Lemuroid ringtail possum

Species of marsupial

Lemuroid ringtail possum[1]
Conservation status

Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Diprotodontia
Family: Pseudocheiridae
Subfamily: Hemibelideinae
Genus: Hemibelideus
Collett, 1884
Species:
H. lemuroides
Binomial name
Hemibelideus lemuroides
(Collett, 1884)
Lemuroid ringtail possum range

The lemuroid ringtail possum (Hemibelideus lemuroides), also known as the lemur-like ringtail possum or the brushy-tailed ringtail, is a truly singular member of the ringtail possum group. It was once thought that they were greater gliders (Petauroides volans); Hemibelideus literally translates as "half-glider" (belideus being a diminutive form of Petaurus, meaning "glider").[3] Named for their facial characteristics visually similar to the unrelated primate lemurs, with short snouts, large, forward-facing eyes and small ears, they are similar to other gliding possums in their musculo-skeletal adaptations to accommodate a leaping lifestyle. Their long, prehensile tail is a further adaptation to their arboreal habitat.[3]

In Queensland, Australia

It has a bushier tail when compared to other ringtails, and can be distinguished from the greater glider by its lack of gliding membrane and much shorter, hairless ears. It is a social possum, and is found in two main colour forms: the more common brownish-gray form,[3] with a yellowish underbelly, and a rare white form, which occurred in the Daintree Rainforest and was last seen in 2005 in Mount Lewis National Park, and in 2008 believed to have been nearly extinct.[4][5][6]

This possum is found in a small area of only about 300,000 hectares in total, between Ingham and Cairns in Queensland, Australia, and in an isolated population on the Mount Carbine Tableland,[4] both within the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.[6] They are strictly arboreal and live in the high canopies of mature forests and favour particular tree types, usually found above 480–900 metres in elevation. Body length is 30–38 cm and tail length 30–35 cm, weighing between 810 and 1140 grams.[3]

Stephen Williams, researcher on climate change and biodiversity at the Centre for Tropical Biodiversity and Climate Change at James Cook University, Queensland, stated that none were seen for several years after the heat waves of 2005, when first a few were spotted (three were observed in the Daintree National Park, on Cape York Peninsula in 2009[7]) then increasing numbers as they slowly recovered.[6] Williams said in 2009 that there was no reason to believe the white variant would be impacted more than the brown.[7]

Then the next heatwave in struck in November 2018, when the Cairns region was hit by the highest temperatures since records began – even the highest mountain in the wet tropics reached 39 °C. Many tropical species cannot cope with extreme heat, not having evolved mechanisms to cool their bodies down, according to Williams; they can die from temperatures above 29 degrees. He said that over the past 15 years systematically species have started to disappear from the lower elevations, causing the total populations to decline as they are constrained to smaller areas at higher elevations. This puts pressure on creatures living in the mountain summits such as the lemuroid possum, which have nowhere else to go; the nearest rainforest is 1000 kilometres away.[6]

