What is the scientific name for a koala bear? The koala scientific name is Phascolarctos cinereus.
The koala is one of Australia’s oldest symbols. The koala is known for its beauty, arboreal lifestyle, and eucalyptus diet. Although many people often mistake it for a “koala bear,” this is a misnomer because it is not a bear. Furthermore, this article explores the scientific names of koalas, their biological classification, pronunciation, genus, baby koala names, habitats, and consumer list, and presents some interesting facts about koalas.
What is the Scientific Name of the Koala
- Scientific Name: Phascolarctos cinereus
- Pronunciation: fas-ko-LARK-tus sin-EER-ee-us
- Common Names: Koala, Koala Bear (incorrect but common)
- Koala Bear Scientific Name: Same as above (Phascolarctos cinereus)
The Koala Scientific Name Pronunciation
Phascolarctos cinereus is pronounced like this:
- fas-ko-LARK-tus sin-EER-ee-us
- Phascolarctos: Phascol (pouch) + arctos (bear)
- Cinereus: Latin for ash-colored, regarding the soft grey fur of the koala
The term bear refers only to the general likeness of the animal to a bear and not to the class it represents.
What Does the Koala’s Scientific Name Mean?
The scientific name is from Greek and Latin roots:
- Phaskolos (Greek): Pouch
- Arktos (Greek): Bear
- Cinereus (Latin): Ash color
Thus, we get the meaning of Phascolarctos cinereus, i.e. ash-colored pouch bear. This denotes either the marsupial pouch of the koala or the grey fur tone, besides differentiating koalas from placental mammals like bears and monkeys.
Koala Biological Classification
| Taxonomic Rank | Classification |
|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Infraclass | Marsupialia |
| Order | Diprotodontia |
| Family | Phascolarctidae |
| Genus | Phascolarctos |
| Species | cinereus |
Koalas are the only surviving species in their family, making their evolutionary lineage highly unique among marsupials.
Baby Koala Name And Growth
- The name of the baby koala is Joey.
- At birth, it measures the coarseness of a jelly bean, and it is completely blind and hairless.
- The time spent by a joey in the pouch of its mother is not less than 6 months.
- After this, the joey rides on the back of the mother and eats ‘pap’, which is an immaturely digested nutrient-rich eucalyptus substance used to prepare the joey’s stomach for leaves.
Where Do Koalas Live?
Koalas are natives of Australia and inhabit the following eucalyptus:
- Queensland
- New South Wales
- Victoria
- South Australia
Highly territorial by nature, koalas live through their entire life in a portion of space called ‘home range’, that can cover several trees.
What Do Koalas Eat?
- Basic Diet: Eucalyptus leaves
- Diet Type: Herbivorous
- Favorite Species: There are over 600 species of eucalyptus, with koalas being avid eaters of about 30.
- Digestive System: Koalas have a specialized caecum and gut bacteria that neutralize the toxic compounds in eucalyptus.
- Hydration: They consume very little water and get most of it through plants.
- Waste: Eucalyptus leaves are a poor source of nutrition. Therefore, koalas sleep 18 to 20 hours a day to conserve their energy.
