The 'Common Ringtail Possum' (''Pseudocheirus peregrinus'',
Greek for "false hand" and
Latin for "pilgrim" or "alien") is an
Australian
marsupial. The Common Ringtail is a
nocturnal herbivore, which weighs between 550 and 1100 g. It has grey fur with white patches behind the eyes and usually a cream coloured belly. It has a long
prehensile tail which normally displays a distinctive white tip over 25% of its length. The back feet are
syndactyl which helps it to climb.
The Common Ringtail Possum eats a variety of leaves of both native and introduced plants, as well as flowers and fruits. This
possum also consumes a special type of faeces that are produced during the daytime when it is resting in a nest. This behaviour is called
coprophagia and is similar to that seen in rabbits.
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Common Ringtail Possum on a fence near Melbourne, Australia.
References