Cercartetus lepidus (Thomas, 1888)

Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson, 2015, Burramyidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 5 Monotremes and Marsupials, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 436-455 : 454

4.

Little Pygmy Possum

Cercartetus lepidus

French: Possum-loir pygmée / German: Zwergbilchbeutler / Spanish: Pésum pigmeo pequeno

Other common names: Little Pygmy-possum, Tasmanian Pygmy Possum

Taxonomy. Dromicia lepidus Thomas, 1888 ,

“ Tasmania,” Australia.

The taxonomic distinctiveness of the Tasmanian population compared to that in Victorian and South Australian populations was confirmed genetically in 2002 and it may be, in fact, a different species, but this needs further assessment. Treated here as monotypic.

Distribution. SE Australia (NW Victoria to SE South Australia, including Kangaroo I) and Tasmania.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 5.7-3 cm, tail 6.7-5 cm; weight 6-10 g. Body mass of the Little Pygmy Possum is typically less than 10 g, making it the smallest species of pygmy possums. No sexual dimorphism has been observed in Little Pygmy Possums. They have small and rounded ears, short snouts, and large eyes. Soft fur is pale fawn dorsally and grayish ventrally. Ventral color helps distinguish the Little Pygmy Possum from all other pygmy possums, particularly the Western Pygmy Possum (C. concinnus ), which has white ventral fur. The Little Pygmy Possum can be distinguished from the Eastern Pygmy Possum ( C. nanus ) by its smaller size and presence of a fourth molar each side on upper and lower jaw. The Long-tailed Pygmy Possum ( C. caudatus ) has a much longertail than the Little Pygmy Possum.

Habitat. Generally dry forests and heathlands, depending on location. On mainland Australia, the Little Pygmy Possum inhabits mallee and heathland vegetation, often with sparse canopy of Eucalyptus in tall shrublands of Acacia, Banksia , Callistemon, Callitris , Hakea , Leptospermum , or Melaleuca . On Kangaroo Island, the Little Pygmy Possum occurs in dry sclerophyll forests; in Tasmania, it occurs in dry forests and heathlands and, to a lesser extent, wet sclerophyll forest but not rainforest or terrestrial alpine or treeless subalpine habitats.

Food and Feeding. Little Pygmy Possums feed on insects, nectar, and pollen from a variety of plant species, switching to particular species as they flower. In Victoria, nectar and pollen of tree species of Banksia , Eucalyptus , Leptospermum , and Astroloma are important at different times of the year.

Breeding. The Little Pygmy Possum appears to breed throughout the year on the mainland, with a peak from late winter to spring in South Australia and Victoria, while in Tasmania they breed from spring to summer. The differences in the timing of breeding in different regions may be due to differences in the seasonal availability of food. They usually produce 2-4 young, with a possible fecundity of eight, that emerge from the pouch at approximately 42 days and are weaned at c. 90 days of age.

Activity patterns. The Little Pygmy Possum is nocturnal and presumably nests in similar locations to the other species of Cercartetus . Little Pygmy Possums are known to shelter in a variety of locations including tree hollows, within tree logs and stumps, under loose pieces of bark, in cavities excavated by fire, under fronds of grass trees (Xanthorrhoea sp.), between dead inflorescences of Banksia , within leaves of the grass Triodia sp. , and in abandoned bird nests. They are highly active and efficient climbers that traverse within the understory among the shrubs and heath rather than the higher canopy where they may be more susceptible to predation by owls.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Distances traveled by Little Pygmy Possums between captures were 24-60 m, with a maximum of 195 m.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Little Pygmy Possum appears to have no major conservation threats; however, inappropriate fire regimes on the mainland and continued clearance of sclerophyll forests in Tasmania are of concern. In some regions, there is also degradation of habitat by spreading of weeds, and predation by domestic and feral cats may cause localized population declines.

Bibliography. Cadzow & Carthew (2004), Green (1980), Harris (2009b), Hickman & Hickman (1960), Mansergh & Scotts (1990), Menkhorst (2008a), Osborne & Christidis (2002a), Tulloch (2004), Ward (1992).

Figures

1. Mountain Pygmy Possum (Burramys parvus), 2. Long-tailed Pygmy Possum (Cercartetus caudatus), 3. Western Pygmy Possum (Cercartetus concinnus), 4. Little Pygmy Possum (Cercartetus lepidus), 5. Eastern Pygmy Possum (Cercartetus nanus)

Distribution. SE Australia (NW Victoria to SE South Australia, including Kangaroo I) and Tasmania.