Description | The mountain pygmy possum (Burramys parvus) is a small, mouse-sized (weighs 45 grams (1.6Â oz)) nocturnal marsupial of Australia found in dense alpine rock screes and boulder fields, mainly southern Victoria and around Mount Kosciuszko in Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales at elevations from 1,300 to 2,230 metres (4,270 to 7,320Â ft). At almost 14Â cm (5.5Â in), its prehensile tail is longer than its 11Â cm (4.3Â in) combined head and body length. Its diet consists of insects (such as the bogong moth), fleshy fruits, nuts, nectar and seeds. Its body is covered in a thick coat of fine grey fur except for its stomach, which is cream coloured; its tail is hairless. On the underside of the female's body is a pouch containing four teats. This possum is the only extant species in the genus Burramys. It is also the only Australian mammal restricted to alpine habitat.
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Source Data | |
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Rank | species |
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Taxonomy (GBIF) | Life : Animalia : Chordata : Mammalia : Diprotodontia : Burramyidae : Burramys : Burramys parvus |
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Taxonomy (PBDB) | Life : Animalia : Chordata : Mammalia : Diprotodontia : Burramyidae : Burramys : Burramys parvus |
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Taxonomic Status (GBIF) | accepted |
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Classification (PBDB,GBIF) | |
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Generic Name | Burramys |
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Common Name | mountain pygmy possum |
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Scientific Name | Burramys parvus Broom, 1896 |
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Name Published In | Broom, Robert. 1896. On a small fossil marsupial with large grooved premolars. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 10: 563-567. |
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Opinions (PBDB) | Name | Rank | Opinion | Evidence | Author |
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Burramys parvus | species | belongs to Burramys | stated with evidence | Broom, 1896 | Burramys parvus | species | belongs to Burramys | stated without evidence | Ride, 1956 | Burramys parvus | species | belongs to Burramys | stated with evidence | Turner and McKay, 1989 |
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Status (PBDB) | extant |
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Taxon Size (PBDB) | 1 |
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Extant Size (PBDB) | 1 (100%) |
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First Recorded Appearance | 28.4 - 16.0 Ma Cenozoic |
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Environment | terrestrial (based on Mammalia) |
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Motility | actively mobile (based on Osteichthyes) |
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Diet | insectivore, frugivore (based on Burramyidae) |
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Reproduction | viviparous (based on Theria) |
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Taphonomy | phosphatic (based on Vertebrata) |
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Primary Reference (PBDB) | V. Turner and G. M. McKay. 1989. Burramyidae. In D.W. Walton, B.J. Richardson (eds.), Fauna of Australia Volume 1B |
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Common Name(s) | Burramys, Mountain Pygmy Possum |
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Wikipedia | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burramys_parvus |
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Turner V., McKay G. M. (1989) Burramyidae, Fauna of Australia Volume 1B, 652-664 |
Wilson, Don E., and DeeAnn M. Reeder, eds. (1992) Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, 2nd ed., 3rd printing - via Catalogue of Life |
Wilson, Don E., and DeeAnn M. Reeder, eds. (2005) Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, 3rd ed., vols. 1 & 2 - via Catalogue of Life |
Wilson, Don E., and DeeAnn M. Reeder, eds., 2005: null. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, 3rd ed., vols. 1 & 2. 2142. - via Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) |
Wilson, Don E., and DeeAnn M. Reeder, eds., 1992: null. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, 2nd ed., 3rd printing. xviii + 1207. - via Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) |