Opossums make up the largest order

Order (biology)

In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...

 of marsupial

Marsupial

Marsupials are an infraclass of mammals, characterized by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young. Close to 70% of the 334 extant species occur in Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands, with the remaining 100 found in the Americas, primarily in South America, but with thirteen in Central...

s in the Western Hemisphere

Western Hemisphere

The Western Hemisphere or western hemisphere is mainly used as a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian and east of the Antimeridian , the other half being called the Eastern Hemisphere.In this sense, the western hemisphere consists of the western portions...

, including 103 or more species in 19 genera

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

. They are also commonly called possums, though that term technically refers to Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

n fauna of the suborder Phalangeriformes. The Virginia opossum

Virginia Opossum

The Virginia opossum , commonly known as the North American opossum or tlacuache in Mexico, is the only marsupial found in North America north of Mexico. A solitary and nocturnal animal about the size of a domestic cat, and thus the largest opossum, it is a successful opportunist...

 was the first animal to be named an opossum; usage of the name was published in 1610. The word opossum comes from the Proto-Algonquian

Proto-Algonquian language

Proto-Algonquian is the name given to the proto-language from which the various languages of the Algonquian family are descended. It is generally estimated to have been spoken around 2,500 to 3,000 years ago, but on the question of where it was spoken there is less agreement...

 aposoum, pronounced *wa˙p- aʔθemw

Proto-Algonquian language

Proto-Algonquian is the name given to the proto-language from which the various languages of the Algonquian family are descended. It is generally estimated to have been spoken around 2,500 to 3,000 years ago, but on the question of where it was spoken there is less agreement...

, meaning "white dog" or "white beast/ animal". Opossums probably diverged from the basic South American marsupials in the late Cretaceous

Cretaceous

The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...

 or early Paleocene

Paleocene

The Paleocene or Palaeocene, the "early recent", is a geologic epoch that lasted from about . It is the first epoch of the Palaeogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era...

.

Their unspecialized biology, flexible diet and reproductive strategy make them successful colonizers and survivors in diverse locations and conditions.

Characteristics

Didelphimorphs are small to medium-sized marsupials, with the largest just exceeding the size of a large house cat, and the smallest the size of a small mouse. They tend to be semi-arboreal omnivore

Omnivore

Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...

s, although there are many exceptions. Most members of this taxon

Taxon

|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...

 have long snout

Snout

The snout, or muzzle, is the protruding portion of an animal's face, consisting of its nose, mouth, and jaw.-Terminology:The term "muzzle", used as a noun, can be ambiguous...

s, a narrow braincase, and a prominent sagittal crest

Sagittal crest

A sagittal crest is a ridge of bone running lengthwise along the midline of the top of the skull of many mammalian and reptilian skulls, among others....

. The dental formula is: . By mammal

Mammal

Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...

ian standards, this is a very full jaw. The incisors are very small, the canines large, and the molars are tricuspid.

Didelphimorphs have a plantigrade

Plantigrade

right|151px|thumb|Human skeleton, showing plantigrade habitIn terrestrial animals, plantigrade locomotion means walking with the podials and metatarsals flat on the ground. It is one of three forms of locomotion adopted by mammals...

 stance (feet flat on the ground) and the hind feet

Foot

The foot is an anatomical structure found in many vertebrates. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg made up of one or more segments or bones, generally including claws...

 have an opposable digit with no claw

Claw

A claw is a curved, pointed appendage, found at the end of a toe or finger in most mammals, birds, and some reptiles. However, the word "claw" is also often used in reference to an invertebrate. Somewhat similar fine hooked structures are found in arthropods such as beetles and spiders, at the end...

. Like some New World monkey

New World monkey

New World monkeys are the five families of primates that are found in Central and South America: Callitrichidae, Cebidae, Aotidae, Pitheciidae, and Atelidae. The five families are ranked together as the Platyrrhini parvorder and the Ceboidea superfamily, which are essentially synonymous since...

s, opossums have prehensile tails

Prehensility

Prehensility is the quality of an appendage or organ that has adapted for grasping or holding. The word is derived from the Latin term prehendere, meaning "to grasp."-Examples:Appendages that can become prehensile include:...

