AnimalTracks.wiki

What the sources say

Sugar GliderPetaurus breviceps

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Sugar Glider profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 67 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

Profile updated

Source
01

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Petaurus breviceps (sugar glider). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysForests of New Guinea and northern and eastern Australia
The source saysThe sugar glider's distribution covers New Guinea and certain nearby islands, Bismark Archipelago, and northern and eastern Australia. ... Sugar gliders can live in forests of all types
The page saysplus pollen and nectar
The source saysTheir diet also includes pollen, nectar, insects and their larvae, arachnids, and small vertebrates.
The page saysIn spring and summer it eats mostly insects, mainly moths and beetles
The source saysDuring the spring and summer months sugar gliders predominately feed upon insects, mainly moths and beetles
The page saysin autumn and winter it switches to plant foods such as eucalyptus sap and pollen
The source saysduring the fall and winter months they feed on plant products, such as eucalyptus sap and pollen
The page saysA colony is a family: up to seven related adults plus their young, sharing around 2.5 acres of territory
The source saysThey nest in groups of up to seven adult males and females and their young, all of whom are related ... The territory size of a group of sugar gliders is around 2.5 acres.
The page saysThe adult males mark the territory with saliva and scent from their anal, hand, and foot glands
The source saysThe adult males of the group regularly mark this territory with their saliva and with the secretions of their anal, hand, and foot scent glands.
The page saysmark every other member with glands on the forehead and chest
The source saysSugar gliders also have scent glands located on the forehead and chest that are used by the males in a group to mark all of the other members.
The page saysOne dominant male usually does most of the marking
The source saysThere is usually one dominant male in each group of sugar gliders, who is responsible for most of the marking of the territory and the group.
The page saysany glider without that shared scent gets attacked the moment it's noticed
The source saysWhen another animal is detected that it does not belong to the group because it does not have the group scent, it is immediately and violently attacked.
The page saysMales mark every other member of the group with scent glands on the forehead and chest
The source saysSugar gliders also have scent glands located on the forehead and chest that are used by the males in a group to mark all of the other members.
The page saysone dominant male usually does most of the marking
The source saysThere is usually one dominant male in each group of sugar gliders, who is responsible for most of the marking of the territory and the group.
The page saysAny glider that turns up without that shared scent is treated as an intruder and attacked immediately
The source saysWhen another animal is detected that it does not belong to the group because it does not have the group scent, it is immediately and violently attacked.
The page saysmembers of the same group never fight beyond threats
The source saysWithin groups, no fighting takes place beyond threatening behavior.Note: 'never' paraphrases the source's own absolute, 'no fighting takes place'.
The page saysIn spring and summer it eats mostly insects, especially moths and beetles
The source saysDuring the spring and summer months sugar gliders predominately feed upon insects, mainly moths and beetles
The page saysIn autumn and winter it switches to plant food instead, such as eucalyptus sap and pollen
The source saysduring the fall and winter months they feed on plant products, such as eucalyptus sap and pollen
The page saysranging across New Guinea and northern and eastern Australia
The source saysThe sugar glider's distribution covers New Guinea and certain nearby islands, Bismark Archipelago, and northern and eastern Australia.Note: ADW describes the species in its old, broad sense, which is why the sentence places this range before the 2020 split.

