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Encyclopedia > Opossum

Didelphimorphia[1]
Fossil range: Late Cretaceous - Recent
Virginia Opossum Didelphis virginiana
Virginia Opossum Didelphis virginiana
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Didelphimorphia
Gill, 1872
Family: Didelphidae
Gray, 1821
Genera

Several; see text Geography of the US in the Late Cretaceous Period Late Cretaceous (100mya - 65mya) refers to the second half of the Cretaceous Period, named after the famous white chalk cliffs of southern England, which date from this time. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution (3024 × 2016 pixel, file size: 1,018 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) shot was taken though glass door I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Binomial name (Kerr, 1792) The Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is the only marsupial found in North America north of the Rio Grande River. ... Scientific classification redirects here. ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... Typical Classes See below Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates. ... Subclasses & Infraclasses Subclass †Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass †Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria For the folk-rock band see The Mammals. ... This article is about mammals. ... Theodore Nicholas Gill (1837 - 1914) was an American ichthyologist. ... John Edward Gray. ... For other uses, see Genus (disambiguation). ...

Didelphimorphia is the order of common opossums of the Western Hemisphere. Opossums probably diverged from the basic South American marsupials in the late Cretaceous or early Paleocene. A sister group is Paucituberculata (shrew opossums). They are commonly also called "possums," though that term is also applied to Australian fauna of the suborder Phalangeriformes. The Virginia Opossum is the original animal named "opossum". The word comes from Algonquian wapathemwa. Colloquially, the Virginia opossum is frequently called simply possum. In scientific classification used in biology, the order (Latin: ordo, plural ordines) is a rank between class and family (termed a taxon at that rank). ... The geographical western hemisphere of Earth, highlighted in yellow. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... This article is about mammals. ... // The Cretaceous Period (pronounced ) is one of the major divisions of the geologic timescale, reaching from the end of the Jurassic Period (i. ... The Paleocene, early dawn of the recent, is a geologic epoch that lasted from 65. ... Genera  Caenolestes  Lestoros  Rhyncholestes The biological order Paucituberculata contains the five surviving species of shrew opossum: small, shrew-like marsupials which are confined to the Andes mountains of South America. ... Genera  Caenolestes  Lestoros  Rhyncholestes The biological order Paucituberculata contains the five surviving species of shrew opossum: small, shrew-like marsupials which are confined to the Andes mountains of South America. ... Superfamilies and Families Phalangeroidea Burramyidae Phalangeridae Petauroida Pseudocheiridae Petauridae Tarsipedidae Acrobatidae A possum is any of about 63 small to medium-sized arboreal marsupials native to Australia. ... Binomial name (Kerr, 1792) The Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is the only marsupial found in North America north of the Rio Grande River. ... The Algonquian (also Algonkian) languages are a subfamily of Native American languages that includes most of the languages in the Algic language family (others are Wiyot and Yurok of northwestern California). ...


Their unspecialized biology, flexible diet and reproductive strategy make them successful colonizers and survivors in unsettled times. Originally native to the eastern United States, the Virginia Opossum was intentionally introduced into the west during the Great Depression, probably as a source of food. Its range has been expanding steadily northwards, thanks in part to more plentiful, man-made sources of fresh water, increased shelter due to urban encroachment, and milder winters. Its range has extended into Ontario, Canada, and it has been found farther north than Toronto. Binomial name (Kerr, 1792) The Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is the only marsupial found in North America north of the Rio Grande River. ... For other uses, see The Great Depression (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Canadian province. ...

Contents

Characteristics

Didelphimorphs are small to medium-sized marsupials, with the largest about the size of a large house cat, and the smallest the size of a mouse. They tend to be semi-arboreal omnivores, although there are many exceptions. Most members of this taxon have long snouts, a narrow braincase, and a prominent sagittal crest. The dental formula is: This article is about mammals. ... Binomial name Felis catus Linnaeus, 1758 Synonyms Felis lybica invalid junior synonym The cat (or domestic cat, house cat) is a small carnivorous mammal. ... This article is about the rodent. ... The kinkajou is an arboreal mammal. ... Pigs are omnivores. ... A taxon (plural taxa), or taxonomic unit, is a grouping of organisms (named or unnamed). ... A snout is the protruding portion of an animals face, consisting of its nose, mouth, and jaw. ... Cranium can mean: The brain and surrounding skull, a part of the body. ... Canine skull showing sagittal crest A sagittal crest is a ridge of bone running lengthwise along the midline of the top of the skull (at the sagittal suture) of many mammalian and reptilian skulls, among others. ... Dentition is the development of teeth and their arrangement in the mouth. ...

