General Description
Upper body parts grey, underparts white. Tail long, thin and feather-shaped. Gliding membrane of skin between the elbow and the ankle. Body up to 8 cm, tail up to 10 cm.
Biology
Feathertail Gliders are the world's smallest gliding possum, weighing about 14 g. Their food includes insects and pollen. They are rarely seen because they spend most of their time in the trees 20 metres or more above ground. Occasionally they can be spotted at night with a bright torch but can be hard to see as they often freeze in the spotlight.
Distribution
Eastern mainland Australia.
Habitat
Eucalypt forests.
More Information
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Animal Type
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Animal SubType
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Brief Id
A tiny tree-dwelling possum with a feather-shaped tail and gliding membrane stretching from the elbow to the knee.
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Colours
Grey, White
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Maximum Size
8 cm
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Habitats
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Where To Look
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When Active
Nocturnal
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Diet
Omnivore
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Diet Categories
Nectar, Insects, Arthropods
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Endemicity
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Commercial
No
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Conservation Statuses
CITES: Not listed, FFG Threatened List: Not listed, EPBC Act 1999: Not listed, IUCN Red List: Least Concern
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Taxon Name
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Common Name
Feathertail Glider
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Kingdom
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Phylum
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Subphylum
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Class
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Superorder
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Order
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Suborder
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Family
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Subfamily
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Genus
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Species Name
pygmaeus
