Tailed Possum

Photo from Jurgen und Christine Sohns

Phalanger sericeus - Silky Cuscus

Photo from The Reporter

 

Ailurops ursinus Bear Cuscus
Phalanger carmelitae Mountain Cuscus
Phalanger lullulae Woodlark Cuscus
Phalanger matanim Telefomin Cuscus
Phalanger orientalis Gray Cuscus
Phalanger ornatus Moluccan Cuscus
Phalanger pelengensis Peleng Island Cuscus
Phalanger rothschildi Obi Island Cuscus
Phalanger sericeus Silky Cuscus
Phalanger vestitus Stein's Cuscus
Spilocuscus maculatus Common Spotted Cuscus
Spilocuscus rufoniger Black-spotted Cuscus
Strigocuscus celebensis Dwarf Cuscus
Strigocuscus gymnotis Ground Cuscus
Trichosurus arnhemensis Northern Brushtail Possum
Trichosurus caninus Mountain Brushtail Possum
Trichosurus vulpecula Common / Silver-Gray Brushtail Possum
Wyulda squamicaudata Scaly-tailed Possum
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Pseudocheiridae

Mostly Ringtailed Possums

Hemibelideus lemuroides - Lemuroid Ringtail Possum

Photo from Australia Wildlife Tours

Petauroides volans - Greater Glider

Photo from Gary Lewis

Petauroides volans - Greater Glider

Photo from ANT Library

Petropseudes dahli - Rock Ringtail Possum

Photo from ANT Photo Library

Pseudocheirus canescens - Daintree River Ringtail Possum

Photo from ANT Photo Library

Pseudocheirus canescens - Daintree River Ringtail Possum

Photo from ANT Photo Library

Psudocheirus cinereus - Daintree Ringtail Possum

Photo from Axio Adventures

Pseudocheirus herbertensis - Herbert River Ringtail Possum

Photo from Axio Adventures

Pseudocheirus herbertensis - Herbert River Ringtail Possum

From kilin.km.ru

Pseudocheirus occidentalis - Western ringtail possum

Photo from Forest Holidays

Pseudocheirus occidentalis - Western ringtail possum

Photo from Australian Wildlife

Pseudocheirus peregrinus - Common Ringtail Possum

Photo from Gary Lewis

Pseudocheirus peregrinus - Common Ringtail Possum

Photo from Olaf Oczko

Pseudocheirus peregrinus - Common Ringtail Possum

Photo from filin.ru

Pseudocheirus peregrinus - Common Ringtail Possum

Photo from National Parks Association of NSW

Pseudochirops archeri - Green Ringtail Possum

Pseudochirops archeri - Green Ringtail Possum

Photo from WildWatch

Pseudochirops archeri - Green Ringtail Possum

Photo from Austrlian Natural History Safari

Pseudochirops cupreus - Coppery ringtail possum

Photo from WildWatch

 

Hemibelideus lemuroides Lemuroid Ringtail Possum
Petauroides volans Greater Glider
Petropseudes dahli Rock Ringtail Possum
Pseudocheirus canescens Daintree River Ringtail Possum
Pseudocheirus caroli Weyland Ringtail Possum
Pseudocheirus cinereus Daintree Ringtail Possum
Pseudocheirus forbesi Moss-forest Ringtail Possum
Pseudocheirus herbetensis Herbert River Ringtail Possum
Pseudocheirus mayeri Pygmy Ringtail Possum
Pseudocheirus occidentalis Western Ringtail Possum
Pseudocheirus peregrinus Common Ringtail Possum
Pseudocheirus schlegeli Arfak Ringtail Possum
Pseudochirops albertisii d'Albertis's Ringtail Possum
Pseudochirops archeri Green Ringtail Possum
Pseudochirops corinnae Golden Ringtail Possum
Pseudochirops cupreus Coppery Ringtail Possum
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Tarsipedidae

Honey Possum

Tarsipes rostratus - Honey Possum

Photo from milamba.com

Tarsipes rostratus - Honey Possum

Photo from Wonder Club

Tarsipes rostratus - Honey Possum

Photo from Wonder Club

Tarsipes rostratus - Honey Possum

Photo from Simon & Schuster Mammals

Tarsipes rostratus - Honey Possum

Photo from ANT Photo Library

 

Tarsipes rostratus Honey Possum
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Copyright © 2005, 2006, 2007 Know Your STO by Molly Kalafut - a book about the South American gray short-tailed opossum (Monodelphis domestica)
Send mail to info@knowyoursto.com with questions or comments about STO.
Last modified: 05-Mar-2007