Phalangeriformes are quadrupedal marsupials with long tails. They are a paraphyletic suborder of Diprotodontia, consisting of about 70 species of small to medium-sized marsupials native to Australia, New Guinea, and Sulawesi. It includes possums, gliders, and cuscus.

Phalangeriformes species are typically nocturnal and at least partially arboreal. They mostly inhabit 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).

The smallest phalangeriforme species, indeed the smallest diprotodont marsupial, is the Tasmanian pygmy possum, with an adult head-body length of and a weight of . The largest are the two species of bear cuscus, which may exceed .

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"). However, although opossums are also marsupials, Australasian possums are more closely related to other Australasian marsupials such as kangaroos.

Classification

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. 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.

Classification:

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 Tous

• Ring-tailed glider, T. ayamaruensis

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

• Western ringtail possum, P. occidentalis

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)

Subfamily Dactylopsilinae

Genus Dactylopsila

• Great-tailed triok, D. megalura

• Long-fingered triok, D. palpator

• Tate's triok, D. tatei

• Striped possum, D. trivirgata

Genus Dactylonax

• Pygmy long-fingered possum, D. kambuayai

Subfamily Petaurinae

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

The following cladogram is based on information from Álvarez-Carretero et al. 2022:

See also

• Fauna of Australia

References

Further reading

• Possums and Gliders – Australia Zoo

• Urban Possums – ABC (Science), Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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