Phalangeriformes

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Cladus: Synapsida
Cladus: Eupelycosauria
Cladus: Sphenacodontia
Cladus: Sphenacodontoidea
Cladus: Therapsida
Cladus: Theriodontia
Cladus: Cynodontia
Cladus: Eucynodontia
Cladus: Probainognathia
Cladus: Prozostrodontia
Cladus: Mammaliaformes
Classis: Mammalia
Subclassis: Trechnotheria
Infraclassis: Zatheria
Supercohors: Theria
Cladus: Metatheria
Cladus: Marsupialiformes
Cohors: Marsupialia
Cladus: Australidelphia
Cladus: Eomarsupialia
Ordo: Diprotodontia
Subordo: Phalangeriformes

‎Classis: Mammalia
Cohors: Marsupialia
Ordo: Diprotodontia
Subordo: Phalangeriformes
Superfamiliae: Petauroidea - Phalangeroidea
Name

Phalangeriformes Szalay, 1982
References
Primary references

Szalay, F.S. 1982. A new appraisal of marsupial phylogeny and classification. Pp. 621–640 in: Archer, M. (ed.) Carnivorous marsupials Sydney: Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales. Reference page.

Links

Phalangeriformes in Mammal Species of the World.
Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn M. (Editors) 2005. Mammal Species of the World – A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. Third edition. ISBN 0-8018-8221-4.

Vernacular names
日本語: クスクス形亜目

Phalangeriformes /fəˈlændʒərɪfɔːrmiːz/ is a paraphyletic[1] suborder of about 70 species of small to medium-sized arboreal marsupials native to Australia, New Guinea, and Sulawesi.[2] The species are 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").[citation needed] 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).
Classification
Main article: List of phalangeriformes
Eastern pygmy possum, Pilliga forest, NSW
Sulawesi bear cuscus
Southern common cuscus, Cape York Peninsula, Queensland
Common spotted cuscus, Genoa
Common ringtail possum, Brisbane
Herbert River ringtail possum, 1884
Striped possum, Crater Lakes National Park, Queensland
Sugar gliders at mealtime
The diminutive feathertail glider

About two-thirds of Australian marsupials belong to the order Diprotodontia, which is split into three suborders, namely 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.[clarification needed] 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.[3][4]

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
      • Long-tailed pygmy possum, C. caudatus
      • Southwestern pygmy possum, C. concinnus
      • Tasmanian pygmy possum, C. lepidus
      • Eastern pygmy possum, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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
      • Savanna glider, P. ariel
      • Yellow-bellied glider, P. australis
      • Biak glider, P. biacensis
      • Sugar glider, P. breviceps
      • Mahogany glider, P. gracilis
      • Squirrel glider, P. norfolcensis
      • Krefft's glider, P. notatus
  • Family Tarsipedidae: (honey possum)
    • Genus Tarsipes
      • Honey possum or noolbenger, T. rostratus
  • Family Acrobatidae: (feathertail glider and feather-tailed possum)
    • Genus Acrobates
      • Feathertail glider, A. pygmaeus
    • Genus Distoechurus
      • Feather-tailed possum, D. pennatus

See also

Fauna of Australia

References

Eldridge, Mark D B; Beck, Robin M D; Croft, Darin A; Travouillon, Kenny J; Fox, Barry J (23 May 2019). "An emerging consensus in the evolution, phylogeny, and systematics of marsupials and their fossil relatives (Metatheria)". Journal of Mammalogy. 100 (3): 802–837. doi:10.1093/jmammal/gyz018. ISSN 0022-2372.
Groves, C. P. (2005). "Suborder Phalangeriformes". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 44–56. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
Warburton, Natalie M.; Prideaux, Gavin J. (2021). "The skeleton of Congruus kitcheneri, a semiarboreal kangaroo from the Pleistocene of southern Australia". Royal Society Open Science. 8 (3): 202216. Bibcode:2021RSOS....802216W. doi:10.1098/rsos.202216. PMC 8074921. PMID 33959368.

Eldridge, Mark D B; Beck, Robin M D; Croft, Darin A; Travouillon, Kenny J; Fox, Barry J (23 May 2019). "An emerging consensus in the evolution, phylogeny, and systematics of marsupials and their fossil relatives (Metatheria)". Journal of Mammalogy. 100 (3): 802–837. doi:10.1093/jmammal/gyz018. ISSN 0022-2372.

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.
Possums or Opossums? on Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Mammals Images

Biology Encyclopedia

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/"
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License

Home - Hellenica World