5.1.3.4
4.1.3.4

By mammal standards, this is a very full jaw. Opossums have more teeth than any land mammal; only aquatic mammals have more.[citation needed] The incisors are very small, the canines large, and the molars are tricuspid. Subclasses & Infraclasses Subclass †Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass †Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria For the folk-rock band see The Mammals. ...


Didelphimorphs have a plantigrade stance (feet flat on the ground) and the hind feet have an opposable digit with no claw. Like some primates, opossums have prehensile tails. The stomach is simple, with a small cecum. REDIRECT [[]] Human skeleton, showing plantigrade habit In mammals, plantigrade locomotion means walking with the podials and metatarsals flat on the ground. ... For other uses, see Foot (disambiguation). ... Cat claw A claw is a curved pointed appendage, found at the end of a toe or finger or, in arthropods, of the tarsus. ... Families 15, See classification A primate is any member of the biological order Primates, the group that contains all the species commonly related to the lemurs, monkeys, and apes, with the latter category including humans. ... Prehensility is the quality of an organ that has adapted for grasping or holding. ... In anatomy, the stomach is a bean-shaped hollow muscular organ of the gastrointestinal tract involved in the second phase of digestion, following mastication. ... The cecum or caecum (from the Latin caecus meaning blind) is a pouch connected to the ascending colon of the large intestine and the ileum. ...


Opossums have a remarkably robust immune system, and show partial or total immunity to the venom of rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, and other pit vipers.[2][3] Thanks to their lower blood temperature, rabies is almost unknown in opossums.[4] Species 27 species; see list of rattlesnake species and subspecies. ... Binomial name (Lacépède, 1789) Synonyms Vipera aquatica - Catesby, 1743 Crot[alus]. Piscivorus - Lacépède, 1789 C[rotalus]. Aquaticus - Bonnaterre, 1790 Scytale piscivora - Sonnini & Latreille, 1801 Coluber Aquaticus - Shaw, 1802 Coluber Tisiphone - Shaw, 1802 Scytale piscivorus - Daudin, 1803 [Coluber (Natrix)] piscivorus - Merrem, 1820 Colub[er]. tisiphone - Cuvier, 1829... {{Taxobox[[{| class=wikitable |- ]]</nowiki>]] --> </gallery> |} |}]]| [[Image:[[Media:Failed to parse (unknown error): == <nowiki>#REDIRECT [[<sup><small>[ == == == [[Image:[[Image:[[Media:[[Media:#REDIRECT [[#REDIRECT [[#REDIRECT [[ ---- ---- <math><math><math>[[Media:[[Media: == == == == == == [[[[[[color = pink]]]]]] == == == == == ==]]]] </math></math>]]]]]]]]]]]]]] == == ==]]]</nowiki> ==</math>]]]] | name = Crotalinae | image = TimberRattler. ...


Reproduction and life cycle

Opossum reproductive systems are extremely basic[citation needed], with a reduced marsupium. This means that the young are born at a very early stage, although the gestation period is similar to many other small marsupials, at only 12-14 days.[5] The species are moderately sexually dimorphic with males usually being somewhat larger than females. The largest difference between the opossum and other mammals is the bifurcated penis of the male and bifurcated vagina of the female (the source of the Latin "didelphis," meaning double-wombed). A pictorial illustration of the human female reproductive system. ... Orders Superorder Ameridelphia Didelphimorphia Paucituberculata Superorder Australidelphia Microbiotheria Dasyuromorphia Peramelemorphia Notoryctemorphia Diprotodontia Marsupials are mammals in which the female typically has a pouch (called the marsupium, from which the name Marsupial derives) in which it rears its young through early infancy. ... Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous animal. ... For other uses, see Species (disambiguation). ... Female (left) and male Common Pheasant, illustrating the dramatic difference in both color and size, between the sexes Sexual dimorphism is the systematic difference in form between individuals of different sex in the same species. ... This article is about the Male sex. ... For other uses, see Female (disambiguation). ... Look up Bifurcation in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...


