Little pygmy possum

Cercartetus lepidus

TAXONOMY

Cercartetus lepidus (Thomas, 1888), Tasmania, Australia.

OTHER COMMON NAMES

French: Phalanger-loir mineur; German: Zwergbilchbeutler.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Length 5 in (13 cm); 0.2–0.3 oz (6–9 g). Grayish brown with belly almost white.

DISTRIBUTION

Tasmania, Kangaroo Island, and northwestern Victoria.

HABITAT

Dry sclerophyll forests and mallee shrubland.

BEHAVIOR

Constructs nests in tree-hollows, in wall cavities, under turf, or in birds' nests.

FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET

Insectivorous and carnivorous; preys even on lizards.

REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY

Nothing is known.

CONSERVATION STATUS

Not threatened, but rare throughout its range.

SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS

None known.