References

  1. ^ Groves, C. P. (2005). Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 50–51. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. OCLC 62265494.
  2. ^ Burnett, S.; Winter, J. (2019). "Hemibelideus lemuroides". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T9869A21962427. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T9869A21962427.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d Humfleet, Jennifer (2006). "Hemibelideus lemuroides: lemuroid ringtail possum". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  4. ^ a b Menkhorst, Peter (2001). A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia. Oxford University Press. p. 98.
  5. ^ Malkin, Bonnie (3 December 2008). "Australia's white possum could be first victim of climate change". The Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. ISSN 0307-1235. OCLC 49632006. Archived from the original on 12 September 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  6. ^ a b c d Deacon, Ben (3 February 2019). "As the cloud forests get hotter, the white lemuroid possum gets closer to extinction". ABC News. Archived from the original on 3 February 2019. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  7. ^ a b Schwarten, Evan (27 March 2009). "'Extinct' possum found in Daintree". Nine News. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  • Hemibelideus lemuroides on Animal Diversity Web
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Extant Diprotodontia species
Suborder Vombatiformes
Phascolarctidae
Phascolarctos
  • Koala (P. cinereus)
Vombatidae
(wombats)
Vombatus
  • Common wombat (V. ursinus)
Lasiorhinus
  • Southern hairy-nosed wombat (L. latifrons)
  • Northern hairy-nosed wombat (L. krefftii)
Suborder Phalangeriformes (possums)
Phalangeridae
(including cuscuses)
Ailurops
(bear cuscuses)
  • Talaud bear cuscus (A. melanotis)
  • Sulawesi bear cuscus (A. ursinus)
Phalanger
  • Gebe cuscus (P. alexandrae)
  • Mountain cuscus (P. carmelitae)
  • Ground cuscus (P. gymnotis)
  • Eastern common cuscus (P. intercastellanus)
  • Woodlark cuscus (P. lullulae)
  • Blue-eyed cuscus (P. matabiru)
  • Telefomin cuscus (P. matanim)
  • Southern common cuscus (P. mimicus)
  • Northern common cuscus (P. orientalis)
  • Ornate cuscus (P. ornatus)
  • Rothschild's cuscus (P. rothschildi)
  • Silky cuscus (P. sericeus)
  • Stein's cuscus (P. vestitus)
Spilocuscus
  • Admiralty Island cuscus (S. kraemeri)
  • Common spotted cuscus (S. maculatus)
  • Waigeou cuscus (S. papuensis)
  • Black-spotted cuscus (S. rufoniger)
  • Blue-eyed spotted cuscus (S. wilsoni)
Strigocuscus
  • Sulawesi dwarf cuscus (S. celebensis)
  • Banggai cuscus (S. pelegensis)
Trichosurus
(brushtail possums)
  • Northern brushtail possum (T. arnhemensis)
  • Short-eared possum (T. caninus)
  • Mountain brushtail possum (T. cunninghami)
  • Coppery brushtail possum (T. johnstonii)
  • Common brushtail possum (T. vulpecula)
Wyulda
  • Scaly-tailed possum (W. squamicaudata)
Burramyidae
(pygmy possums)
Burramys
  • Mountain pygmy possum (B. parvus)
Cercartetus
  • Long-tailed pygmy possum (C. caudatus)
  • Western pygmy possum (C. concinnus)
  • Tasmanian pygmy possum (C. lepidus)
  • Eastern pygmy possum (C. nanus)
Tarsipedidae
Tarsipes
  • Honey possum (T. rostratus)
Petauridae
Dactylopsila
  • Great-tailed triok (D. megalura)
  • Long-fingered triok (D. palpator)
  • Tate's triok (D. tatei)
  • Striped possum (D. trivirgata)
Gymnobelideus
  • Leadbeater's possum (G. leadbeateri)
Petaurus
  • Northern glider (P. abidi)
  • Yellow-bellied glider (P. australis)
  • Biak glider (P. biacensis)
  • Sugar glider (P. breviceps)
  • Mahogany glider (P. gracilis)
  • Squirrel glider (P. norfolcensis)
Pseudocheiridae
Hemibelideus
  • Lemur-like ringtail possum (H. lemuroides)
Petauroides
(greater gliders)
  • Central greater glider (P. armillatus)
  • Northern greater glider (P. minor)
  • Southern greater glider (P. volans)
Petropseudes
  • Rock-haunting ringtail possum (P. dahli)
