#Phalangeriformes
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wordfamilyfriday.bsky.social
Though my oldest surviving phrase, afaict, is 23.8 years ago—my phrase "resemblance to the opossums of the Americas" which still appears on en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phalang...
Phalangeriformes - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
January 16, 2026 at 2:09 AM
earlyej.bsky.social
They're in totally different orders.

Diprotodontia contains possums (phalangeriformes)

Didelphimorphia is the opossum order
January 31, 2026 at 5:41 PM
snakemanmark.bsky.social
Common Spotted Cuscus (Spilocuscus maculatus)
2.10
NIKON CORPORATION (NIKON D610)
03/Jul/2017
From Port Moresby PNG
#Animals
#Mammals
#Mammalia
#Marsupials
#Marsupialia
#PossumsGliders
#Phalangeriformes
#CommonSpottedCuscus
#SpilocuscusMaculatus
January 16, 2026 at 9:01 PM
tpgroberts.bsky.social
Far too specific a denial on the Wikipedia page
Phalangeriformes are also called possums because of their resemblance to opossums, but they belong to a different order. The opossum is typically a nonaggressive animal and almost never carries the virus that causes rabies.[4]
February 24, 2026 at 11:01 PM
pebbledrift.bsky.social
the opposite of awesome (o)possums are normie phalangeriformes
March 19, 2025 at 5:22 PM
snakemanmark.bsky.social
Mountain Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus cunninghami)
NIKON (E950)
00//0000
#Animals
#Mammals
#Mammalia
#Marsupials
#Marsupialia
#PossumsGliders
#Phalangeriformes
#BrushtailPossums
#Phalangeridae
#MountainBrushtailPossum
#TrichosurusCunninghami
November 19, 2025 at 9:16 AM
latorrecollons.bsky.social
Doncs el possum anglès és diu opòssum en català.

"L'opòssum de Virgínia fou el primer animal a ser anomenat opòssum. No s'han de confondre amb els pòssums d'Austràlia (Phalangeriformes), també marsupials però pertanyents a un ordre diferent."

I els espanyols sempre a la seva bola inventant noms 😂
June 20, 2026 at 11:00 AM
snakemanmark.bsky.social
Common Brushtail Possum ( Trichosurus vulpecula )
#sunshinecoastsnakeremovals.com #Animals #Mammals #MammalPhotography #Mammalia #Marsupials #MarsupialPhotography #Marsupialia #PossumsGliders #PossumPhotography #Phalangeriformes #BrushtailPossums #Phalangeridae #CommonBrushtailPossum
December 23, 2024 at 10:50 PM
snakemanmark.bsky.social
Common Brushtail Possum ( Trichosurus vulpecula )
#sunshinecoastsnakeremovals.com #Animals #Mammals #MammalPhotography #Mammalia #Marsupials #MarsupialPhotography #Marsupialia #PossumsGliders #PossumPhotography #Phalangeriformes #BrushtailPossums #Phalangeridae #CommonBrushtailPossum
December 23, 2024 at 10:49 PM
snakemanmark.bsky.social
Common Brushtail Possum ( Trichosurus vulpecula )
#sunshinecoastsnakeremovals.com #Animals #Mammals #MammalPhotography #Mammalia #Marsupials #MarsupialPhotography #Marsupialia #PossumsGliders #PossumPhotography #Phalangeriformes #BrushtailPossums #Phalangeridae #CommonBrushtailPossum
December 23, 2024 at 10:50 PM
snakemanmark.bsky.social
Common Spotted Cuscus ( Spilocuscus maculatus )

A possum from PNG!

#sunshinecoastsnakeremovals.com #Animals #Mammals #MammalPhotography #Mammalia #Marsupials #MarsupialPhotography #Marsupialia #PossumsGliders #PossumPhotography #Phalangeriformes #CommonSpottedCuscus #Spilocuscusmaculatus #
December 24, 2024 at 9:04 PM
rabid-child.bsky.social
I’ve followed Possum Every Hour for ages, and am somewhat disappointed that they only ever post Didelphis virginiana. You know, Opossums. With an O.

I mean, I love those guys, but where are the phalangeriformes, the Australasian possums not spelled with an O?

