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Their teeth, though, are not as highly adapted to this diet as other possums, and they also eat fruit, and even some invertebrates. The only exception to these general rules is the ground cuscus , which is carnivorous , and is also less arboreal than other phalangerid species. [ 3 ]
The common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula, from the Greek for "furry tailed" and the Latin for "little fox", previously in the genus Phalangista [4]) is a nocturnal, semiarboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae, native to Australia and invasive in New Zealand, and the second-largest of the possums.
Commonly referred to simply as the possum, [7] it is a solitary nocturnal animal about the size of a domestic cat, and a successful opportunist. Opossums are familiar to many North Americans as they frequently inhabit settled areas near food sources like trash cans, pet food, compost piles, gardens or housemice.
Pygmy possums have large eyes, long ears, and curling, prehensile tails they use to climb and hols onto tree branches. In times of plenty, the base of their tails can be quite round and fat.
When an opossum is "playing possum", the animal's lips are drawn back, the teeth are bared, saliva foams around the mouth, the eyes close or half-close, and a foul-smelling fluid is secreted from the anal glands. The stiff, curled form can be prodded, turned over, and even carried away without reaction.
Ringtail possums prefer forests of dense brush, particularly eucalyptus forests. [5] The common ringtail possum and its relatives occupy a range of niches similar to those of lemurs, monkeys, squirrels, and bushbabies in similar forests on other continents. [6] It is less prolific and less widespread than the common brushtail possum.
Crepuscular, a classification of animals that are active primarily during twilight, making them similar to nocturnal animals.; Diurnality, plant or animal behavior characterized by activity during the day and sleeping at night.
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