Northern greater glider
Near Ravenshoe
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Diprotodontia
Family: Pseudocheiridae
Genus: Petauroides
Species:
P. minor
Binomial name
Petauroides minor
(Collett, 1887)
Synonyms

Petauroides volans minor Petaurista volans minor Petauroides volans cinereus (Ramsay, 1890)

The northern greater glider (Petauroides minor) is a species of gliding marsupial endemic to the forests of north-central Queensland, Australia.[1]

Taxonomy

It was initially described as a subspecies of Petauroides volans, which alongside Petauroides armillatus formerly comprised a single species known simply as the greater glider. P. v. armillatus was also eventually considered conspecific with P. v. minor. However, in 2012 and 2015, several field guides written by Colin Groves and/or Stephen Jackson listed the greater glider as being split into 3 species, which was confirmed by a 2020 analysis, which found significant genetic and morphological differences between the three species.[2][3][4][5][6] The American Society of Mammalogists now considers it a distinct species.[1]

There is some evidence of hybridization between this species and P. armillatus near the southern edge of its range.[2]

Distribution

It is the northernmost species of Petauroides. This species ranges from just north of Cairns south to the region just north of Townsville. When it and P. armillatus were conspecific, it was thought to have a much wider range, ranging south to the Tropic of Capricorn.[2]

Description

It is the smallest of the three greater glider species, growing to the size of a small ringtail possum, although it is similar to P. armillatus in body length.[5] It can be distinguished from the other 2 species by its exclusively brownish-grey pelage, with a cream underside.[2]

Threats

Although not as endangered as P. volans, it is thought to be at risk due its restricted range, with some parts of its habitat overlapping with areas of development.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 "Explore the Database". www.mammaldiversity.org. Retrieved 2021-08-27.
  2. 1 2 3 4 McGregor, Denise C.; Padovan, Amanda; Georges, Arthur; Krockenberger, Andrew; Yoon, Hwan-Jin & Youngentob, Kara N. (2020-11-06). "Genetic evidence supports three previously described species of greater glider, Petauroides volans, P. minor, and P. armillatus". Scientific Reports. 10 (1): 19284. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-76364-z. PMC 7648813. PMID 33159131.
  3. ↑ Jackson, Stephen & Schouten, Peter (2012). Gliding Mammals of the World. CSIRO Publishing. doi:10.1071/9780643104051. ISBN 978-0-643-10406-8.
  4. ↑ Jackson, Stephen & Groves, Colin (2015). Taxonomy of Australian Mammals. CSIRO Publishing. doi:10.1071/9781486300136. ISBN 978-1-4863-0014-3.
  5. 1 2 Reid, Sarah. "Australia's charismatic glider marsupial". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2021-08-27.
  6. 1 2 "Two new greater glider species discovered: 'Australia's biodiversity just got a lot richer'". the Guardian. 2020-11-06. Retrieved 2021-08-27.
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