. Like all marsupials, the fur

Fur

Fur is a synonym for hair, used more in reference to non-human animals, usually mammals; particularly those with extensives body hair coverage. The term is sometimes used to refer to the body hair of an animal as a complete coat, also known as the "pelage". Fur is also used to refer to animal...

 consists of awn hair

Awn hair

Awn hairs are the intermediate hairs in a mammal's coat. They are shorter than the guard hairs and longer than the down hairs. They help with insulation and protect the down hairs underneath. Most of the visible coat is made of this kind of hair....

 only, and the females have a pouch. The tail and parts of the feet bear scute

Scute

A scute or scutum is a bony external plate or scale, as on the shell of a turtle, the skin of crocodilians, the feet of some birds or the anterior portion of the mesonotum in insects.-Properties:...

s. The stomach

Stomach

The stomach is a muscular, hollow, dilated part of the alimentary canal which functions as an important organ of the digestive tract in some animals, including vertebrates, echinoderms, insects , and molluscs. It is involved in the second phase of digestion, following mastication .The stomach is...

 is simple, with a small cecum

Cecum

The cecum or caecum is a pouch, connecting the ileum with the ascending colon of the large intestine. It is separated from the ileum by the ileocecal valve or Bauhin's valve, and is considered to be the beginning of the large intestine. It is also separated from the colon by the cecocolic...

.

Opossums have a remarkably robust immune system, and show partial or total immunity to the venom of rattlesnake

Rattlesnake

Rattlesnakes are a group of venomous snakes of the genera Crotalus and Sistrurus of the subfamily Crotalinae . There are 32 known species of rattlesnake, with between 65-70 subspecies, all native to the Americas, ranging from southern Alberta and southern British Columbia in Canada to Central...

s, cottonmouth

Agkistrodon piscivorus

Agkistrodon piscivorus is a venomous snake, a species of pit viper, found in the southeastern United States. Adults are large and capable of delivering a painful and potentially fatal bite. When antagonized they will stand their ground by coiling their bodies and displaying their fangs...

s, and other pit viper

Crotalinae

The Crotalinae, commonly known as "pit vipers" or crotaline snakes, are a subfamily of venomous vipers found in Asia and the Americas. They are distinguished by the presence of a heat-sensing pit organ located between the eye and the nostril on either side of the head...

s. Opossums are about eight times less likely to carry rabies

Rabies

Rabies is a viral disease that causes acute encephalitis in warm-blooded animals. It is zoonotic , most commonly by a bite from an infected animal. For a human, rabies is almost invariably fatal if post-exposure prophylaxis is not administered prior to the onset of severe symptoms...

 than wild dogs, and about one in eight hundred opossums are infected with this virus.

Reproduction and life cycle

As a marsupial, the opossum has a reproductive system including a divided uterus

Uterus

The uterus or womb is a major female hormone-responsive reproductive sex organ of most mammals including humans. One end, the cervix, opens into the vagina, while the other is connected to one or both fallopian tubes, depending on the species...

 and marsupium

Pouch (marsupial)

The pouch is a distinguishing feature of female marsupials ; the name marsupial is derived from the Latin marsupium, meaning "pouch". Marsupials give birth to a live but relatively undeveloped fetus called a joey. When the joey is born it crawls from inside the mother to the pouch...

, which is the pouch. Opossums do possess a placenta

Placenta

The placenta is an organ that connects the developing fetus to the uterine wall to allow nutrient uptake, waste elimination, and gas exchange via the mother's blood supply. "True" placentas are a defining characteristic of eutherian or "placental" mammals, but are also found in some snakes and...

, but it is short-lived, simple in structure, and, unlike that of placental mammals, is not fully functional. The young are therefore born at a very early stage, although the gestation

Gestation

Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous animal. Mammals during pregnancy can have one or more gestations at the same time ....

 period is similar to many other small marsupials, at only 12 to 14 days. Once born, the offspring must find their way into the marsupium to hold onto and nurse from a teat. The species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 are moderately sexually dimorphic

Sexual dimorphism

Sexual dimorphism is a phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species. Examples of such differences include differences in morphology, ornamentation, and behavior.-Examples:-Ornamentation / coloration:...

 with males usually being slightly larger, much heavier, and having larger canines

Canine tooth

In mammalian oral anatomy, the canine teeth, also called cuspids, dogteeth, fangs, or eye teeth, are relatively long, pointed teeth...

