Tasmanian Pygmy Possum

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iTasmanian Pygmy Possum
Conservation status
Least concern (LR/lc)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Infraclass: Marsupialia Order: Diprotodontia Family: Burramyidae Genus: Cercartetus Species: C. lepidus
Binomial name
Cercartetus lepidus Thomas, 1888

The Tasmanian Pygmy Possum (Cercartetus lepidus), also known as the Little Pygmy Possum, is Australia's smallest possum. It is found in Tasmania, in the Murray-Darling basin in South Australia and Victoria and on Kangaroo Island. The Tasmanian Pygmy Possum is an arboreal species with a prehensile tail, that occurs in sclerophyll forests.

The body of the Tasmanian Pygmy Possum is on average 64 mm in length, with a 71 mm long tail, and weighs on average 7 g. The Tasmanian Pygmy Possum is insectivirous.

[edit] References

• Australasian Marsupial & Monotreme Specialist Group (1996). Cercartetus lepidus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006.
• Groves, Colin (16 November 2005). Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 45. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.