Petauroides volans (Diprotodontia: Pseudocheiridae)

Abstract

Petauroides volans (Kerr, 1792) is a pseudocherid marsupial with the common name greater glider. It is the largest and most conspicuous of the gliding possums and is 1 of the most numerous arboreal marsupials in the eucalypt forests of eastern Australia. Its gliding membranes are large and its thick, shaggy coat obscures the basic body form, making the animal appear much larger than it actually is. P. volans is nocturnal, arboreal, solitary, and folivorous and is dependent on large tree hollows for shelter. In Australia, P. volans has received particular attention because it is highly sensitive to the removal of old hollow-bearing trees during forestry practices such as clear-cutting.