List of marsupials described in the 2000s

The following is a list of marsupials which have been taxonomically described in the 2000s.

Species of the infraclass Marsupialia of mammals discovered and described in the 2000s.

New species list

• Arfak pygmy bandicoot — Microperoryctes aplini (2004).
• Mountain brushtail possum — Trichosurus cunninghami (2002).
• Short-eared possum — Trichosurus caninus (2002).
• Red-bellied gracile opossum Cryptonanus ignitus (2002).

Taxonomy

In 2002 it was discovered that the originally named mountain brush-tailed possum of Australia actually consists of two separate species. Due to taxonomic rules, the northern population has been renamed with the common name short-eared possum but will keep the scientific name Trichosurus caninus, while the southern population has been named with the common and scientific names mountain brush-tailed possum (Trichosurus cunninghami). This is because the original type specimen of the species was from the northern population, and therefore must keep the original scientific name.[1]

See also

• Marsupials topics

References

1. "New Mammal Species Identified In Australia". ScienceDaily. Retrieved 2006-05-14.