. The Ecology of arboreal folivores : a symposium held at the Conservation and Research Center, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, May 29-31, 1975 . Figure 14. Lower dentitions of phalangeroid species. A, Trichosurus vulpecula; B, Pseudocheirus corinnae; C, Petaurus breviceps. Pseudocheirus and Trichosurus are extremely folivorous while Petaurus is largely a gumivore. See text for further comment. foods and insect grubs. This contrast is visually apparent from Figure 14 comparing the dentitions of Pseudocheirus and Trichosurus with Petaurus. Pseudocheirus and Trichosurus specie
. The Ecology of arboreal folivores : a symposium held at the Conservation and Research Center, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, May 29-31, 1975 . Figure 14. Lower dentitions of phalangeroid species. A, Trichosurus vulpecula; B, Pseudocheirus corinnae; C, Petaurus breviceps. Pseudocheirus and Trichosurus are extremely folivorous while Petaurus is largely a gumivore. See text for further comment. foods and insect grubs. This contrast is visually apparent from Figure 14 comparing the dentitions of Pseudocheirus and Trichosurus with Petaurus. Pseudocheirus and Trichosurus species differ in fundamental ways in molar construction, although both are folivorous. Trichosurus has rather simple 4 cusped upper and lower molars which could be easily confused with those of colobines (compare Figures 9 and 14). Pseudocheirus and Phascolarctos are conver- gent on a molar structure which further emphasizes shearing; many accessory crests have been added for this purpose. Crushing has been minimized by restric- tion of the size of the trigonid and talonid basins. Whether these differences result from habitus or heritage can not be resolved in the absence of further dietary information. On the basis of the correlation between dental and dietary features shown for the above species, certain hypotheses can be advance for the diets of other species. Among the burramyids, Eudromicia candata is extremely different from Cercartetus concinnus. Body size would rule out a folivorous diet for Eu- dromicia and an insectivorous diet is inferred. The extremely reduced molar dentition of C. concinnus would be consistent with a large fruit, nectar, or gum component in the diet. The same may be said for Distoechurus pennatus which has molars extremely similar to those of Petaurus sp. Dactylonax palpator is more similar in molar shape to Petaurus spp. than to its close relative Dactylopsila trivirgata, implying a diet consisting in large part of gum, nectar, and fruits supplemented
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