Female opposums often give birth to very large numbers of young, most of which fail to attach to a teat, although anything up to fifteen young can attach, and therefore survive, depending on species. The young are weaned between 70 and 125 days, when they detach from the teat and leave the pouch. The opossum lifespan is unusually short for a mammal of its size, usually only 2 to 4 years. Senescence is rapid.[6] A breastfeeding infant Breastfeeding is the practice of a woman feeding an infant (or sometimes a toddler or a young child) with milk produced from her mammary glands, usually directly from the nipples. ... In biology, senescence is the combination of processes of deterioration which follow the period of development of an organism. ...


Diet

Didelphimorphs are opportunistic omnivores with a very broad diet. Their diet mainly consists of carrion and many individual opossums are killed on the highway when scavenging for roadkill. They are also known to eat insects, frogs, birds, snakes, small mammals, and earthworms. Some of their favorite foods are fruits and they are known to eat apples and persimmons. Their broad diet allows them to take advantage of many sources of food provided by human habitation such as unsecured food waste (garbage) and pet food. Omnivores are organisms that consume both plants and animals. ... For the professional wrestler known as Roadkill, see Michael Depoli, for the movie marketed as Roadkill in the UK and Australia, see Joy Ride, for the Supernatural TV series episode, see Roadkill (Supernatural). ... Species See text A Persimmon is any of a number of species of trees of the genus Diospyros, and the edible fruit borne by them. ...

Opossum fur is quite soft.
Opossum fur is quite soft.

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1124x476, 547 KB) Virginia Opossum fur on display at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1124x476, 547 KB) Virginia Opossum fur on display at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. ... For other uses, see Fur (disambiguation). ...

Behavior

Opossums are usually solitary and nomadic, staying in one area as long as food and water are easily available. Some families will group together in pre-made burrows or even under houses. Though they will temporarily occupy abandoned burrows, they do not dig or put much effort into building their own. As nocturnal animals, they favor dark, secure areas. These areas may be below ground or above.


When threatened or harmed, they will "play possum", mimicking the appearance and smell of a sick or dead animal. The lips are drawn back, teeth are bared, saliva foams around the mouth, and a foul-smelling fluid is secreted from the anal glands. The physiological response is involuntary, rather than a conscious act. Their stiff, curled form can be prodded, turned over, and even carried away. Many injured opossums have been killed by well-meaning people who find a catatonic animal and assume the worst. The best thing to do upon finding an injured or apparently dead opossum is to leave it in a quiet place with a clear exit path. In minutes or hours, the animal will regain consciousness and escape quietly on its own. Illustration showing the location of the anal glands in a typical dog. ...


Adult opossums do not hang from trees by their tails, though babies may dangle temporarily. Their semi-prehensile tails are not strong enough to support a mature adult's weight. Instead, the opossum uses its tail as a brace and a fifth limb when climbing. The tail is occasionally used as a grip to carry bunches of leaves or bedding materials to the nest. A mother will sometimes carry her young upon her back, where they will cling tightly even when she is climbing or running.


Threatened opossums (especially males) will growl deeply, raising their pitch as the threat becomes more urgent. Males make a clicking "smack" noise out of the side of their mouths as they wander in search of a mate, and females will sometimes repeat the sound in return. When separated or distressed, baby opossums will make a sneezing noise to signal their mother. If threatened, the baby will open its mouth in a silent hiss until the threat is gone.


Historical references

An early description of the opossum comes from explorer John Smith, who wrote in Map of Virginia, with a Description of the Countrey, the Commodities, People, Government and Religion in 1608 that "An Opassom hath an head like a Swine, and a taile like a Rat, and is of the bignes of a Cat. Under her belly she hath a bagge, wherein she lodgeth, carrieth, and sucketh her young."[7][8]. The Opossum was more formally described in 1698 in a published letter entitled "Carigueya, Seu Marsupiale Americanum Masculum. Or, The Anatomy of a Male Opossum: In a Letter to Dr Edward Tyson," from Mr William Cowper, Chirurgeon, and Fellow of the Royal Society, London, by Edward Tyson, M. D. Fellow of the College of Physicians and of the Royal Society. The letter suggests even earlier descriptions.[9] Statue at Jamestown VA, photo Aug 2007 Captain/Sir John Smith (1580–June 21, 1631), was an English soldier, sailor, and author. ... William Cowper. ... The Fellowship of the Royal Society was founded in 1660. ...


