Possum Silhouetted against the Moon© Murray McCulloch/Shutterstock.com
Quick Take
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Researchers successfully identified two tiny marsupials thought extinct for more than 6,000 years.
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The animals — a pygmy long-fingered possum and a newly identified ring-tailed glider — are examples of rare “Lazarus species” that reappear after vanishing from the scientific record.
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Each species has unusual adaptations, like an extra-long finger and a prehensile tail.
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Their rediscovery highlights New Guinea’s extraordinary biodiversity and the urgent need to protect one of the planet’s least explored ecosystems.
For thousands of years, scientists knew of two tiny marsupials in New Guinea only…