Yellow-bellied glider

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Yellow-bellied glider [1]
Petaurus australis.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Diprotodontia
Family: Petauridae
Genus: Petaurus
Species:
P. australis
Binomial name
Petaurus australis
Shaw, 1791
Yellow-bellied Glider.JPG
     Distribution, within Australia

The yellow-bellied glider (Petaurus australis), also known as the fluffy glider, is an arboreal and nocturnal gliding possum that lives in native eucalypt forests in eastern Australia, from northern Queensland south to Victoria. [3] [4] [5] [6]

Contents

Habitat

The yellow-bellied glider inhabits forests and woodlands in eastern Australia and is found at a range of altitudes from sea level to 1400 metres. [7] [8]

In North Queensland, the sub-species occurs at altitudes over 700 m above sea level. [9] With natural discontinuities and habitat clearings, there are 13 different populations in three distinct places to find this glider in North Queensland. One population resides on Mount Windsor Tableland, another on Mount Carbine Tableland, and the third lives in a linear habitat going from Atherton to Kirrama on the Atherton Tableland. These three populations together are estimated to contain around 6000 individual gliders. [9] With their habitat in danger, the yellow-bellied glider is classified as uncommon to rare and is named vulnerable to the tropics. This species is more widespread in southern Queensland, NSW and Victoria.

Appearance and behaviour

The yellow-bellied glider is a marsupial about the size of a rabbit. It typically has grey-brown fur on its back and has an off-white to orange or yellow belly. It has large pointed ears and a long tail that can grow to reach 48 cm in length. [9] [10] Its body length is smaller reaching to about 30 cm long and the marsupial weighs a total of 700 g. [9] The males are usually bigger than the females. [6]

There are two subspecies:

The yellow-bellied glider is the largest species of Petaurus , the wrist-winged gliders, a group of arboreal marsupials, and can glide up to 150 m. [11] The yellow-bellied glider has been observed to jump up to 100 m [12] or 114 m. [6]

It is similar in appearance to the mahogany glider, although slightly larger in size. It is also similar in appearance to the greater glider, a species that is more closely related to the lemur-like ringtail possum than to the other members of the genus Petaurus. [13]

The yellow-bellied glider is gregarious and spends the day in a leaf-lined tree hole, which is usually shared with other members of the same family. It is also one of the most vocal possum gliders. It has a distinctive growling call that it uses as means of communication. [14] It has been recorded to have been heard up to 500m away. [12]

A recording of the distinctive call can be heard online. [15]

Reproduction

Yellow-bellied Glider Yellow-bellied Glider, Sydney Zoo.jpg
Yellow-bellied Glider

Breeding occurs in spring in the south, but throughout the year in Queensland in the north. Sexual maturity for the glider is around two years of age when the glider will then [6] pair up with another glider, usually in a monogamous relationship and mate August to December. [6] The offspring are normally born between May and September. They then stay in the marsupium for about 100 days. The young are then left in the den for 2–3 months before they are weaned from the mother and go off on their own. [6] [12] While in the dens both parents will care for the offspring. [6]

In North Queensland the dens are made in Eucalyptus grandis trees [12] and are lined with leaves. Their total life expectancy is about six years. [12]

Diet

Yellow-bellied Glider Yellow-bellied Glider in the care of WIRES Central Coast, 106g - 4.jpg
Yellow-bellied Glider

The yellow-bellied glider's diet consists of nectar, honeydew, insects, pollen and a wide spread of tree sap including different Eucalyptus sap, Corymbia sap, some Angophora sap, and Lophostemon sap. [3] It shows a strong preference for trees with a smooth bark, possibly relating to the volume of sap flow. [16] It obtains the tree sap by biting a 'V' shape wedge/notch into the bark to promote the flow of gum and sap. [14] [17] It usually incises the bark on the trunks or upper branches of the trees. [6]

Conservation

Habitat loss and fragmentation due to timber-harvesting and agriculture are the main threats to this species. The previous felling of old nest trees together with regular proscribed fire regimes and general timber removal have led to a degradation of the remaining habitats. [2] [18] Previously it had been listed as a species of "Least Concern" because of a wide distribution, including several protected areas. This listing was changed to "Near Threatened" in the 2016 IUCN Red List publication because of a population decrease of 30% over three generations. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sugar glider</span> Species of Australian marsupial

