Feathertail Glider
Encyclopedia
The Feathertail Glider (Acrobates pygmaeus), also known as the Pygmy Gliding Possum, Pygmy Glider, Pygmy Phalanger, Flying Phalanger and Flying Mouse, is the world's smallest gliding possum and is named for 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 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 marsupial
s like the Sugar Glider
, but smaller in proportion, extending only between the elbows and knees. It is monotypical for its genus.
The tail is about the same length as the combined head/body, quite thin, moderately prehensile, and almost hairless except for two obvious rows of long, stiff hairs on either side. The tail, when held straight, looks like a double-sided comb. It is used to grip twigs and small branches, and to control gliding flight
: steering and then braking.
The coat is a uniform mid-grey, with dark patches around the eyes and often a white patch behind the ears. The underside is lighter; the ears are moderately large and rounded.
The natural habitat of the Feathertail Glider is the eastern seaboard of Australia
, and the glider's distribution is from North-Queensland
to Victoria
.
The Feathertail Glider's diet includes nectar, pollen
and arthropods.
The New Zoo in Poznań
, Poland
was the first zoo
in Europe
, in 25 years, to breed the Acrobates pygmaeus. The animals born in Poznań are now being sent to main European zoos, making all European captive populations of Feathertail Gliders from Poznan descent.
The Feathertail Glider was featured on the Australian 1 cent, until it was withdrawn from circulation in 1991. The 1 cent coins, along with the 2 cent coins, were later melted down to make bronze medals for the 2000 Summer Olympics
in Sydney.
Marsupial
Marsupials are an infraclass of mammals, characterized by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young. Close to 70% of the 334 extant species occur in Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands, with the remaining 100 found in the Americas, primarily in South America, but with thirteen in Central...
s like the Sugar Glider
Sugar Glider
The sugar glider is a small gliding possum originating from the marsupial family.The sugar glider is native to eastern and northern mainland Australia and is also native to New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago.- Habitat :Sugar gliders can be found all throughout the northern and eastern parts of...
, but smaller in proportion, extending only between the elbows and knees. It is monotypical for its genus.
The tail is about the same length as the combined head/body, quite thin, moderately prehensile, and almost hairless except for two obvious rows of long, stiff hairs on either side. The tail, when held straight, looks like a double-sided comb. It is used to grip twigs and small branches, and to control gliding flight
Gliding (flight)
Gliding flight is heavier-than-air flight without the use of thrust. It is employed by gliding animals and by aircraft such as gliders. The most common human application of gliding flight is in sport and recreation using aircraft designed for this purpose...
: steering and then braking.
The coat is a uniform mid-grey, with dark patches around the eyes and often a white patch behind the ears. The underside is lighter; the ears are moderately large and rounded.
The natural habitat of the Feathertail Glider is the eastern seaboard of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and the glider's distribution is from North-Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
to Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
.
The Feathertail Glider's diet includes nectar, pollen
Pollen
Pollen is a fine to coarse powder containing the microgametophytes of seed plants, which produce the male gametes . Pollen grains have a hard coat that protects the sperm cells during the process of their movement from the stamens to the pistil of flowering plants or from the male cone to the...
and arthropods.
The New Zoo in Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
was the first zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, in 25 years, to breed the Acrobates pygmaeus. The animals born in Poznań are now being sent to main European zoos, making all European captive populations of Feathertail Gliders from Poznan descent.
Coins to medals
The Feathertail Glider was featured on the Australian 1 cent, until it was withdrawn from circulation in 1991. The 1 cent coins, along with the 2 cent coins, were later melted down to make bronze medals for the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in Sydney.
External links
- Photos and information about the Feathertail Glider — Wildlife Preservation Society of QueenslandWildlife Preservation Society of QueenslandThe Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland is a Queensland based conservation organisation. The Society was founded in 1962 by Judith Wright, Brian Clouston, David Fleay and Kathleen McArthur...
- Gliders in the Spotlight — Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland
- Information about the Feathertail Glider — BIRD website
- Photos and information about the Feathertail Glider — Mammals of Lamington National Park
- Photos and information about the Feathertail Glider — University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
- Information about the Feathertail Glider
- Photos and information about the Feathertail Glider