Possum

see also: Etymology of Possum

The possum (pl.: possums, and not posed , because the name is of American origin and not Latin E) is a member of the 63 species of arboricolous marsupials of small or of average cuts originating in Australia, New Guinea and the Sulawesi. Their name derives from that of the American Opossum S which they resemble (from where the confusion, corrected by the suppression of the O , made at the beginning of their discovery) but of which they are only distances parents. However, the name of possum is a diminutive used to indicate the Opossum of Virginia Nord-américain

The possums are small marsupials with gray or brown fur whose size varies from 10 to 40 cm following the species. Their stinking odor is due to glands with musk located behind the ears. They are omnivorous night animals, hidden in a cavity of tree in the course of the day and leaving during the night to seek their food. They play the same part in the ecosystem océanien as the squirrels in the northern hemisphere, which they resemble much.

The two most known species of possums are:

the Phalanger fox (English: Common Brushtail Possum , Latin: Trichosurus vulpecula ) and
the Possum with tail out of ring (English: Common Ringtail Possum , Latin: Pseudocheirus peregrinus )

The flying possums and squirrels belong to the sub-order of the Phalangériformes, divided into two superfamilles: Phalangeroidea and Petauroidea one can quote

the Planeur of sugar ( Petaurus breviceps )

Under order of the PHALANGERIFORMES : allied possums, sailplanes and

Superfamille Phalangeroidea

Family Burramyidae: (possums pigmées)

Kind Burramys

dwarf Possum of the mountains, Burramys parvus , (Mountain Pygmy Possum)

Kind Cercartetus

Possum Pygmy with long tail, Cercartetus caudatus , (Length-tailed Pygmy Possum)
Cercartetus concinnus, Cercartetus concinnus , (Southwestern Pygmy Possum)
Cercartetus lepidus, Cercartetus lepidus , (Tasmanian Pygmy Possum)
Phalanger Pygmy, Cercartetus nanus , (Eastern Pygmy Possum)

Family Phalangeridae:

Under Family Ailuropinae

Kind Ailurops

Ailurops melanotis, Ailurops melanotis , (Talaud Bear Cuscus)
Ailurops ursinus, Ailurops ursinus , (Sulawesi Bear Cuscus)

Under Family Phalangerinae

Tribe Phalangerini

Kind Phalanger

Phalanger alexandrae, Phalanger alexandrae , (Gebe Cuscus)
Phalanger carmelitae, Phalanger carmelitae , (Mountain Cuscus)
Phalanger gymnotis, Phalanger gymnotis , (Cuscus Ground)
Phalanger intercastellanus, Phalanger intercastellanus , (Eastern Common Cuscus)
Phalanger lullulae, Phalanger lullulae , (Woodlark Cuscus)
Phalanger matabiru, Phalanger matabiru , (Blue-eyed Cuscus)
Phalanger matanim, Phalanger matanim , (Telefomin Cuscus)
Phalanger mimicus, Phalanger mimicus , (Southern Common Cuscus)
Phalanger orientalis, Phalanger orientalis , (Northern Common Cuscus)
Phalanger ornatus, Phalanger ornatus , (Ornate Cuscus)
Phalanger rothsschildi, Phalanger rothsschildi , (Rothschild' S Cuscus)
Phalanger sericeus, Phalanger sericeus , (Silky Cuscus)
Phalanger vestitus, Phalanger vestitus , (Stein' S Cuscus)

Kind Spilocuscus

Spilocuscus kraemeri, Spilocuscus kraemeri , (Admirality Island Cuscus)
Spilocuscus maculatus, Spilocuscus maculatus , (Common Spotted Cuscus)
Spilocuscus papuensis, Spilocuscus papuensis , (Waigeou Cuscus)
Spilocuscus rufoniger, Spilocuscus rufoniger , (Black-spotted Cuscus)
Spilocuscus wilsoni, Spilocuscus wilsoni , (Blue-eyed Spotted Cuscus)

Tribe Trichosurini

Kind Strigocuscus

Strigocuscus celebensis, Strigocuscus celebensis , (Sulawesi Dwarf Cuscus)
Strigocuscus pelegensis, Strigocuscus pelegensis , (Banggai Cuscus)

