Pygmy possum
Encyclopedia
The pygmy possums are a family of small possum
s that together form the marsupial
family Burramyidae. There are five extant species
of pygmy possum, 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 to 4.7 in) long, and usually weigh between 10 to 50 g (0.35273962105112 to 1.8 oz). They are nocturnal and omnivorous
, living on a diet of invertebrate
s, fruit
, seed
, nectar and pollen
. They are excellent climbers, due in part to their possession of a prehensile
tail. Although they cannot glide like some other species of possum, some species are able to leap a long distance.
Conservation International
(CI) and the Indonesia
Institute of Science (LIPI) reported on the possible discovery of a new species of Cercartetus pygmy possum upon visit to the Foja Mountains
in June 2007.
and Cercartetus
. Burramys contains only one extant species, the Mountain Pygmy Possum
, Burramys parvus. As currently understood, Cercartetus consists of four extant species.
† = extinct species.
Possum
A possum is any of about 70 small to medium-sized arboreal marsupial species native to Australia, New Guinea, and Sulawesi .Possums are quadrupedal diprotodont marsupials with long tails...
s that together form the marsupial
Marsupial
Marsupials are an infraclass of mammals, characterized by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young. Close to 70% of the 334 extant species occur in Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands, with the remaining 100 found in the Americas, primarily in South America, but with thirteen in Central...
family Burramyidae. There are five extant species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of pygmy possum, grouped into two genera
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
. Four of the species are endemic to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, with one species also co-occurring in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
and Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
.
Pygmy possums range in length from about 5 to 12 cm (2 to 4.7 in) long, and usually weigh between 10 to 50 g (0.35273962105112 to 1.8 oz). They are nocturnal and omnivorous
Omnivore
Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...
, living on a diet of invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
s, fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
, seed
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
, nectar and pollen
Pollen
Pollen is a fine to coarse powder containing the microgametophytes of seed plants, which produce the male gametes . Pollen grains have a hard coat that protects the sperm cells during the process of their movement from the stamens to the pistil of flowering plants or from the male cone to the...
. They are excellent climbers, due in part to their possession of a prehensile
Prehensility
Prehensility is the quality of an appendage or organ that has adapted for grasping or holding. The word is derived from the Latin term prehendere, meaning "to grasp."-Examples:Appendages that can become prehensile include:...
tail. Although they cannot glide like some other species of possum, some species are able to leap a long distance.
Conservation International
Conservation International
Conservation International is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, which seeks to ensure the health of humanity by protecting Earth's ecosystems and biodiversity. CI’s work focuses on six key initiatives that affect human well-being: climate, food security, freshwater...
(CI) and the Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
Institute of Science (LIPI) reported on the possible discovery of a new species of Cercartetus pygmy possum upon visit to the Foja Mountains
Foja Mountains
The Foja Mountains are located just north of the Mamberamo river basin in Papua, Indonesia. The mountains rise to , and have 3,000 square kilometres of old growth tropical rainforest in the interior part of the range...
in June 2007.
Classification
There are two genera of pygmy possums: BurramysBurramys
Burramys is a genus of the family Burramyidae, and is represented by one living and 3 extinct species. It is one of two genera of pygmy possum, the other being Cercartetus.-Taxonomy:*Genus Burramys**†Burramys wakefieldi...
and Cercartetus
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....
. Burramys contains only one extant species, the Mountain Pygmy Possum
Mountain Pygmy Possum
The Mountain Pygmy Possum is a small, mouse-sized nocturnal marsupial of Australia found in dense alpine rock screes and boulder fields, mainly southern Victoria and around Mount Kosciuszko in Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales at elevations from 1300 to 2230 m...
, Burramys parvus. As currently understood, Cercartetus consists of four extant species.
- Family Burramyidae: pygmy possums
- Genus BurramysBurramysBurramys is a genus of the family Burramyidae, and is represented by one living and 3 extinct species. It is one of two genera of pygmy possum, the other being Cercartetus.-Taxonomy:*Genus Burramys**†Burramys wakefieldi...
- Mountain Pygmy PossumMountain Pygmy PossumThe Mountain Pygmy Possum is a small, mouse-sized nocturnal marsupial of Australia found in dense alpine rock screes and boulder fields, mainly southern Victoria and around Mount Kosciuszko in Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales at elevations from 1300 to 2230 m...
, Burramys parvus - †Burramys wakefieldi
- †Burramys tridactylus
- †Burramys brutyi
- Mountain Pygmy Possum
- Genus CercartetusCercartetusThe 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....
- Long-tailed Pygmy PossumLong-tailed Pygmy PossumThe Long-tailed Pygmy Possum is a diprotodont marsupial found in the rainforests of northern Australia, Indonesia and New Guinea...
, Cercartetus caudatus - Western Pygmy Possum, Cercartetus concinnus
- Tasmanian Pygmy PossumTasmanian Pygmy PossumThe Tasmanian pygmy possum , also known as the little pygmy possum, is the world's smallest possum. It was first described by Oldfield Thomas in 1888, after he identified that a museum specimen labelled as an eastern pygmy possum in fact represented a species then unknown to science...
, Cercartetus lepidus - Eastern Pygmy PossumEastern Pygmy PossumThe Eastern Pygmy Possum 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, sclerophyll forest, woodland and heath.This species is very small, weighing...
, Cercartetus nanus
- Long-tailed Pygmy Possum
- Genus Burramys
† = extinct species.