Pseudocheirus
  • Common ringtail possum (P. peregrinus)
Pseudochirulus
  • Lowland ringtail possum (P. canescens)
  • Weyland ringtail possum (P. caroli)
  • Cinereus ringtail possum (P. cinereus)
  • Painted ringtail possum (P. forbesi)
  • Herbert River ringtail possum (P. herbertensis)
  • Masked ringtail possum (P. larvatus)
  • Pygmy ringtail possum (P. mayeri)
  • Vogelkop ringtail possum (P. schlegeli)
Pseudochirops
  • D'Albertis's ringtail possum (P. albertisii)
  • Green ringtail possum (P. archeri)
  • Plush-coated ringtail possum (P. corinnae)
  • Reclusive ringtail possum (P. coronatus)
  • Coppery ringtail possum (P. cupreus)
Acrobatidae
Acrobates
  • Feathertail glider (A. pygmaeus)
Distoechurus
  • Feather-tailed possum (D. pennatus)
Macropodidae
(includes wallabies)
Lagostrophus
  • Banded hare-wallaby (L. fasciatus)
Dendrolagus
(tree-kangaroos)
  • Bennett's tree-kangaroo (D. bennettianus)
  • Doria's tree-kangaroo (D. dorianus)
  • Goodfellow's tree-kangaroo (D. goodfellowi)
  • Grizzled tree-kangaroo (D. inustus)
  • Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo (D. lumholtzi)
  • Matschie's tree-kangaroo (D. matschiei)
  • Dingiso (D. mbaiso)
  • Ifola (D. notatus)
  • Golden-mantled tree-kangaroo (D. pulcherrimus)
  • Lowlands tree-kangaroo (D. spadix)
  • Tenkile (D. scottae)
  • Seri's tree-kangaroo (D. stellarum)
  • Ursine tree-kangaroo (D. ursinus)
Dorcopsis
  • Black dorcopsis (D. atrata)
  • White-striped dorcopsis (D. hageni)
  • Gray dorcopsis (D. luctuosa)
  • Brown dorcopsis (D. muelleri)
Dorcopsulus
  • Macleay's dorcopsis (D. macleayi)
  • Small dorcopsis (D. vanheurni)
Lagorchestes
(hare-wallabies)
  • Spectacled hare-wallaby (L. conspicillatus)
  • Rufous hare-wallaby (L. hirsutus)
Macropus
  • Western grey kangaroo (M. fuliginosus)
  • Eastern grey kangaroo (M. giganteus)
Notamacropus
  • Agile wallaby (N. agilis)
  • Black-striped wallaby (N. dorsalis)
  • Tammar wallaby (N. eugenii)
  • Western brush wallaby (N. irma)
  • Parma wallaby (N. parma)
  • Whiptail wallaby (N. parryi)
  • Red-necked wallaby (N. rufogriseus)
Onychogalea
(nail-tail wallabies)
  • Bridled nail-tail wallaby (O. fraenata)
  • Northern nail-tail wallaby (O. unguifera)
Osphranter
  • Antilopine kangaroo (O. antilopinus)
  • Black wallaroo (O. bernardus)
  • Common wallaroo (O. robustus)
  • Red kangaroo (O. rufus)
Petrogale
(rock-wallabies)
  • P. brachyotis species group: Short-eared rock-wallaby (P. brachyotis)
  • Monjon (P. burbidgei)
  • Nabarlek (P. concinna)
  • Eastern short-eared rock-wallaby (P. wilkinsi)
  • P. xanthopus species group: Proserpine rock-wallaby (P. persephone)
  • Rothschild's rock-wallaby (P. rothschildi)
  • Yellow-footed rock-wallaby (P. xanthopus)
  • P. lateralis/penicillata species group: Allied rock-wallaby (P. assimilis)
  • Cape York rock-wallaby (P. coenensis)
  • Godman's rock-wallaby (P. godmani)
  • Herbert's rock-wallaby (P. herberti)
  • Unadorned rock-wallaby (P. inornata)
  • Black-flanked rock-wallaby (P. lateralis)
  • Mareeba rock-wallaby (P. mareeba)
  • Brush-tailed rock-wallaby (P. penicillata)
  • Purple-necked rock-wallaby (P. purpureicollis)
  • Mount Claro rock-wallaby (P. sharmani)
Setonix
  • Quokka (S. brachyurus)
Thylogale
(pademelons)
  • Tasmanian pademelon (T. billardierii)
  • Brown's pademelon (T. browni)
  • Dusky pademelon (T. brunii)
  • Calaby's pademelon (T. calabyi)
  • Mountain pademelon (T. lanatus)
  • Red-legged pademelon (T. stigmatica)
  • Red-necked pademelon (T. thetis)
Wallabia
  • Swamp wallaby (W. bicolor)
Potoroidae
Aepyprymnus
  • Rufous rat-kangaroo (A. rufescens)
Bettongia
(bettongs)
  • Eastern bettong (B. gaimardi)
  • Boodie (B. lesueur)
  • Woylie (B. penicillata)
  • Northern bettong (B. tropica)
Potorous
(potoroos)
  • Long-footed potoroo (P. longipes)
  • Long-nosed potoroo (P. tridactylus)
  • Gilbert's potoroo (P. gilbertii)
Hypsiprymnodontidae
Hypsiprymnodon
  • Musky rat-kangaroo (H. moschatus)
Taxon identifiers
Hemibelideus lemuroides