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Pygmy possums Temporal range: Pleistocene–Recent PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Eastern pygmy possum (Cercartetus nanus)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Infraclass:	Marsupialia
Order:	Diprotodontia
Suborder:	Phalangeriformes
Superfamily:	Phalangeroidea
Family:	Burramyidae Broom, 1898
Genera
Burramys Cercartetus

The pygmy possums are a family of small possums that together form the marsupial family Burramyidae. The five extant species of pygmy possum are 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 (2.0 to 4.7 in), and usually weigh between 10 and 50 grams (0.35 and 1.76 oz). They are nocturnal and omnivorous, living on a diet of invertebrates, fruit, seed, nectar and pollen. They are excellent climbers, due in part to their prehensile tails. Although they cannot glide like some possums, some species can leap long distances. They have a prehensile tail for grabbing branches, but spend most of their time on the ground.

Conservation International (CI) and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) reported the possible discovery of a new species of Cercartetus pygmy possum upon visit to the Foja Mountains in June 2007.

The mountain pygmy possum is the only mammal restricted to the alpine and sub-alpine areas of mainland Australia. It was thought to be extinct until rediscovered in 1966 at Mt Higginbotham in Victoria. They are the only Australian marsupial that hibernates. Given the alpine climates in which they live they store energy in fat deposits before rolling into a ball and engaging in heterothermy during winter months.

Classification

The two genera of pygmy possums are Burramys and Cercartetus. Burramys contains only one extant species, the mountain pygmy possum, B. parvus. As currently understood, Cercartetus consists of four extant species.

• Family Burramyidae: pygmy possums
  • Genus Burramys
    • Mountain pygmy possum, B. parvus
    • †Burramys wakefieldi
    • †Burramys triradiatus
    • †Burramys brutyi
  • Genus Cercartetus
    • Long-tailed pygmy possum, C. caudatus
    • Western pygmy possum, C. concinnus
    • Tasmanian pygmy possum, C. lepidus
    • Eastern pygmy possum, C. nanus

† = extinct species

References

1. Groves, C. P. (2005). Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 44–45. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. OCLC 62265494.
2. Turner, Vivienne & McKay, G. M. (1989). "27. Burramyidae". In Walton, D.W. & Richardson, B. J. (eds.). Fauna of Australia, Volume 1B: Mammalia. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. ISBN 0-644-06056-5.
3. "Afp.google.com, Two new mammals found in Indonesian 'lost world': green group". Archived from the original on 2007-06-09. Retrieved 2007-12-17.

External links

• Mikko's Phylogeny Archive

v t e Phalangerida
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Diprotodontia
Phalangerida Phalangerida †Miminipossum †Pilkipildridae Djilgaringa Pilkipildra Phalangeroidea †Durudawiri †Miralina Burramyidae Burramys Cercartetus †Ektopodontidae Chunia Darcius Ektopodon Ngathachunia Phalangeridae Ailurops †Archerus †Onirocuscus Phalanger Spilocuscus Strigocuscus Trichosurus Wyulda Petauroidea Tarsipes Acrobatidae Acrobates Distoechurus Petauridae Dactylopsila †Djaludjangi Gymnobelideus Petaurus Pseudocheiridae †Gawinga †Marlu Petropseudes Pseudochirops Hemibelideus †Paljara Peteuroides †Pildra Pseudocheirus Pseudochirulus †Pseudokoala Macropodiformes see below↓
Macropodiformes Macropodiformes †Barguru? †Bulungamaya †Gumardee †Ngamaroo †Palaeopotorous †Purtia †Wakiewakie Hypsiprymnodontidae †Ekaltadeta Hypsiprymnodon †Jackmahoneya †Propleopus †Balbaridae Balbaroo Galanarla Ganawamaya Nambaroo Wururoo Potoroidae Aepyprymnus Bettongia †Borungaboodie †Caloprymnus †Milliyowi Potorous Macropodidae †Cookeroo †Ganguroo †Nowidgee †Wabularoo †Wanburoo Lagostrophinae Lagostrophus †Tjukuru †Troposodon †Sthenurinae Archaeosimos Eosthenurus Hadronomas Metasthenurus Procoptodon Rhizosthenurus Simosthenurus Sthenurus Macropodinae †Baringa †Bohra †Congruus Dendrolagus Dorcopsis †Dorcopsoides Dorcopsulus †Kurrabi Lagorchestes Macropus Notamacropus Onychogalea Osphranter Petrogale †Prionotemnus †Protemnodon Setonix †Silvaroo Thylogale Wallabia †Watutia

• Possums
• Marsupials of Australia
• Extant Pleistocene first appearances