Source
02

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

Sugar Glider. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

The page saysglides that can reach about 150 feet between trees
The source saysA sugar glider's glide can reach about 150 feet (over 45 meters).Note: 'between trees' is the same page's 'allows it to glide from tree to tree'.
The page saysan appetite for eucalyptus sap and sweet nectar
The source saysWhile named for their penchant for eating forest sweets like acacia gum, eucalyptus sap, and flower nectar
The page saysA patagium gliding membrane running wrist to ankle
The source saysThat ankle-to-wrist membrane that enables them to glide is called a patagium.
The page saysletting it glide up to about 150 feet between trees
The source saysA sugar glider's glide can reach about 150 feet (over 45 meters).Note: 'between trees' is the same page's 'allows it to glide from tree to tree'.
The page sayssteering with its tail as a rudder
The source saysusing their long, flat, bushy tail as a rudder
The page saysThe sugar glider's big trick is a soft membrane called a patagium, stretched between each wrist and ankle
The source saysThe sugar glider's main distinguishing feature is a soft membrane between its wrists and ankles called a patagium, which allows it to glide from tree to tree as though using a parachute.
The page saysa glide can reach about 150 feet (over 45 meters) between trees
The source saysA sugar glider's glide can reach about 150 feet (over 45 meters).Note: 'between trees' is the same page's 'allows it to glide from tree to tree'. ADW gives 'can glide up to 45 meters'.
The page saysIt steers mid-glide by tilting its hands, adjusting tension in the membrane, and using its long, flat tail as a rudder
The source saysthey steer toward their target by tilting their hands and arms, adjusting the tension in their "wings," and using their long, flat, bushy tail as a rudder
The page saysIts head and body run 4.7 to 12 inches (120 to 320 millimeters)
The source saysLength: 4.7 to 12 inches (120 to 320 millimeters)Note: ADW gives the same range as head and body: 'its head and body are approximately 120-320mm long'.
The page saysplus a tail of 6 to 18 inches (150 to 480 millimeters)
The source saystail 6 to 18 inches long (150 to 480 millimeters)
The page saysIt weighs 3 to 5 ounces (85 to 141 grams), about as much as a baseball
The source saysA sugar glider weighs 3 to 5 ounces (85 to 141 grams), about as much as a baseball
The page sayslives 4 to 5 years in the wild, up to 15 in expert care
The source saysLife Span 4 to 5 years in the wilderness; up to 15 years in expert careNote: ADW's AnAge line gives a 14-year average in the wild; the current institution page wins.
The page saysFrightened, a glider can ooze a white, oily secretion that smells of soured fruit from its paracloacal glands
The source saysthey will produce a white, oily secretion from their paracloacal glands, which has the odor of soured fruit
The page saysor stand on its hind legs, often with its mouth open
The source saysSugar gliders will assume a defensive posture by standing on their hind legs with head extended, often with the mouth open.
The page saysA really frightened one may lie on its back with its feet in the air, calling out
The source saysIf really frightened, they may lie on their backs with their feet up in the air while vocalizing.
The page saysIts patagium, a soft membrane stretched between wrist and ankle on each side, lets it glide from tree to tree
The source saysThe sugar glider's main distinguishing feature is a soft membrane between its wrists and ankles called a patagium, which allows it to glide from tree to tree as though using a parachute.
The page saysSan Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says a glide can reach about 150 feet (over 45 meters)
The source saysA sugar glider's glide can reach about 150 feet (over 45 meters).
The page saysIt steers by tilting its hands, adjusting tension in the membrane, and using its long tail as a rudder
The source saysthey steer toward their target by tilting their hands and arms, adjusting the tension in their "wings," and using their long, flat, bushy tail as a rudder
The page saysa marsupial named for its taste in forest sweets
The source saysnamed for their penchant for eating forest sweets like acacia gum, eucalyptus sap, and flower nectar
The page sayslaunching glides that can reach about 150 feet
The source saysA sugar glider's glide can reach about 150 feet (over 45 meters).

Source
03

Salas et al. 2016

Salas et al. (2016). Petaurus breviceps. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T16731A21959798.

The page saysLeast Concern
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC).
The page saysDescribed in 1838
The source saysPetaurus breviceps Waterhouse, 1838
The page saysThe IUCN's Least Concern rating for Petaurus breviceps dates to 2016, before that split
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC). Petaurus breviceps Waterhouse, 1838, IUCN taxon 16731.Note: The 2016 assessment date is in the assessment's own identifier (rlts.2016-2...), which the prefetch found as the latest assessment; GBIF's copy of the Red List was read 2026-09 and still gives LC. 'Before that split' compares 2016 with the 2020 Cremona et al. publication date.

Source
04

Nowack et al. 2015

Nowack et al. (2015). Snoozing through the storm: torpor use during a natural disaster. Scientific Reports.

The page saysTracked through a storm with category-1 cyclone wind speeds on the Australian coast
The source saysa storm with heavy rain and category 1 cyclone wind speeds ... We studied a population of Australian sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps, > ~130 g) inhabiting a coastal, subtropical habitat
The page sayssugar gliders stayed inactive or cut back their foraging
The source sayssugar gliders remained inactive or reduced foraging times during the storm
The page saysseven of the ten with data entered torpor
The source saysseven out of ten individuals for which data were available entered torpor during the storm
The page saysBody temperature fell as low as 13.8°C (57°F)
The source saysT b during the storm reached 13.8 °CNote: 57°F is a conversion of 13.8°C.
The page saysdeep torpor cut energy use by up to 67 percent
The source saysCalculated metabolic rates indicated an energy saving of 9% during shallow torpor ... and up to 67% during deep torpor
The page saysEvery glider in the study survived and resumed normal foraging over the following night or nights
The source saysAll animals survived the storm and reverted to normal foraging activity during the following night(s)

Source
05

Feigin et al. 2023

Feigin et al. (2023). Convergent deployment of ancestral functions during the evolution of mammalian flight membranes. Science Advances.