 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). Opossum spermatozoa exhibit sperm-pairing, forming conjugate pairs in the epidydimis. This may ensure that flagella movement can be accurately coordinated for maximal motility

Motility

Motility is a biological term which refers to the ability to move spontaneously and actively, consuming energy in the process. Most animals are motile but the term applies to single-celled and simple multicellular organisms, as well as to some mechanisms of fluid flow in multicellular organs, in...

. Conjugate pairs dissociate into separate spermatozoa before fertilization.

Female opossums often give birth to very large numbers of young, most of which fail to attach to a teat, although as many as thirteen young can attach, and therefore survive, depending on species. The young are weaned

Weaning

Weaning is the process of gradually introducing a mammal infant, either human or animal, to what will be its adult diet and withdrawing the supply of its mother's milk.The process takes place only in mammals, as only mammals produce milk...

 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 two to four years. Senescence

Senescence

Senescence or biological aging is the change in the biology of an organism as it ages after its maturity. Such changes range from those affecting its cells and their function to those affecting the whole organism...

 is rapid.

Diet

Didelphimorphs are opportunistic omnivores with a very broad diet. Their diet mainly consists of carrion

Carrion

Carrion refers to the carcass of a dead animal. Carrion is an important food source for large carnivores and omnivores in most ecosystems. Examples of carrion-eaters include vultures, hawks, eagles, hyenas, Virginia Opossum, Tasmanian Devils, coyotes, Komodo dragons, and burying beetles...

 and many individual opossums are killed on the highway when scavenging for roadkill

Roadkill

Roadkill is an animal or animals that have been struck and killed by motor vehicles. In the United States of America, removal and disposal of animals struck by motor vehicles is usually the responsibility of the state's state trooper association or department of transportation.-History:During the...

. They are also known to eat insects, frogs, birds, snakes, small mammals, slugs, and earthworms. Some of their favorite foods are fruits, and they are known to eat avocados, apple

Apple

The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...

s, clementine

Clementine

A clementine is a variety of mandarin orange , so named in 1902. The exterior is a deep orange colour with a smooth, glossy appearance. Clementines can be separated into seven to fourteen segments. They tend to be very easy to peel, like a tangerine, but are almost always seedless...

s, and persimmon

Persimmon

A persimmon is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees in the genus Diospyros in the ebony wood family . The word Diospyros means "the fire of Zeus" in ancient Greek. As a tree, it is a perennial plant...

s. 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.

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 ready-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. This physiological response is involuntary (like fainting), rather than a conscious act. In the case of baby opossums, however, the brain does not always react this way at the appropriate moment, and therefore they often fail to "play dead" when threatened. When "playing possum", the animal's lips are drawn back, the teeth are bared, saliva foams around the mouth, the eyes, close or half-close, and a foul-smelling fluid is secreted from the anal glands

Anal glands

The anal glands or anal sacs are small glands found near the anus in many mammals, including dogs and cats. They are not found in humans or other primates. They are paired sacs located on either side of the anus between the external and internal sphincter muscles. Sebaceous glands within the...

. Their stiff, curled form can be prodded, turned over, and even carried away without reaction. The animal will typically regain consciousness after a period of between 40 minutes and 4 hours, a process which begins with slight twitchings of the ears.

Adult opossums do not hang from trees by their tails, as sometimes depicted, 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 and quietly hiss until the threat is gone.

Hissing or squawking is a defensive process that helps the opossum deter other animals from approaching it.

In hunting and foodways

The Virginia Opossum was once widely hunted and consumed in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 where available.

In Dominica

Dominica

Dominica , officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles region of the Caribbean Sea, south-southeast of Guadeloupe and northwest of Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth...

 and Trinidad

Trinidad

Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...

 the Common Opossum

Common Opossum

The common opossum , also called the southern or black-eared opossum, is a mammal species living from the northeast of Mexico to Bolivia, including the Lesser Antilles, where it is called manicou. It prefers the woods, but can also live in fields and cities...

 or manicou is popular and can only be hunted during certain times of the year owing to over-hunting. The meat is traditionally prepared by smoking, then stewing. It 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. Historically, hunters in the Caribbean would place a barrel with fresh or rotten fruit to attract opossums that would feed on the fruit or insects.

