Long-tailed Pygmy Possum
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| Cercartetus caudatus (Milne-Edwards, 1877) |
The Long-tailed Pygmy Possum (Cercartetus caudatus) is a diprotodont marsupial found in the rainforests of northern Australia, Indonesia and New Guinea. Living at altitudes of about 300 meters, it eats insects and nectar and may eay pollen in place of insects in the wild.
This pygmy possum has large eyes, mouse/rodent-like ears, a pouch that opens anteriorly, and a tail that is sometimes half as long as the possum's own body, giving the possum its name.
Not much is known of this possum's behavior, but what is known is that this species is both nocturnal and arboreal. In cold weather it becomes torpid and looks and feels dead, but wakes at night. Not much is known on the orgin of this torpor.
This species breeds twice a year. Females have 1-4 young born around January and February and sometimes a second litter from late August to early September. The young leave the nest when they are 45 days old.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ Groves, Colin (16 November 2005). Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 44. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.
- ^ Australasian Marsupial & Monotreme Specialist Group (1996). Cercartetus caudatus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 2006-07-21.