The page saysThe membrane works as an airfoil
The source saysEach flying lineage has evolved a lateral flight membrane, or patagium, between the fore- and hindlimbs. This structure acts as an airfoil, generating lift and permitting directional movement during flight
The page saysThe membrane first shows as a ridge along a joey's side, most visible at the armpit, about five days after birth
The source sayspouch young first show external evidence of the patagium at approximately 5 days after birth [postnatal day 4 (P4)], in the form of a lateral ridge, most visible at the axillaNote: pouch young are joeys; a lateral ridge runs along the side; the axilla is the armpit.
The page saysA 2023 study found that a gene called Wnt5a helps it form
The source sayswe demonstrate that lateral Wnt5a expression in the marsupial sugar glider ... promotes the differentiation of its patagium primordiumNote: 2023 is the paper's publication year (bibliographic metadata).
The page saysbats' wing membranes evolved using the same gene
The source saysthis function of Wnt5a reprises ancestral roles in skin morphogenesis predating mammalian flight and has been convergently used during patagium evolution in eutherian bats
The page saysin mice, it likely shapes the outer ear
The source saysOur studies in eutherian laboratory mice further show that this role for Wnt5a is likely conserved in mammals, controlling skin morphogenesis in very distinct structures, such as the pinna of the ear.Note: the pinna is the outer ear.
The page saysGliding has evolved as many as six separate times in living mammals
The source saysFlight has arisen as many as seven times among extant mammals. This includes bats, which evolved powered flight, as well as six instances of unpowered flight, or gliding
The page sayssugar gliders and bats grow their membranes with some of the same limb-building genes
The source sayswe find that many genes involved in limb development have been redeployed during patagium outgrowth in both the sugar glider and batNote: 'some' rather than 'many' shared: the results section adds 'this transcriptional convergence is limited, with more uniquely redeployed limb development genes in each species than those that are shared between them'.
The page saysthe sugar glider proper, Krefft's glider, and the savanna glider
The source saysP. breviceps (sugar glider), Petaurus notatus (Krefft's glider), and Petaurus ariel (savanna glider)

Source
06

Cremona et al. 2020

Cremona et al. (2020). Integrative taxonomic investigation ofPetaurus breviceps(Marsupialia: Petauridae) reveals three distinct species. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.

The page saysrange of the species before its 2020 split
The source saysThe Australian sugar glider, Petaurus breviceps s.l., is widely distributed across eastern and northern Australia. ... Herein, we confirm the existence of three distinct speciesNote: s.l. (sensu lato) is the species in its old, broad sense; ADW's range describes that broad species. 2020 is the paper's publication year (bibliographic metadata), not text in the abstract.
The page saysOne Species Became Three
The source saysHerein, we confirm the existence of three distinct species: P. breviceps, P. notatus comb. nov. and P. ariel comb. nov.Note: the heading summarises the split of the Australian gliders the body describes.
The page saysthe sugar glider was treated as a single species
The source saysThe Australian sugar glider, Petaurus breviceps s.l., is widely distributed across eastern and northern Australia. ... Australian gliders currently recognized as Petaurus breviceps
The page saysa 2020 genetic and anatomical study split the Australian gliders into three
The source saysutilize an integrative taxonomic approach, combining genetic and morphological evidence, to resolve the taxonomy of Australian gliders currently recognized as Petaurus breviceps. Herein, we confirm the existence of three distinct species: P. breviceps, P. notatus comb. nov. and P. ariel comb. nov.Note: the 2020 publication year is bibliographic metadata (confirmed via audit:sources --cite), not text inside the abstract itself
The page saysThe study's authors note the old species was not listed as threatened because of its supposedly broad range
The source saysGiven the purported broad geographic distribution of the taxon, P. breviceps s.l. was not listed as threatened
The page sayswarn that splitting it has important conservation implications for all three
The source saysdividing this taxon into three species has important conservation implications for all taxa in the group ... Concerted and targeted conservation efforts are necessary to preserve these distinct, newly described species.

Source
07

Campbell et al. 2019

Campbell et al. (2019). The origin of exotic pet sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps) kept in the United States of America. PeerJ.

The page saysEucalyptus sap, acacia gum, honeydew, and insects
The source saysDiet consists of the sap of Eucalyptus spp., Acacia spp. gum, leaves of host trees, invertebrates and honeydew produced by insectsNote: insects narrows the source's 'invertebrates'; ADW names insects directly ('Their diet also includes pollen, nectar, insects and their larvae').
The page saysall those sampled probably came from a source population near Sorong
The source saysOur analysis suggests that all of the USA sugar gliders sampled in this study have originated from a source population in the vicinity of Sorong, Indonesia
The page saysin Indonesia's West Papua
The source saysthe USA sugar glider population originates from West Papua, Indonesia
The page saysA DNA study of pet gliders
The source sayssamples collected from domestically kept sugar gliders within the USA
The page saysfrom seven US states
The source saysSamples were collected from seven states
The page sayswith no sign of any harvested in Papua New Guinea or Australia
The source sayswith no illegal harvesting from other native areas such as Papua New Guinea or Australia evident in the samples tested within this study
The page saysSugar gliders were brought to the US for the exotic pet trade in the 1990s
The source saysThe sugar glider was brought to the USA for the exotic pet trade in the 1990s
The page saysAustralia had banned exporting them in 1982
The source saysAustralian sugar gliders were imported into the USA before exportation was banned in 1982 with the implementation of the Wildlife Protection Act (Regulation of Exports and Imports) 1982Note: the 1982 Act is Australia's export law; the source's sentence is about Australian sugar gliders.

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.