The sugar glider is a small, omnivorous, arboreal, and nocturnal gliding possum. The common name refers to its predilection for sugary foods such as sap and nectar and its ability to glide through the air, much like a flying squirrel. They have very similar habits and appearance to the flying squirrel, despite not being closely related—an example of convergent evolution. The scientific name, Petaurus breviceps, translates from Latin as "short-headed rope-dancer", a reference to their canopy acrobatics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phalangeriformes</span> Suborder of arboreal marsupials

Phalangeriformes is a paraphyletic suborder of about 70 species of small to medium-sized arboreal marsupials native to Australia, New Guinea, and Sulawesi. The species are commonly known as possums, gliders, and cuscus. The common name "possum" for various Phalangeriformes species derives from the creatures' resemblance to the opossums of the Americas. However, although opossums are also marsupials, Australasian possums are more closely related to other Australasian marsupials such as kangaroos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brisbane Water National Park</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diprotodontia</span> Order of marsupial mammals

Diprotodontia is the largest extant order of marsupials, with about 155 species, including the kangaroos, wallabies, possums, koala, wombats, and many others. Extinct diprotodonts include the hippopotamus-sized Diprotodon, and Thylacoleo, the so-called "marsupial lion".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Petauridae</span> Family of marsupials

Petauridae is a family of possums containing 11 species: four species of trioks and striped possum, six species of wrist-winged glider, and Leadbeater's possum, which has only vestigial gliding membranes. Most of the wrist-winged gliders are native to Australia, whereas most of the striped possums to New Guinea, but some members of each group are found on both sides of the Torres Strait. Leadbeater's possum is endemic to Victoria, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Squirrel glider</span> Species of marsupial

The squirrel glider is a nocturnal gliding possum. The squirrel glider is one of the wrist-winged gliders of the genus Petaurus.

<i>Petaurus</i> Genus of marsupials

The genus Petaurus contains flying phalangers or wrist-winged gliders, a group of arboreal possums native to Australia, New Guinea, and surrounding islands. There are eight species: the sugar glider, savanna glider, Krefft's glider, squirrel glider, mahogany glider, northern glider, yellow-bellied glider and Biak glider.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common ringtail possum</span> Species of marsupial

The common ringtail possum is an Australian marsupial.

There are many different types of gliding possum, sometimes referred to as volplane possum, flying phalangers, or simply as gliders:

Glider may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mahogany glider</span> Species of marsupial

The mahogany glider is an endangered gliding possum native to a small region of coastal Queensland in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Striped possum</span> Species of marsupial

The striped possum or common striped possum is a member of the marsupial family Petauridae. It is found mainly in New Guinea. The species is black with three white stripes running head to tail, and its head has white stripes that form a 'Y' shape. It is closely related to the sugar glider, and is similar in appearance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lemuroid ringtail possum</span> Species of marsupial

The lemuroid ringtail possum, also known as the lemur-like ringtail possum or the brushy-tailed ringtail, is a truly singular member of the ringtail possum group. It was once thought that they were greater gliders ; Hemibelideus literally translates as "half-glider". Named for their facial characteristics visually similar to the unrelated primate lemurs, with short snouts, large, forward-facing eyes and small ears, they are similar to other gliding possums in their musculo-skeletal adaptations to accommodate a leaping lifestyle. Their long, prehensile tail is a further adaptation to their arboreal habitat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater glider</span> Genus of marsupials

The greater gliders are three species of large gliding marsupials in the genus Petauroides, all of which are found in eastern Australia. Until 2020 they were considered to be one species, Petauroides volans. In 2020 morphological and genetic differences, obtained using diversity arrays technology, showed there were three species subsumed under this one name. The two new species were named Petauroides armillatus and Petauroides minor.