As food

The opossum was a favorite game animal in the United States, and in particular the southern regions which have a large body of recipes and folklore relating to the opossum. Opossum was once widely consumed in the United States where available as evidenced by recipes in older editions of The Joy of Cooking. In Dominica and Trinidad opossum or "manicou" is popular and can only be hunted during certain times of the year due to over-hunting; the meat is traditionally prepared by smoking then stewing. The meat is light and fine grained, but the musk glands must be removed as part of preparation. The meat can be used in place of rabbit and chicken in recipes. The cousin of the opossum, the possum, found in Australia (and introduced to New Zealand) is consumed in a similar manner. (Davidson, 1999) The Joy of Cooking is one of the worlds most-published cookbooks, having been in print continuously since 1936. ... For other uses, see Trinidad (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Possum (disambiguation). ...


Historically, hunters in the Caribbean would place a barrel with fresh or rotten fruit to attract opossums who would feed on the fruit or insects. Cubans growing up in the mid-twentieth century tell of brushing the maggots out of the mouths of "manicou" caught in this manner to prepare them for consumption. It is said also that the gaminess of the meat causes gas.[citation needed] Flatulence is the presence of a mixture of gases in the digestive tract of mammals. ...


In Mexico, opossums are known as "tlacuache" or "tlaquatzin". Their tails are eaten as a folk remedy to improve fertility.


Opossum oil (Possum grease) is high in essential fatty acids and has been used as a chest rub and a carrier for arthritis remedies given as topical salves. Essential fatty acids are fatty acids that are required in the human diet. ...


