The family Petauridae is a group of small to medium-sized arboreal marsupials native to Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands. Members of this family, which include sugar gliders, wrist-winged gliders, and striped possums, are characterized by their membranous gliding structures (patagia) that allow them to glide between trees, as well as long tails used for balance and prehensile grasping. Petaurids are primarily nocturnal and omnivorous, feeding on sap, nectar, insects, and small vertebrates. They exhibit social behaviors, often living in family groups or small colonies, and have marsupial reproductive systems, with females carrying young in a pouch. Their adaptations for gliding and tree-dwelling lifestyles make them important components of forest ecosystems and subjects of ecological and behavioral studies.