Kind Trichosurus

Trichosurus arnhemensis, Trichosurus arnhemensis , (Northern Brushtail Possum)
Trichosurus caninus, Trichosurus caninus , (Possum Shorts-eared)
Trichosurus cunninghami, Trichosurus cunninghami , (Mountain Brushtail Possum)
Trichosurus johnstonii, Trichosurus johnstonii , (Coppery Brushtail Possum)
Trichosurus vulpecula Trichosurus vulpecula (Common Brushtail Possum)

Kind Wyulda

Wyulda squamicaudata, Wyulda squamicaudata , (Scaly-tailed Possum)

Superfamille Petauroidea

Family Pseudocheiridae

Under Family Hemibelideinae

Kind Hemibelideus

Phalanger lemur, Hemibelideus lemuroides , (Lemur-like Ringtail Possum)

Kind Petauroides

Large sailplane, Petauroides volans , (Greater Glider)

Under Family Pseudocheirinae

Kind Petropseudes

Petropseudes dahli, Petropseudes dahli , (Rock'n'roll-haunting Ringtail Possum)

Kind Pseudocheirus

Possum with tail out of ring, Pseudocheirus peregrinus , (Common Ringtail Possum)

Kind Pseudochirulus

Pseudochirulus canescens, Pseudochirulus canescens , (Lowland Ringtail Possum)

Pseudochirulus caroli, Pseudochirulus caroli , (Weyland Ringtail Possum)

Pseudochirulus canescens, Pseudochirulus canescens , (Cinereus Ringtail Possum)

Pseudochirulus forbesi, Pseudochirulus forbesi , (Painted Ringtail Possum)

Pseudochirulus herbertensis, Pseudochirulus herbertensis , (Herbert To rivet Ringtail Possum)

Pseudochirulus larvatus, Pseudochirulus larvatus , (Masked Ringtail Possum)

Pseudochirulus mayeri, Pseudochirulus mayeri , (Pygmy Ringtail Possum)

Pseudochirulus schlegeli, Pseudochirulus schlegeli , (Vogelkop Ringtail Possum)

Under Family Pseudochiropinae

Kind Pseudochirops

Pseudochirops albertisii, Pseudochirops albertisii , (D' Albertis' Ringtail Possum)

Pseudochirops archeri, Pseudochirops archeri , (Green Ringtail Possum)

Pseudochirops corinnae, Pseudochirops corinnae , (Plush-coated Ringtail Possum)

Pseudochirops coronatus, Pseudochirops coronatus , (Reclusive Ringtail Possum)

Pseudochirops cupreus, Pseudochirops cupreus , (Coppery Ringtail Possum)

Family Petauridae

Kind Dactylopsila

Triok with large tail, Dactylopsila will megalura , (Great-tailed Triok)

Triok with long finger, Dactylopsila palpator , (Triok Length-fingered)

Possum striped of the Islands Fergusson, Dactylopsila tatei , (Tate' S Triok)

Possum striped, Dactylopsila trivirgata , (Striped Possum)

Genre Gymnobelideus

Possum de Leadbeater, Gymnobelideus leadbeateri , (Leadbeater' S Possum)

Genre Petaurus

Scandinavian Sailplane, Petaurus abidi , (Northern Glider)

Petaurus australis, Petaurus australis , (Yellow-bellied Glider)

Petaurus biacensis, Petaurus biacensis , (Biak Glider=

Sailplane of sugar, Petaurus breviceps , (Sugar Glider)

Petaurus gracilis, Petaurus gracilis , (Mahogany Glider)

Squirrel sailplane, Petaurus norfolcensis , (Squirrel Glider)

Family Tarsipedidae

Kind Tarsipes

Mouse with honey, Tarsipes rostratus (Honey Possum)

Family Acrobatidae

Kind Acrobats

Acrobat Pygmy ', Acrobats pygmaeus (" Feathertail Glider")

Kind Distoechurus

Phalanger with feathery tail, Distoechurus pennatus (Feather-tailed Possum)

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