C’mon people, mix it up!
December 5, 2023 at 2:44 PM
earlyej.bsky.social
Also, it's "pterodactylus", not "pterodactyl". There is no "pterodactyl". That's not a thing. Not every pterosaur is pterodactylus. This has pissed me off from childhood.

Stop mixing up possums (phalangeriformes) with opossums (didelphimorphia) as well. THEY AREN'T THE SAME!
earlyej.bsky.social Dark Lord EarlyEJ/Seven⭐Stars Swooces Right In! @earlyej.bsky.social · Nov 5
Sick of pieces of media giving pteranodons teeth...

Pter- (wing)
-ano- (without)
-don (tooth)

Literally named for not having teeth.

Pterodactylus has teeth, but they always give it both the teeth and the distinct pteranodon crest....
November 5, 2025 at 4:39 AM
lyndelltricoteuse.bsky.social
I asked - quite politely. Yes common names also lead to confusion - our possums are Phalangeriformes - we have several different ones. And now - because of your stroppy reaction to a reasonable request and because this is Bluesky not X - you is blocked - bye
Phalangeriformes.so
August 31, 2025 at 10:59 PM
sundaycreature.bsky.social
Possums are called possums because they look similar to opossums and are also marsupials but if you found it in the Americas it's an opossum (order Didelphimorphia) and if you found it in Australasia it's a possum (order diprotodontia, suborder Phalangeriformes). If that helps!
May 1, 2026 at 8:15 PM
lizard.tools
Phalangeriformes are quadrupedal diprotodont marsupials with long tails. The smallest species, indeed the smallest diprotodont marsupial, is the Tasmanian pygmy possum, with an adult head-body length of 70 mm (2+3⁄4 in) and a weight of 10 g (3⁄8 oz). The largest are the two species of bear cuscus, w
February 28, 2026 at 8:19 AM
rbcgdraws.bsky.social
Hell yeah opossum (I went down a rabbit hole because I remembered hearing that "O"possum is the American one and just possum is Australian but apparently an entire sub-order of animals is commonly called "possums" because they resemble Opossums. The sub-order is named phalangeriformes)
November 8, 2024 at 4:08 AM
joop.kiefte.eu
The species are commonly known as possums, gliders, and cuscus. The common name "possum" for various Phalangeriformes species derives from the creatures' resemblance to the opossums of the Americas ... Australasian possums are more closely related to other Australasian marsupials such as kangaroos.
February 12, 2024 at 10:02 PM
snakemanmark.bsky.social
Common Brushtail Possum ( Trichosurus vulpecula )
#sunshinecoastsnakeremovals.com #Animals #Mammals #MammalPhotography #Mammalia #Marsupials #MarsupialPhotography #Marsupialia #PossumsGliders #PossumPhotography #Phalangeriformes #BrushtailPossums #Phalangeridae #CommonBrushtailPossum
December 23, 2024 at 10:50 PM
flame.dog
The existence of Phalangeriformes and the fact that they borrowed a common name from Didelphimorphia does not invalidate the use of "possum" to refer to opossums.

I just prefer using "opossum" as a way to disambiguate.
June 16, 2026 at 5:50 PM
lizard.tools
Phalangeriformes /fəˈlændʒərɪfɔːrmiːz/ is a paraphyletic[1] suborder of about 70 species of small to medium-sized arboreal marsupials native to Australia, New Guinea, and Sulawesi.[2] The species are commonly known as possums,[3] gliders, and cuscus.
February 28, 2026 at 8:19 AM
cannibalclover.bsky.social
Opossums and possums are two dofferent animals btw. The spelling difference actually DOES matter, cuz opossum refers to the didelphinae family where as possum refers ro the australian Phalangeriformes. Just wanted y'all to know thhat
January 11, 2025 at 6:58 AM
funfella13.bsky.social
They should not be confused with the Australasian arboreal marsupials of suborder Phalangeriformes
December 30, 2023 at 3:50 AM
curvedtoelink.bsky.social
There are apparently possums in Australia of a different sub order or some such biological complication.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phalang...
Phalangeriformes - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
May 16, 2026 at 10:13 PM