The pygmy possums are the smallest family of possum species.

The Tasmanian pygmy possum is the smallest at only 6.6-7.5cm long (minus tail) and 0.25-0.35 oz.

But it's not the smallest marsupial.

By popular demand, it's a thread of the best marsupials!
(photo credit above: Amanda McLean, Lauren Tworkowski, N. Remillieux-Leschelle, J. M. Harris)
The bear cuscus is here to remind you that the koala is not the only confusing non-bear around.

Both species of chunky boi are sadly endangered.

Conservation: https://www.rainforest-alliance.org 

(photo credit: Katrin Lowe, Sakurai Midori)
The feathertail glider is the world's smallest gliding animal at only 6.5-8cm and 0.42oz.

Named for a distinctive tail, these little dudes can glide over 28 metres (92 feet)!

(photo credit: Jannico Kelk, Ian Bool, Martin Willis, Doug Beckers)
Wombats are the best marsupials.

There are three species, one of which is critically endangered - all are protected.

The common wombat averages 98cm and 57lb.

Wombats are herbivores and they POOP CUBES.

They can run at 45km/h (25mph).

I LOVE 😭😭

(photo credit: Simon Grove)
The water opossum or yapok has webbed feet and a watertight pouch for both males and females.

HE SCREM

HE BORN SCREM

HE LIVE SCREM

HE SCREM

(photo credit: Carlos Boada, José Fonseca, Cal Martins)
The greater glider is a more distant cousin to the other marsupial gliders but-

The greater glider is 39-43cm an-

PEOPLE THIS IS NOT REAL C'MON

I know I've seen this guy at comic con. I WILL NOT BE FOOLED.
The numbat or walpurti is not a squirrel or bandicoot, nor is it a wombat or bat 🤔

This lil insectivore eats 20,000 termites a day and is the only marsupial fully active by day.

An endangered - and protected - species.

(photo credit: Sharon Wormleaton, Alex Asbury)
The monito del monte or colocolo opossum or chumaihuén is the single surviving member of her order, found in South America.

Analysis of her dna has been used to show that all marsupials originated in South America 👏

SHE SMOL

(photo credit: Biodiversidad Chilena)
The Dingiso or bondegezou is another marsupial bear-lookalike.

This tree kangaroo lives in New Guinea and is endangered. It is a protected species, not least by the Moni people.
The long-tailed planigale is the smallest marsupial and one of the smallest mammals.

At only 55mm long and 0.15oz this non-endangered critter is rarely seen.

Small size doesn't stop it eating lizards tho 😱

(photo credit: R Francis, Richard King, Lochman Transparencies
Marsupial moles are nightmare creatures.

There is no way to make them cute.

Every photo is them eating the head of another animal.

Lovecraft would tremble.

NIGHTMARE.
In contrast we have the bilby.

Bilbies 👏 are 👏 great 👏

They are 29-55cm long and weigh 2.2-5.3 lb with soft silky fur and great hearing from those giant lugs.

Bilby is a word from at least 2 indigenous Aboriginal languages.

(photo credit: Jiri Lochman)
The whiptail wallaby is also known as the pretty-faced wallaby.

I mean... they're not wrong. This kid would make bank on instagram.

Wallabies (and roos) are still preposterous.

(photo credit: kaeuze, Tom McHugh)
You knew he'd be here - it's the quokka!

The happiest of marsupials, quokkas have zero fear of humans and are fiercely protective.

This lil herbivore should not be touched or fed, but is happy to pose for your social media ✌️

(photo credit: Campbell Jones)
Got some technical issues folks - this will conclude later!
The phascogales or wambengers are a carnivorous family of not-squirrels found in Australia.

As with a number of dasyurid species, the males only live for one year. Of non-stop sex.

👀

(photo credit: Jeroen van Veen, William Terry, Dr Christine Cooper, Chris Tzaros)
The flying phalangers or wrist-winged gliders are six species of fuzzball that range from the small sugar glider (115-140g) to the large yellow bellied glider (700g).

