Tait, Noolbenger
The honey possum or noolbenger (Tarsipes rostratus ), is a tiny species of marsupial that feeds on the nectar and pollen of a diverse range of flowering plants. Found in southwest Australia, it is an important pollinator for such plants as Banksia attenuata, Banksia coccinea and Adenanthos cuneatus.
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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CrepuscularCrepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight (that is, the periods of dawn and dusk). This is distinguished from diurnal...
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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NectarivoreIn zoology, a nectarivore is an animal that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of the sugar-...
In zoology, a palynivore is an herbivorous animal that selectively eats the nutrient-rich pollen produced by angiosperms and gymnosperms. Most true...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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TorporTorpor is a state of decreased physiological activity in an animal, usually marked by a reduced body temperature and metabolic rate. Torpor enables...
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PollinatorA pollinator is an animal that moves pollen from the male anther of a flower to the female stigma of a flower. This helps to bring about fertilizat...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
Torpor is a state of decreased physiological activity in an animal, usually marked by a reduced body temperature and metabolic rate. Torpor enables...
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PolyandryPolygyny is a mating system in which one female lives and mates with multiple males but each male only mates with a single female.
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HibernatingHibernation is a state of minimal activity and metabolic depression undergone by some animal species. Hibernation is a seasonal heterothermy charac...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThis marsupial is one of the smallest possums in the world with a prominent snout and a long tongue, allowing the animal to take in nectar and pollen. The animal has a rather unusual appearance. The toes of the Honey possum are equipped with sharp claws, helping the animal stick to leaves and bark of trees. As a matter of fact, floral abundance and diversity is an important life condition for the Honey possum: the animal wouldn't survive without enough amount of nectar. Both hind and front feet of the animal are perfectly designed for climbing trees as well as moving through the undergrowth at high speed.
This marsupial is endemic to the south-western tip of Western Australia. They can often be found in coastal-sand plain heathlands with a wide variety of plant communities, meanwhile favoring banksia woodlands with abundance of flowering plants.
Honey possums are social animals, forming small groups, which consist of 10 or more individuals. Home ranges of honey possums are small, often overlapping with each other. Meanwhile, breeding females have isolated home ranges in order to keep away from conspecifics while having their offspring. Although normally being nocturnal or crepuscular, these possums are known to emerge from their shelters to feed during the daytime hours, if the weather is cool. At other times, they mainly sleep by day in their shelters, which are typically rock crannies, cavities in trees, hollows inside of grass trees or abandoned bird nests. Honey possums are excellent climbers as well as fast runners, when on the ground. When the weather gets cold or food is scarce, they may undergo periods of hibernation, during which their metabolic rate and body temperature lower.
In spite of the common name of this species, Honey possums do not feed upon honey. As herbivorous (nectarivorous) animals, they consume nectar and pollen of flowering plants. These marsupials especially favor flowers of the genus Banksia, which have large heads, rich with nectar and blooming year-round.
Honey possums are polyandrous, which means that one female mates with two or more males. In general, breeding occurs from May to June and from September to October. Gestation period in this species lasts for 28 days, yielding 2 - 4 young, which remain in the pouch of their mother for 60 days. By the end of this period, young possums have open eyes and are covered with fur, which means that they are ready to come out of the pouch. Once they emerge, the mother leaves her offspring in a secluded place such as a hollow in a tree, in order to forage and feed herself. Within a few days, young possums are able to travel with their mother by clinging onto her back. After a short while, they become too heavy to be carried by their mother, and the female stops nursing her offspring at about 11 weeks. Then the young disperse and begin making their own homes, reaching sexual maturity by 6 months old.
Although there no notable threats to the population of this species, honey possums are exposed to bushfires, which could result in loss of their natural habitat. In addition, predators such as foxes or feral cats may cause population decline of these animals. Living in humid habitat, honey possums are affected by water mold, leading to plant pathogens and thus decreasing the amount of available food.
According to IUCN, the Honey possum is locally common and widespread throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. However, this species is currently classified as Least Concern (LC), and its numbers are stable.
Honey possums play a big role in the ecosystem they live in. Due to feeding upon nectar of various flowering plants, they serve as pollinators for these species. Honey possums are key pollinators for their favorite flower - nodding banksia, which grows on the southern coast of Western Australia. They also serve as prey for local predators (barn owls, red foxes, feral cats).
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...