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Feathertail glider

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Feathertail glider [1]
Scientific classification
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Acrobates

Desmarest, 1818
Binomial name
Acrobates pygmaeus
Shaw, 1793

The feathertail glider (Acrobates pygmaeus), also known as the pygmy gliding possum, pygmy glider or flying mouse,[3] is the world's smallest gliding mammal. It is named after its long feather-shaped tail. Although only the size of a very small mouse (65 to 80 mm and 10 to 14 g), it can leap and glide long distances from tree to tree, up to 25 metres. Like other gliding mammals, the feathertail glider has a skin membrane between the fore and hind legs; thicker than that of the other marsupials like the sugar glider, but smaller in proportion, extending only between the elbows and knees.

References

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  1. Groves, Colin (2005). Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 56. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.
  2. Australasian Marsupial & Monotreme Specialist Group (1996). Acrobates pygmaeus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006.
  3. "The feathertail glider". Archived from the original on 2007-02-20. Retrieved 2007-02-16.