Petauridae facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Petauridae |
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| Petaurus breviceps | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Marsupialia |
| Order: | Diprotodontia |
| Suborder: | Phalangeriformes |
| Superfamily: | Petauroidea |
| Family: | Petauridae C.L. Bonaparte, 1838 |
| Genera | |
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Dactylopsila |
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The Petauridae family is a group of 11 different possum species. These animals are medium-sized and include four types of striped possums, six kinds of wrist-winged gliders, and the Leadbeater's possum. The Leadbeater's possum is special because it has only tiny, leftover gliding membranes.
Most of the wrist-winged gliders live in Australia. Most of the striped possums, which belong to the genus Dactylopsila, are found in New Guinea. However, some species from both groups live on both sides of the Torres Strait, which is a narrow sea channel.
All petaurids have clear markings on their faces and a distinct stripe down their back. They also have very large front teeth on their lower jaw and special teeth called molars with four bumps. Even though they look unique, petaurids are closely related to ringtail possums. Both families are part of a larger group called Petauroidea.
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What Do Petaurids Eat?
The wrist-winged gliders are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals. They especially love sap from trees and nectar from flowers. But they also eat many other foods to complete their diet. These gliders likely developed their ability to glide in the open forests of Australia. Gliding helps them move easily when the tree branches are not connected. It's not as useful in thick rainforests. Today, you can find gliders in New Guinea and many nearby small islands. Their ability to glide, which is similar to unrelated flying squirrels, is a cool example of convergent evolution. This means different animals can develop similar traits to adapt to their environment.
The striped possums, also known as trioks, are thought to have first appeared in New Guinea. The only Australian species, the Striped possum found in Cape York Peninsula, is believed to have moved there more recently. All striped possums are insectivores, meaning they eat insects. They have special body parts to help them catch insects. They have a heel-like bump on their wrist, which they might use to tap on wood. This tapping helps them find insect larvae hidden inside. They also have a very long fourth finger to pull the insects out of their hiding spots.
Types of Petaurids
Here are the different types of possums in the Petauridae family:
Dactylopsila Genus
- Great-tailed triok, Dactylopsila megalura
- Long-fingered triok, Dactylopsila palpator
- Tate's triok, Dactylopsila tatei
- Striped possum, Dactylopsila trivirgata
Gymnobelideus Genus
- Leadbeater's possum, Gymnobelideus leadbeateri
Petaurus Genus
- Northern glider, Petaurus abidi
- Yellow-bellied glider, Petaurus australis
- Biak glider, Petaurus biacensis
- Sugar glider, Petaurus breviceps
- Mahogany glider, Petaurus gracilis
- Squirrel glider, Petaurus norfolcensis
See also
In Spanish: Petáuridos para niños
Groves, Colin (16 November 2005). Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds). ed. Mammal Species of the World (3rd edition ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 53-55. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3.
