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The black-spotted cuscus (Spilocuscus rufoniger) is a species of marsupial in the family Phalangeridae. It is among the largest members of the family, only being surpassed by the bear cuscus . It is a relatively colourful species found in forests of northern New Guinea . [ 2 ]
The smallest species, the Sulawesi dwarf cuscus, is cat-sized, averaging 34 cm (13 in) in length, while the largest, the black-spotted cuscus, is around 70 cm (28 in) long, and weighs 5 kg (11 lb). Besides the large size, other key features distinguishing phalangerids from other possums include the presence of bare skin on at least part of the ...
Black-spotted cuscus, Spilocuscus rufoniger; Blue-eyed spotted cuscus, Spilocuscus wilsoni; References This page was last edited on 3 March 2024, at ...
They range in size from the Tasmanian pygmy possum, at 5 cm (2 in) plus a 6 cm (2 in) tail, to the cuscus of the genus Spilocuscus, at 64 cm (25 in) plus a 59 cm (23 in) tail. Phalangeriformes primarily eat leaves, fruit, and insects, though many are omnivorous and will eat small vertebrates or other plant material.
The common spotted cuscus is about the size of a common house cat, weighing 1.5 to 6 kilograms (3.3 to 13.2 lb), body size about 35 to 65 centimetres (14 to 26 in) long, and a tail 32 to 60 centimetres (13 to 24 in) long. [5]
The species are commonly known as possums, opossums, [3] gliders, and cuscus. The common name "(o)possum" for various Phalangeriformes species derives from the creatures' resemblance to the opossums of the Americas (the term comes from Powhatan language aposoum "white animal", from Proto-Algonquian * wa·p-aʔɬemwa "white dog"). [ 4 ]
Cuscus (/ ˈ k ʌ s k ʌ s / or / ˈ k uː s k uː s /) is the common name generally given to the species within the four genera of Australasian possum [1] of the family Phalangeridae with the most tropical distribution:
The cuscus have evolved in New Guinea, and are found throughout the island. Most species are dark brown or black, however two species, the common spotted cuscus (Spilocuscus maculatus) and black spotted cuscus (Spilocuscus rufoniger), are black, orange and yellow. Many small, herbivorous possum species are native to New Guinea.