Common Ringtail Possum

Taxobox
name = Common Ringtail PossumMSW3 Groves|pages=51]


status = LC
status_system = iucn3.1
status_ref = IUCN2006|assessors=Australasian Marsupial & Monotreme Specialist Group|year=1996|id=40581|title=Pseudocheirus peregrinus|downloaded=12 May 2006]
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
infraclassis = Marsupialia
ordo = Diprotodontia
familia = Pseudocheiridae
subfamilia = Pseudocheirinae
genus = "Pseudocheirus"
genus_authority = Ogilby, 1837
species = "P. peregrinus"
binomial = "Pseudocheirus peregrinus"
binomial_authority = (Boddaert, 1785)

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.

References