Feather-tailed Glider
Acrobates pygmaeus
- Class
- Mammal
- Rarity
- Common
- Observations
- 237
- Most observed in
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- Conservation
- Least Concern
Description
The feathertail glider (Acrobates pygmaeus), also known as the pygmy gliding possum, pygmy glider, pygmy phalanger, flying phalanger and flying mouse, is a species of marsupial native to eastern Australia. It is the world's smallest gliding mammal and is named for its long feather-shaped tail. A second species, the broad-toed feathertail glider (Acrobates (Dromicia) frontalis, De Vis 1887) is recognised by some authors based on unpublished genetic studies and cryptic morphological differences in toe and tail characteristics. With this recognition, it is suggested that Acrobates pygmaeus takes the common name narrow-toed feathertail glider.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article “Feathertail glider”.