General Description
Body fur grey, becoming pale grey underneath. Nose area pink. Dark ring of fur around eye and rounded ears. Tail pink-brown, coiled, and never swollen at the base. The smallest possum. Body up to 7 cm, tail up to 8 cm.
Biology
Little Pygmy Possums make round nests from bark and leaves in tree hollows or underneath mounds of grass. They feed primarily on nectar but also consume pollen and insects. They breed at different times of the year in different states of Australia. They can enter a state of torpor (inactivity) during unfavourable conditions.
Distribution
Eastern South Australia, Western Victoria and Tasmania.
Habitat
Forests, heath, spinifex grass and woodlands.
More Information
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Animal Type
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Animal SubType
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Brief Id
Contrasting grey upper body and white lower body.
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Colours
Grey, White
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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, Arthropods, Insects
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Endemicity
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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
Little Pygmy Possum
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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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Superfamily
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Family
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Genus
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Species Name
lepidus