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{{Taxobox
| name = ''Petaurus''
| image = Sugies03 hp.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption = [[Sugar Glider]]
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
| classis = [[Mammal]]ia
| infraclassis = [[Marsupialia]]
| ordo = [[Diprotodontia]]
| familia = [[Petauridae]]
| genus = '''''Petaurus'''''
| genus_authority = [[George Shaw|Shaw]], 1791
| type_species = ''[[Yellow-bellied Glider|Petaurus australis]]''
| type_species_authority = [[George Shaw|Shaw]], 1791
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
* ''[[Sugar Glider|Petaurus breviceps]]''
* ''[[Yellow-bellied Glider|Petaurus australis]]''
* ''[[Mahogany Glider|Petaurus gracilis]]''
* ''[[Northern Glider|Petaurus abidi]]''
* ''[[Biak Glider|Petaurus biacensis]]''
* ''[[Squirrel Glider|Petaurus norfolcensis]]''
}}
The genus '''''Petaurus''''' contains '''flying phalangers''' or '''wrist-winged gliders''', a group of [[arboreal]] [[marsupial]]s. There are six species, [[Sugar Glider]], [[Squirrel Glider]], [[Mahogany Glider]], [[Northern Glider]], [[Yellow-bellied Glider]] and [[Biak Glider]], and are native to [[Australia]] or [[New Guinea]].

Flying phalangers are typically [[nocturnal]], most being small (sometimes around 400 mm, counting the tail), and have folds of loose skin running from the wrists to the ankles. They use this skin to glide from tree to tree by jumping and holding out their limbs spread-eagle. They are able to glide for distances over 140 metres. Beside the distinctive [[skin fold]]s, flying phalangers also have large, forward-facing eyes, short (though pointed) faces, and long flat tails which are used as rudders while gliding.

All are [[omnivore]]s, and eat tree sap, [[natural gum|gum]], [[nectar]], [[pollen]], and insects, along with [[Manna Gum | manna]] and [[Honeydew (secretion)|honeydew]]. Most flying phalangers appear to be solitary, though the Yellow-bellied Glider and Sugar Glider are both known to live in groups.

==Conservation status==

While Biak and Sugar Gliders are relatively common, most of the other species are rare. Mahogany Gliders are [[endangered]], and so uncommon that they weren't seen for more than a hundred years after their original discovery in 1883. Nearly a month after they were rediscovered in 1989, their habitat was cleared for [[plantation]]s, and another population wasn't found until 1991.

==Species==
* Genus ''Petaurus''
** [[Northern Glider]], ''Petaurus abidi''
** [[Yellow-bellied Glider]], ''Petaurus australis''
** [[Biak Glider]], ''Petaurus biacensis''
** [[Sugar Glider]], ''Petaurus breviceps''
** [[Mahogany Glider]], ''Petaurus gracilis''
** [[Squirrel Glider]], ''Petaurus norfolcensis''

==External links==
*[http://www.dpiwe.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/WebPages/BHAN-53J8XS?open Sugar Glider] - Tasmanian Government
*[http://www.chaffeezoo.org/animals/sugarGlider.html Sugar Glider] - Caffee Zoo
*[http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/petaurus/p._australis Yellow-Bellied Glider] - University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
*[http://www.animalinfo.org/species/petagrac.htm Mahogany Glider] - Animal Info
*[http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/acrobates/a._pygmaeus Feathertail Glider] - University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
*[http://www.nws-wiesbaden.de/coll043.html Marsupials and Monotremes of the Museum of Wiesbaden] - ('''Images''')
*[http://www.marsupialsociety.org The Marsupial Society of Australia]
*[http://www.chaffeezoo.org/animals/marsupialsTheirWay.html about Marsupials]

==References==
*{{MSW3 Groves|pages=54-55}}

{{Diprotodontia|P.1}}

[[Category:Gliding possums]]

Petaurus - Revision history

WikiAdmin: Created page with "{{Taxobox | name = ''Petaurus'' | image = Sugies03 hp.jpg | image_width = 250px | image_caption = Sugar Glider | regnum = Animalia | phylum = Chordata | c..."