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| Common spotted cuscus |
Cuscus also called phalanger or possum is any of several tree-dwelling nocturnal marsupials native to the East Indies, northeastern Australia, and adjacent islands. Cuscuses are about the size of large cats, ranging from 35 to 45 inches in length, including the tail. They have large eyes, thick woolly fur, tiny round ears, and a long grasping tail that becomes hairless toward the tip. Cuscuses feed mainly on leaves but occasionally eat birds or other small animals. The female cuscus bears one to four young, which she carries in her pouch. The bear cuscus (
Phalanger Ursulas), from Celebes, is the largest of the group.
Cuscuses are classified in the order Marsupialia, family Phalangeridae, genera
Phalanger and
Spilocuscus.
