Cercartetus
Encyclopedia
The genus Cercartetus is a group of very small possums known as pygmy possum
s. Four species comprise this genus, which together with the genus Burramys
make up the marsupial family Burramyidae.
It has occasionally been presumed that Cercaërtus was a mis-spelling or synonym of Cercartetus. However, the name Cercaërtus is a junior synonym of Trichosurus and not of Cercartetus.
Conservation International
(CI) and the Indonesia
Institute of Science (LIPI) reported on the possible discovery of a new species of Cercartetus pygmy possum upon visit to the Foja Mountains
in June 2007.
Pygmy possum
The pygmy possums are a family of small possums that together form the marsupial family Burramyidae. There are five extant species of pygmy possum, grouped into two genera. Four of the species are endemic to Australia, with one species also co-occurring in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.Pygmy...
s. Four species comprise this genus, which together with the genus Burramys
Burramys
Burramys is a genus of the family Burramyidae, and is represented by one living and 3 extinct species. It is one of two genera of pygmy possum, the other being Cercartetus.-Taxonomy:*Genus Burramys**†Burramys wakefieldi...
make up the marsupial family Burramyidae.
It has occasionally been presumed that Cercaërtus was a mis-spelling or synonym of Cercartetus. However, the name Cercaërtus is a junior synonym of Trichosurus and not of Cercartetus.
Conservation International
Conservation International
Conservation International is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, which seeks to ensure the health of humanity by protecting Earth's ecosystems and biodiversity. CI’s work focuses on six key initiatives that affect human well-being: climate, food security, freshwater...
(CI) and the Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
Institute of Science (LIPI) reported on the possible discovery of a new species of Cercartetus pygmy possum upon visit to the Foja Mountains
Foja Mountains
The Foja Mountains are located just north of the Mamberamo river basin in Papua, Indonesia. The mountains rise to , and have 3,000 square kilometres of old growth tropical rainforest in the interior part of the range...
in June 2007.
Species
- Genus Cercartetus
- Long-tailed Pygmy PossumLong-tailed Pygmy PossumThe Long-tailed Pygmy Possum is a diprotodont marsupial found in the rainforests of northern Australia, Indonesia and New Guinea...
, Cercartetus caudatus - Southwestern Pygmy PossumSouthwestern Pygmy PossumThe southwestern pygmy possum , commonly known as the western pygmy possum or the mundarda, is a small marsupial found in Australia...
, Cercartetus concinnus - Tasmanian Pygmy PossumTasmanian Pygmy PossumThe Tasmanian pygmy possum , also known as the little pygmy possum, is the world's smallest possum. It was first described by Oldfield Thomas in 1888, after he identified that a museum specimen labelled as an eastern pygmy possum in fact represented a species then unknown to science...
, Cercartetus lepidus - Eastern Pygmy PossumEastern Pygmy PossumThe Eastern Pygmy Possum is a diprotodont marsupial of south-eastern Australia. Occurring from southern Queensland to eastern South Australia and also Tasmania, it is found in a range of habitats, including rainforest, sclerophyll forest, woodland and heath.This species is very small, weighing...
, Cercartetus nanus
- Long-tailed Pygmy Possum