NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Telefomin Cuscus
Phalanger matanim Flannery, 1987
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The Telefomin cuscus (Phalanger matanim) is a critically endangered possum found on New Guinea. It is named after the Telefol ethnic group, who hunted the animal long before it was identified scientifically by the Australian zoologist Tim Flannery.
Wikipedia contributors, Telefomin cuscus; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T05:23:32.999619+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Phalanger matanim Flannery, 1987
- Name authority
- Flannery, 1987
- Common name
- Telefomin Cuscus
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Diprotodontia
- Family
- Phalangeridae
- Genus
- Phalanger
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classMammalia Linnaeus, 1758
- subclassTheria Parker & Haswell, 1897
- infraclassMetatheria Huxley, 1880
- orderDiprotodontia Owen, 1866
- suborderPhalangeriformes Szalay in Archer, 1982
- superfamilyPhalangeroidea Thomas, 1888
- familyPhalangeridae Thomas, 1888
- subfamilyPhalangerinae Thomas, 1888
- genusPhalanger Storr, 1780
- speciesPhalanger matanim Flannery, 1987
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Phalanger. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Common CuscusPhalanger mimicus Thomas, 1922 | PhalangeridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Moluccan CuscusPhalanger ornatus (Gray, 1860) | PhalangeridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Obi CuscusPhalanger rothschildi Thomas, 1898 | PhalangeridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Silky CuscusPhalanger sericeus Thomas, 1907 | PhalangeridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Gebe CuscusPhalanger alexandrae Flannery & Boeadi, 1995 | PhalangeridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Mountain CuscusPhalanger carmelitae Thomas, 1898 | PhalangeridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Ground CuscusPhalanger gymnotis Peters & Doria, 1875 | PhalangeridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Eastern Common CuscusPhalanger intercastellanus Thomas, 1895 | PhalangeridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Northern Common CuscusPhalanger orientalis (Pallas, 1766) | PhalangeridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Banggai CuscusPhalanger pelengensis Tate, 1945 | PhalangeridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Stein's CuscusPhalanger vestitus (A. Milne-Edwards, 1877) | PhalangeridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=552684 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:4FR5W. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.