By Ryo Sekine
Geographic Range
The scaly-tailed possum is restricted to the Kimberly division in the north of Western Australia.
Biogeographic Regions:
australian 
(native ).
Habitat
The scaly-tailed possum inhabits areas with trees and rocks in the broken sandstone country of savannah woodlands in hot tropics.
Terrestrial Biomes:
savanna or grassland .
Physical Description
(49.28 oz)
The pelage of the scaly-tailed possum is short, fine, and dense. The general dorsal color is pale or dark ashy gray while the underside color is white. A dark stripe, which may be obscure or distinct, runs along the mid-dorsal line from the shoulders to the rump. The scaly-tailed possum has a prehensile tail that is densely furred at the base and has nonoverlapping, thick scales for the remainder of its length. The head is short and wide with short ears. The claws are short and not strongly curved.
Some key physical features:
endothermic ; bilateral symmetry .
Reproduction
The scaly-tailed possum is known to breed in the dry season. The recorded litter size is one. Information on the reproductive behavior of the scaly-tailed possum is limited.
Key reproductive features:
gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual .
Behavior
The scaly-tailed possum is nocturnal and scansorial. It shelters by day among the rocks and emerges at night to feed. It is also known to be a solitary species.
Key behaviors:
motile .
Food Habits
The diet mainly consists of fruits, blossoms, and leaves of Eucalyptus, Terminalia, etc. The scaly-tailed possum has also been known to feed on insects and small vertebrates.
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
No information
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List: [link]:
Lower Risk - Near Threatened.
US Federal List: [link]:
Threatened .
The scaly-tailed possum was once considered endangered but is now less threatened.
Contributors
Ryo Sekine (author), University of Michigan.
Phil Myers (editor), Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan.
