Petaurus breviceps

(G. R. Waterhouse, 1838)

Sugar Glider

Taxonomy

Subclass : Theria
Infraclass : Marsupialia
Superorder : Australidelphia
Order : Diprotodontia
Suborder : Phalangerida
Superfamily : Petauroidea
Family : Petauridae
Genus : Petaurus

Species status

Living
Found in the wild
Listed in MSW3 2005

Authority citation

Waterhouse, G.R. 1838-12-08. Mr. Waterhouse exhibited some skulls of the flying opossums (Petaurista). The Athenaeum 580:880.

Authority publication link

https://archive.org/details/sim_athenaeum-uk_1838-12-08_580/page/880/mode/2up

Original name as described

Petaurista Breviceps

Other common names

Lesser Flying Phalanger · Lesser Flying Squirrel · Lesser Glider · Short-headed Flying Phalanger · Sugar Squirrel · Tasmanian Sugar Glider

Type material

BMNH:Mamm:1855.12.24.78

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/f711624e-5f3a-4699-af2a-365ae6a9349e

Type locality

New South Wales, Australia.

Biogeographic realm

Australasia

Country distribution

Australia

Taxonomy notes

previously included P. ariel, P. notatus, and P. papuanus

Taxonomy notes citation

Malekian, M., Cooper, S.J.B., Norman, J.A., Christidis, L.L. and Carthew, S.M. 2010. Molecular systematics and evolutionary origins of the genus Petaurus (Marsupialia: Petauridae) in Australia and New Guinea. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 54(1):122-135. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2009.07.026 · Carthew, S.M., Stobo-Wilson, A.M., Montague-Drake, R., Cooper, S.J.B., Baker, A.M. and Cremona, T. 2021. Integrative taxonomic investigation of Petaurus breviceps (Marsupialia: Petauridae) reveals three distinct species. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 191(2):503-527. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa060 · Mulko, M., Schneiderová, I., & Černá Bolfíková, B. (2025). Taxonomic reassessment of captive sugar gliders using genetic analyses and complementary acoustic data. Scientific Reports.

IUCN Red List status

Least Concern

Species Permalink

https://mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1000344

Country distribution map

The map below provides a general overview. Most species inhabit only specific regions within countries. Hover over the highlighted regions to see the country name.

Names and synonyms

Present and past (if available) associated names to the species. Click on a name to view its details. If the list is long, scroll down to see more.

Petaurista Breviceps

(G. R. Waterhouse, 1838)

Family

Petauridae

Root name

breviceps

Validity status

species

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1855.12.24.78

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/f711624e-5f3a-4699-af2a-365ae6a9349e

Authority page

880

Authority page URI

https://archive.org/details/sim_athenaeum-uk_1838-12-08_580/page/880/mode/2up

Authority publication

The Athenaeum

Name usages

  1. Waterhouse (1838:880, https://archive.org/details/sim_athenaeum-uk_1838-12-08_580/page/880/mode/2up) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69232)
  2. Jackson & Groves (2015:110) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/34474)

Petaurus breviceps

R. Owen, 1841

Family

Petauridae

Root name

breviceps

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

408

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12866000

Authority publication

Transactions of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

  1. Owen (1841:408, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12866000) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/68792)
  2. Giebel (1855:702, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/45548893) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38563)
  3. Murray (1866:363, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15580359) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39798)
  4. Collett (1887:931, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/10356971) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67854)
  5. Thomas (1888:156, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/37986550) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9306)
  6. Ogilby (1892:34, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/938500) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69482)
  7. Collett (1897:332, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/30987501) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/15202)
  8. Thomas (1904:401, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/27734128) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/15188)
  9. Thomas (1904:227, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/3858954) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/16463)
  10. Trouessart (1905:829, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/53423710) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/59290)
  11. Thomas (1922:733, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40340263) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/15187)
  12. Laurie & Hill (1954:18, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/49635648) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/31868)
  13. Koopman (1979:3) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/33257)
  14. Corbet & Hill (1980:15) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63069)
  15. Honacki, Kinman & Koeppl (1982:40, 41) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63071)
  16. Corbet & Hill (1991:19) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63070)
  17. Groves (1993:61) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69003)
  18. Aplin, Pasveer & Boles (1999:378) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/27758)
  19. Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8527)
  20. Mittermeier & Wilson (2015:562) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/59410)
  21. Jackson & Groves (2015:110) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/34474)
  22. Mammal Diversity Database (2018:ID #16731) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67336)
  23. Mammal Diversity Database (2019:ID #16731) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67337)
  24. Mammal Diversity Database (2024, https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1000344) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67250)
  25. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2024, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/16731/21959798) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67246)

Belidea breviceps

(J. Gould, 1842)

Family

Petauridae

Root name

breviceps

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

11

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/30679773

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

Gould (1842:11, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/30679773) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/60427)

Belideus breviceps

(Lesson, 1842)

Family

Petauridae

Root name

breviceps

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

189

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

  1. Lesson (1842:189) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)
  2. Fitzinger (1861:393, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/6438452) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39159)
  3. Sclater (1872:117, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/17037894) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/61617)

Petaurus breviceps, var. typicus

O. Thomas, 1888

Family

Petauridae

Root name

typicus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1855.12.24.78

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/f711624e-5f3a-4699-af2a-365ae6a9349e

Authority page

156

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/37986550

Authority publication

British Museum Catalogue

Name usages

Thomas (1888:156, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/37986550) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9306)

Petaurus breviceps breviceps

Laurie & J. Edwards Hill, 1954

Family

Petauridae

Root name

breviceps

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

18

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/49635648

Authority publication

London

Name usages

  1. Laurie & Hill (1954:18, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/49635648) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/31868)
  2. Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8527)
  3. Mittermeier & Wilson (2015:562) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/59410)
  4. Jackson & Groves (2015:110) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/34474)

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