5. eTMNOBELIDETJS. 149 



5. GYMNOBELIDEUS. 



Type. 



Gymnol)elideu8, McCoy, Ann. Mag. N. H. (3) xx. 

 p. 287 (1867) G. leadbeateri. 



General appearance as in Petaurus. Ears large, naked, untufted. 

 No flying-membrane present. Toes of normal proportions, their 

 length anteriorly in the following order — 4, 3, 5, 2, 1 j claws less 

 developed than in Petaurus. Tail cylindrical, bushy. 



Skull and teeth as in Petaurus. 



Dental formula :-I. Hrl- C^, P. \=^±i, M. {^4^1= 

 16+4x2=40. 



This genus is exceedingly closely allied to Petaurus, from which 

 it only difiers by having no flying-membrane, and by its fifth 

 being slightly shorter, instead of longer, than its third fore toe. It 

 may in fact be looked upon as the primitive form from which the 

 more highly specialized Petaurus has been developed. 



1. Gymnobelideus leadbeateri. 



Gymnobelideus leadbeateri, McCoy, Ann. Mag. N.H. (3) xi. p.287, 

 pi. vi. (animal, teeth, &c.) (1867) ; id. Prodr. 2kiol. Vict. (De- 

 cade X.) pi. ici. (animal, skull, and feet) (1883). 



The following description is taken, nearly verbally, from the. 

 accounts published by Prof. McCoy : — 



General appearance very like that of Petawrus hreviceps (infra, 

 p. 156) except for the entire absence of the lateral flying-mem- 

 branes. JFur soft and close. General colour of upper surface 

 brownish grey, with a blackish dusky streak from the top of the 

 head along the back to the sacrum. A dark patch under the base 

 of the ear, and fainter ones before and behind the eye. Ears large, 

 eemi-eUiptical, nearly naked towards the tip. Under surface dull 

 yellowish. Fore feet with the terminal toe-pads very large and 

 wrinkled, and sometimes exceeding the claws in length. Palm- and 

 sole-pads large, low, finely striated. Tail long, evenly bushy, the 

 hairs along the basal shorter than those along the terminal halif, its 

 colour throughout pale brown. 



Shull, so far as can be made out from the figures, only difiiering 

 from that of Petaurus breviceps by the rather greater length and 

 narrowness of the muzzle, and by the presence of large vacuities in 

 the palate, extending forward to the front of m.^ 



Teeih as in P. breviceps. 



Dimensions. 



Type*. 



millim. 



Head and body 135 



Tail 162 



* Allowance must be made here for possible differences in the manner of 

 taking the measurements. 