<i>Corymbia intermedia</i> Species of plant

Corymbia intermedia, commonly known as pink bloodwood, is a species of medium to tall tree that is endemic to north-eastern Australia. It has rough, tessellated bark on the trunk and branches, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and oval to barrel-shaped fruit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain brushtail possum</span> Species of marsupial

The mountain brushtail possum, or southern bobuck, is a nocturnal, semi-arboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae native to southeastern Australia. It was not described as a separate species until 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Petauroidea</span> Superfamily of marsupials

Petauroidea is a superfamily of marsupials from Australia and New Guinea. It is part of the suborder Phalangeriformes within the order Diprotodontia, which also includes, among others, wombats, kangaroos, cuscuses. The superfamily Phalangeroidea, including cuscuses and brushtail possums and pygmy possums, is the immediate sister group of the Petauroidea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krefft's glider</span> Species of mammal

Krefft's glider is a species of arboreal nocturnal gliding possum, a type of small marsupial. It is native to most of eastern mainland Australia and has been introduced to Tasmania. Populations of Petaurus from New Guinea and Indonesia previously classified under P. breviceps are also tentatively classified under P. notatus by the American Society of Mammalogists, but likely represent a complex of distinct species. As most captive gliders referred to as "sugar gliders" in at least the United States are thought to originate from West Papua, this likely makes them Krefft's gliders, at least tentatively.

References

  1. ↑ Groves, C. P. (2005). Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 54–55. ISBN   0-801-88221-4. OCLC   62265494.
  2. 1 2 3 Woinarski, J.; Burbidge, A.A.; Johnson, C.N. (2016). "Petaurus australis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T16730A21959641. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T16730A21959641.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Yellow-Bellied Glider" (PDF). Environment.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  4. ↑ "Yellow-bellied glider – Petaurus australis facts". thewebsiteofeverything.com. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  5. ↑ Gliding Possums – Environment, New South Wales Government
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ross Secord. "ADW: Petaurus australis: INFORMATION". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  7. ↑ Kavanagh, R.P.; Stanton, M.A. (1998). "Nocturnal forest birds and arboreal marsupials of the southwestern slopes, New South Wales". Australian Zoologist. 30 (4): 449–466. doi: 10.7882/az.1998.012 .
  8. ↑ Kavanagh, Rodney P.; Bamkin, Khia L. (1995). "Distribution of nocturnal forest birds and mammals in relation to the logging mosaic in south-eastern New South Wales, Australia". Biological Conservation. 71: 41–53. doi:10.1016/0006-3207(94)00019-M.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Approved Conservation Advice for Petaurus australis unnamed subsp. (Fluffy Glider)" (PDF). Environment.gov.au. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  10. ↑ Cronin, Leonard & Westmacott, Marion (illustrator) (1991). Key Guide to Australian Mammals. Reed Books Pty. Ltd. pp. 64–65. ISBN   0-7301-0355-2.
  11. ↑ Jones, Cath & Parish, Steve (2006). Field Guide to Australian Mammals. Steve Parish Publishing Pty. Ltd. pp. 86, 88. ISBN   1-74021-743-8.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 "Fluffy Glider". australianfauna.com. Archived from the original on 14 October 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  13. ↑ Menkhorst, Peter & Knight, Frank (2001). A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia. Oxford University Press. pp. 94–95. ISBN   0-19-550870-X.
  14. 1 2 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 October 2009. Retrieved 12 May 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. ↑ "Yellow Bellied Glider call - Sherbrooke Forest" . Retrieved 15 March 2022– via YouTube.
  16. ↑ Bennett, Andrew F. (2016). "Eucalypts, wildlife and nature conservation: from individual trees to landscape patterns". Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria. 128 (1): 71–86. doi: 10.1071/RS16007 .
  17. ↑ Strahan, Ronald (1995). A Photographic Guide to Mammals of Australia. The Australian Museum, New Holland (Publishers) Ltd. p. 58. ISBN   1-85368-583-6.
  18. ↑ Ryan, Michelle (General); Burwell, Chris (Scientific), eds. (June 2000). Wildlife of Tropical North Queensland. Queensland Museum. p. 338. ISBN   0-7242-9349-3.

Bibliography

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