Classification

Genera Caluromys Caluromysiops Glironia † Pachybiotherium Caluromyinae is a subfamily of opossums. ... Type Species Didelphis philander Linnaeus, 1758 Species Caluromys derbianus Caluromys lanatus Caluromys philander The three species in the genus Caluromys, commonly known as woolly opossums, are members of the Didelphimorphia order. ... Binomial name (Waterhouse, 1841) The Central American Woolly Opossum (Caluromys derbianus) is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. ... Binomial name Caluromys lanatus (Olfers, 1818) Subspecies Caluromys lanatus cicur Caluromys lanatus lanatus Caluromys lanatus nattereri Caluromys lanatus ochropus Caluromys lanatus orntus Caluromys lanatus vitalinus The Brown-eared Woolly Opossum (Caluromys philander), also known as the Ecuadoran or Western Woolly Opossum, is a woolly opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Caluromys philander (Linnaeus, 1758) Subspecies Caluromys philander affinis Caluromys philander dichurus Caluromys philander philander Caluromys philander trinitatis Bare-tailed Woolly Opossum (Caluromys philander), also called the White-eared Opossum is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Caluromysiops irrupta Sanborn, 1951 The Black-shouldered Opossum (Caluromysiops irrupta), also known as the White-eared Opossum is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Caluromysiops irrupta Sanborn, 1951 The Black-shouldered Opossum (Caluromysiops irrupta), also known as the White-eared Opossum is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Glironia venusta Thomas, 1912 Bushy-tailed Opossum, Glironia venusta, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Glironia venusta Thomas, 1912 Bushy-tailed Opossum, Glironia venusta, is an opossum species from South America. ... Genera Chacodelphys Chironectes Cryptonanus Didelphis Gracilinanus Hyladelphys Lestodelphys Lutreolina Marmosa Marmosops Metachirus Micoureus Monodelphis Philander Thylamys Tlacuatzin Didelphinae is a subfamily of opossums. ... Binomial name Chacodelphys formosa (Shamel, 1930) The Chacoan pygmy opossum (Chacodelphys formosa) is a recently described genus and species of didelphimorph marsupial. ... Binomial name Chacodelphys formosa (Shamel, 1930) The Chacoan pygmy opossum (Chacodelphys formosa) is a recently described genus and species of didelphimorph marsupial. ... Binomial name Chironectes minimus (Zimmermann, 1780) The Water Opossum or Yapok (Chironectes minimus) is a marsupial of the family Didelphidae. ... Binomial name Chironectes minimus (Zimmermann, 1780) The Water Opossum or Yapok (Chironectes minimus) is a marsupial of the family Didelphidae. ... Binomial name Didelphis virginiana (Kerr, 1792) The Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is the only marsupial found in North America. ... Image File history File links Opossum_Skull. ... Image File history File links Opossum_Skull. ... Binomial name Didelphis albiventris Lund, 1840 White-eared Opossum, Didelphis albiventris, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Didelphis aurita Wied-Neuwied, 1826 The Big-eared Opossum, Didelphis albiventris, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Didelphis imperfecta Mondolfi and Pérez-Hernández, 1984 The Guianan White-eared Opossum, Didelphis albiventris, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Didelphis marsupialis Linnaeus, 1758 The Common Opossum (Didelphis marsupialis) or Manicou (so named in the Antilles) is an opossum species living from the south of Mexico to Bolivia. ... Binomial name (Kerr, 1792) The Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is the only marsupial found in North America north of the Rio Grande River. ... Species Gracilinanus aceramarcae Gracilinanus agilis Gracilinanus dryas Gracilinanus emilae Gracilinanus marica Gracilinanus microtarsus Gracilinanus is a genus of opossum in the Didelphidae family. ... Binomial name (Tate, 1931) The Aceramarca Gracile Mouse Opossum or Bolivian Gracile Opossum (Gracilinanus aceramarcae) is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. ... Binomial name Gracilinanus agilis (Burmeister, 1854) The Agile Gracile Opossum, Gracilinanus agilis, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name (Thomas, 1898) The Wood Sprite Gracile Opossum (Gracilinanus dryas) is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. ... Binomial name Gracilinanus emiliae (Thomas, 1909) The Emilias Gracile Opossum, Gracilinanus emiliae, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name (Thomas, 1898) The Northern Gracile Opossum (Gracilinanus marica) is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. ... Binomial name Gracilinanus microtarsus (Wagner, 1842) The Brazilian Gracile Opossum, Gracilinanus microtarsus, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name (P. Hershkovitz, 1992) Synonyms Gracilinanus kalinowskii P. Hershkovitz, 1992 The Kalinowskis Mouse Opossumn or Peru Gracile Mouse Opossum (Hyladelphys kalinowskii) is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. ... Binomial name (P. Hershkovitz, 1992) Synonyms Gracilinanus kalinowskii P. Hershkovitz, 1992 The Kalinowskis Mouse Opossumn or Peru Gracile Mouse Opossum (Hyladelphys kalinowskii) is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. ... Binomial name Lestodelphys halli (Thomas, 1921) The Patagonian Opossum (Lestodelphys halli) is the sole species in genus Lestodelphys. ... Binomial name Lestodelphys halli (Thomas, 1921) The Patagonian Opossum (Lestodelphys halli) is the sole species in genus Lestodelphys. ... Binomial name Lutreolina crassicaudata Desmarest, 1804 The Lutrine Opossum (Lutreolina crassicaudata), also known as Little Water Opossum or Thick-tailed Opossum, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Lutreolina crassicaudata Desmarest, 1804 The Lutrine Opossum (Lutreolina crassicaudata), also known as Little Water Opossum or Thick-tailed Opossum, is an opossum species from South America. ... Species Marmosa andersoni Marmosa lepida Marmosa mexicana Marmosa murina Marmosa quichua Marmosa robinsoni Marmosa rubra Marmosa tyleriana Marmosa xerophila The nine species in the genus Marmosa, commonly known as murine opossums or mouse opossums, are relatively small members of the Didelphimorphia order. ... Binomial name Pine, 1972 The Andersons Mouse Opossum (Marmosa andersoni) is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. ... Binomial name Marmosa lepida Thomas, 1888 The Rufous Mouse Opossum, Marmosa lepida, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Merriam, 1897 The Mexican Mouse Opossum (Marmosa mexicana) is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. ... Binomial name Marmosa murina (Linnaeus, 1758) Linnaeuss Mouse Opossum (Marmosa murina), also known as the Common or Murine Mouse Opossum, is a South American marsupial of the family Didelphidae. ... Binomial name Bangs, 1898 The Robinsons Mouse Opossum (Marmosa robinsoni) is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. ... Binomial name Marmosa rubra Tate, 1931 The Red Mouse Opossum (Marmosa rubra) is a South American marsupial of the family Didelphidae. ... Binomial name Marmosa tyleriana Tate, 1931 Tyleria Mouse Opossum (Marmosa tyleriana) is a South American marsupial of the family Didelphidae. ... Binomial name Handley & Gordon, 1979 The Guajira Mouse Opossum (Marmosa xerophila) is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. ... Species See text Marmosops is a genus of opossums. ... Binomial name Handley & Gordon, 1979 The Narrow-headed Slender Opossum (Marmosops cracens) is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. ... Binomial name (Thomas, 1911) Synonyms (Tate, 1931) (Tate, 1931) The Dorothys Slender Opossum (Marmosops dorothea) is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. ... Binomial name (Thomas, 1896) Synonyms (J.A. Allen and Chapman, 1897) (Thomas, 1924) The Dusky Slender Opossum (Marmosops fuscatus) is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. ... Binomial name (Pine, 1981) The Handleys Slender Opossum (Marmosops handleyi) is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. ... Binomial name Marmosops impavidus (Tschudi, 1844) The Tschudis Slender Opossum, Marmosops impavidus, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Marmosops incanus (Lund, 1841) The Gray Slender Opossum, Marmosops incanus, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Goldman, 1912 The Panama Slender Opossum (Marmosops invictus) is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. ... Binomial name Marmosops neblina Gardner, 1990 The Neblina Slender Opossum, Marmosops neblina, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Marmosops noctivagus (Tschudi, 1845) The White-bellied Slender Opossum, Marmosops noctivagus, is an opossum species from South America. ... Marmosops parvidens Binomial name Marmosops parvidens (Tate, 1931) The Delicate Slender Opossum, Marmosops parvidens, is a small pouchless marsupial of the family Didelphidae. ... Binomial name Marmosops paulensis Tate, 1931 The Brazilian Slender Opossum, Marmosops paulensis, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Marmosops pinheiroi Pine, 1981 The Pinheiros Slender Opossum, Marmosops pinheiroi, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Metachirus nudicaudatus (Geoffroy, 1803) The Brown Four-eyed Opossum, Metachirus nudicaudatus, is a pouchless marsupial of the family Didelphidae. ... Binomial name (É. Geoffroy, 1803) The Brown Four-eyed Opossum, Metachirus nudicaudatus, is a pouchless marsupial of the family Didelphidae. ... Species Micoureus alstoni - Alstons Mouse Opossum Micoureus constantiae - White-bellied Woolly Mouse Opossum Micoureus demerarae - Woolly Mouse Opossum Micoureus paraguayanus - Tates Woolly Mouse Opossum Micoureus phaeus - Little Woolly Mouse Opossum Micoureus regina - Bare-tailed Woolly Mouse Opossum Micoureus is a genus of opossums. ... Binomial name Micoureus alstoni (J. A. Allen, 1900) Alstons Mouse Opossum (Micoureus alstoni), also known as Alstons Opossum, is a medium sized pouchless marsupial of the family Didelphidae. ... Binomial name Micoureus constantiae (Thomas, 1904) The White-bellied Woolly Mouse Opossum, Micoureus constantiae, is a small pouchless marsupial of the family Didelphidae. ... Binomial name Micoureus demerarae (Thomas, 1905) The Long-furred Woolly Mouse Opossum (Micoureus demerarae) is a South American marsupial of the family Didelphidae. ... Binomial name Micoureus regina (Thomas, 1898) The Bare-tailed Woolly Mouse Opossum (Micoureus regina) or Short-furred Woolly Mouse Opossum is a South American marsupial of the family Didelphidae. ... Species 15 species, see article. ... Binomial name (Thomas, 1897) The Sepia Short-tailed Opossum (Monodelphis adusta) is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. ... Binomial name Monodelphis americana Müller, 1776 The Northern Three-striped Opossum, Monodelphis americana, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Monodelphis brevicaudata (Erxleben, 1777) The Northern Red-sided Opossum, Monodelphis brevicaudata, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Monodelphis dimidiata (Wagner, 1847) The Yellow-sided Opossum, Monodelphis dimidiata, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Monodelphis domestica (Wagner, 1842) The Grey Short-tailed Opossum (Monodelphis domestica) is a small member of the Didelphidae family of opossums. ... Binomial name Monodelphis emiliae (Thomas, 1912) The Emilias Short-tailed Opossum, Monodelphis emiliae, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Monodelphis iheringi (Thomas, 1888) The Iherings Three-striped Opossum, Monodelphis iheringi, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Monodelphis kunsi Pine, 1875 The Pygmy Short-tailed Opossum, Monodelphis kunsi, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Monodelphis maraxina Thomas, 1923 The Marajó Short-tailed Opossum, Monodelphis maraxina, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Doutt, 1938 The Osgoods Short-tailed Opossum (Monodelphis osgoodi) is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. ... Binomial name Monodelphis rubida (Thomas, 1936) The Chestnut-striped Opossum, Monodelphis rubida, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Monodelphis scalops (Thomas, 1888) The Long-nosed Short-tailed Opossum, Monodelphis scalops, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Monodelphis sorex (Hensel, 1872) The Southern Red-sided Opossum, Monodelphis sorex, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Monodelphis theresa Thomas, 1921 The Southern Three-striped Opossum, Monodelphis theresa, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Monodelphis umbristriata (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1936) The Red Three-striped Opossum, Monodelphis umbristriata, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Monodelphis unistriata (Wagner, 1842) The One-striped Opossum, Monodelphis unistriata, is an opossum species from South America. ... Species Philander andersoni Philander frenatus Philander mcilhennyi Philander opossum The four species in the genus Philander, commonly known as gray and black four-eyed opossums, are members of the Didelphimorphia order. ... Binomial name Philander andersoni (Osgood, 1913) The Andersons Four-eyed Opossum, Philander andersoni, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Philander deltae Lew et al, 2006 Philander deltae is a species of opossum found in the Orinoco River region of Venezuela, South America. ... Binomial name Philander frenatus Olfers, 1818 The Southeastern Four-eyed Opossum, Philander frenatus, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Philander mcilhennyi Gardner & Patton, 1972 The Mcilhennys Four-eyed Opossum, Philander opossum, is an opossum species from South America. ... Binomial name Philander opossum Linnaeus, 1758 The Gray Four-eyed Opossum, Philander opossum, is an opossum species from Central and South America. ... Species See text Thylamys is a genus of opossum in the Didelphidae family. ... Binomial name (Waterhouse, 1839) The Elegant Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum (Thylamys elegans) is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. ... Binomial name (Olfers, 1818) The Paraguayan Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum (Thylamys macrurus) is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. ... Binomial name (Thomas, 1902) The White-bellied Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum (Thylamys pallidior) is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. ... Binomial name (Desmarest, 1804) The Common Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum (Thylamys pusilla) is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. ... Binomial name Thylamys velutinus Wagner, 1842 The Dwarf Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum (Thylamys velutinus), also known as the Velvety Fat-tailed Opossum is an opossum species from South America. ...