The big boi can glide 150m and jump 114m. HE'S THE REAL SPIDER-MAN.

(photo credit: Shannon Plummer)
Koalas are bastards.*

*not really**

**yes really

Conservation: http://www.koalahospital.org.au 

(photo credit: Sarah Zielinski, Marco Volino)
The honey possum is one of the very few nectarivorous mammals and the only non-bat mammal that lives solely on nectar.

This lil dude, only 6.5-9cm and 7-15g is an important pollinator.

Their babies are the smallest of any mammal at only 0.005g 😭😭
Of the 6 species of quoll, two are endangered and the others are near threatened.

Quolls are also known as native cats - the tiger quoll is the tiger cat - while the northern quoll is a njanmak, and the western a satanellus and chuditch.

They range from 11oz to 15lb 🙀
If you've ever thought to yourself, "well I like kangaroos and wallabies I GUESS but they'd be so much cooler with rat tails!"

Well. The six species of dorcopsis have you covered.

👀

(photo credit: Melvin Toullec)
Leadbeater's possum is a critically endangered critter that looks like a glider but is not in fact a glider.

THEY ARE ALSO CALLED FAIRY POSSUMS 📣📣

Conservation: https://www.leadbeaters.org.au 

(photo credit: Dan Harley)
The Goodfellow's tree-kangaroo or ornate tree-kangaroo is the only pizzarian marsupial, consuming several boxes every day.

There are twelve species of tree-kangaroo and the others all eat leaves like normal roos 🍕

(photo credit: Timmy Toucan, Graeme Ruck)
There are 19 species of bandicoot spread throughout Australia and New Guinea.

Contrary to popular belief, most don't enjoy long distance driving.

(photo credit: Ian Wallace, JJ Harrison)
Bear cuscus aside (see upthread) the other cuscus...es span a wide range of critters that look like fake monkeys to critters that look like fake cats.

But what all cuscuscuses (minus bear cuscus) have in common is a desire to eat your face.

(photo credit: Suluh Papua)
The Tasmanian devil is-

WHAT DID U CALL ME

WHAT THE FUUUUCK U CALL ME

BRAH WHAT THE FUCK U

FUUUUUUUUCK

YOOOOOOOOO

(photo credit: KeresH, annabelle500, JJ Harrison)
The yellow-footed rock-wallaby, formerly known as the ring-tailed wallaby which made a LOT MORE SENSE

Has fancy feet and a fancy tail to match.

Stripes for everyone!

(photo credit: Peripitus)
Last but by no means least, it's the biggest marsupial of them all - the red kangaroo.

Tbere are 4 species of kangaroo, 12 species of tree-kangaroo, around 30(ish) wallabies and 3 wallaroos.

The red roo stands 1.3-1.6m tall, males weigh up to 200lb, and honestly THEY SCARY 😭
Special mention goes to the platypus who is not a mammal - they lay eggs!

They are also venomous.

PLATYPI* RULE

*don't @ me
I'm thal, this has been a thread of my favourite marsupials.

You can see my favourite cats here! https://twitter.com/thalestral/status/1030823341085446144
My favourite dogs here! 🐶 https://twitter.com/thalestral/status/1033338014884220928
My favourite buns here! 🐰 https://twitter.com/thalestral/status/1035930861194170368
My favourite squirrels here! 🐿️ https://twitter.com/thalestral/status/1038475313771110401
A mini collection of weasels here! https://twitter.com/thalestral/status/1037698117141979142
Aaand my favourite deer and friends here! 🦌 https://twitter.com/thalestral/status/1040979555656368128
Thank you to everyone who encouraged me to keep doing these, and feel free to let me know what you'd like to see next week 😊
Ack, not a MARSUPIAL

You know what I meant 😬😬 https://twitter.com/thalestral/status/1043603379203772416
You can follow @thalestral.
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