Striped Possum
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| Striped Possum[1] | ||||||||||||||||
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| Dactylopsila trivirgata Gray, 1858 |
The Striped Possum (Dactylopsila trivirgata) is a member of the Petauridae family, one of the marsupial families. It is found in Australia and on the island of New Guinea, as well as several other small islands in the area. It is notable for its distinctive coloration. The species is black with three white stripes running head to tail, with white limbs and underbelly. They are closely related to the Sugar Glider, and are similar in appearance.
This possum looks like a black and white squirrel, its size is between 25 and 27 cm long. Its fourth finger is larger than the others and uses it to take beetles and caterpillars out from trees' barks. The Striped Possum can only be found by hearing the sound it makes chewing and drinking in the forest.
The Striped Possum is one of the least known marsupials.
[edit] References
- ^ Groves, Colin (16 November 2005). in Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 54. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.
- ^ Australasian Marsupial & Monotreme Specialist Group (1996). Dactylopsila trivirgata. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 09 May 2006.
- Briggs, Mike; Briggs, Peggy (2004). The Encyclopedia of World Wildlife. Paragon. ISBN 1-4054-3679-4.
[edit] External links
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