References

  1. ^ a b Gardner, Alfred (November 16, 2005). in Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 3-18. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. 
  2. ^ The Opossum: Our Marvelous Marsupial, The Social Loner. Wildlife Rescue League.
  3. ^ http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S0104-79301999000100005&script=sci_arttext
  4. ^ Frequently Asked Questions - Opossum Problems and Solutions
  5. ^ O'Connell, Margaret A. (1984). in Macdonald, D.: The Encyclopedia of Mammals. New York: Facts on File, 830-837. ISBN 0-87196-871-1. 
  6. ^ Opossum Facts
  7. ^ Chrysti the Wordsmith > Radio Scripts > Opossum
  8. ^ Possum History
  9. ^ Langworthy, Orthello R. (August 1932). "The Panniculus Carnosus and Pouch Musculature of the Opossum, a Marsupial". Journal of Mammalogy Vol. 13 (No. 3): 241-251. 
  10. ^ Lew, Daniel; Roger Pérez-Hernández, Jacint Ventura (2006). "Two new species of Philander (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae) from northern South America". Journal of Mammalogy 87 (2): 224–237. doi:10.1644/05-MAMM-A-065R2.1. 
  11. ^ David A. Flores, DA, Barqueza, RM, and Díaza, MM (2008). "A new species of Philander Brisson, 1762 (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae)". Mammalian Biology 73 (1): 14-24. doi:10.1016/j.mambio.2007.04.002.