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.

Opossum pelts have long been part of the fur trade

Fur trade

The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...

.

Classification

• Family Didelphidae
  • Subfamily Caluromyinae
    Caluromyinae
    Caluromyinae is a subfamily of opossums. It includes the extant genera Caluromys, Caluromysiops and Glironia, as well as the extinct Pachybiotherium. It has sometimes been classed as a full family, Caluromyidae....
    
    
    • Genus Caluromys
      • Subgenus Mallodelphys
        • Derby's Woolly Opossum (Caluromys derbianus)
        • Brown-eared Woolly Opossum
          Brown-eared Woolly Opossum
          The Brown-eared Woolly Opossum , also known as the Western Woolly Opossum, is a woolly opossum species from South America...
          
           (Caluromys lanatus)
      • Subgenus Caluromys
        • Bare-tailed Woolly Opossum
          Bare-tailed Woolly Opossum
          The bare-tailed woolly opossum , also called the white-eared opossum, is an opossum species from South America. Its range includes Bolivia, Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela...
          
           (Caluromys philander)
    • Genus Caluromysiops
      • Black-shouldered Opossum
        Black-shouldered Opossum
        The Black-shouldered Opossum , also known as the White-eared Opossum is an opossum species from South America. It's found in multistrata evergreen Amazonian forests of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia and Peru. It is in the monotypic genus Caluromysiops.It's a rare animal species and, probably, highly...
        
         (Caluromysiops irrupta)
    • Genus Glironia
      • Bushy-tailed Opossum
        Bushy-tailed Opossum
        The Bushy-tailed Opossum, Glironia venusta, is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru....
        
         (Glironia venusta)
  • Subfamily Didelphinae
    Didelphinae
    Didelphinae is a subfamily of opossums. Specimens have been collected throughout the Americas but are predominant in South and Central America....
    
    
    • Genus Chacodelphys
      • Chacoan Pygmy Opossum
        Chacoan Pygmy Opossum
        The Chacoan Pygmy Opossum is a recently described genus and species of didelphimorph marsupial. The only species in Chacodelphys, C. formosa, is known from only one specimen collected in 1920 in the Chaco of Formosa Province, Argentina.-Description:The Chacoan Pygmy Opossum is the smallest known...
        
         (Chacodelphys formosa)
    • Genus Chironectes
      • Yapok or Water Opossum
        Water Opossum
        The water opossum , also locally known as the yapok, is a marsupial of the family Didelphidae. It is the only member of its genus, Chironectes...
        
         (Chironectes minimus)
    • Genus Cryptonanus
      Cryptonanus
      Cryptonanus is a genus of opossums from South America. It includes five species found from Bolivia to Uruguay and eastern Brazil, one of which is now extinct. Although the first species were discovered in 1931, the genus was not recognized as distinct from Gracilinanus until 2005...
      
      (translation of Spanish article)
      • Agricola's Gracile Opossum
        Agricola's gracile opossum
        Agricola's gracile opossum is a species of opossum in the family Didelphidae endemic to eastern Brazil. Its habitat is the caatinga and cerrado. The species is named after Brazilian physician Ernani Agricola....
        
         (Cryptonanus agricolai)
      • Chacoan Gracile Opossum
        Chacoan gracile opossum
        The chacoan gracile opossum is a species of opossum in the family Didelphidae. It is native to Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. Its habitat is seasonally flooded grasslands and forests in and near the Gran Chaco....
        
         (Cryptonanus chacoensis)
      • Guahiba Gracile Opossum
        Guahiba gracile opossum
        The Guahiba gracile opossum, Cryptonanus guahybae, is a species of opossum in the family Didelphidae. It is endemic to southern Brazil, where it is known only from three islands, Guahiba, São Lourenço, and Taquara, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul...
        
         (Cryptonanus guahybae)
      • Red-bellied Gracile Opossum
        Red-bellied Gracile Opossum
        The Red-bellied Gracile Opossum is an extinct species of opossum that was native to Jujuy Province, Argentina. Its forest habitat has been destroyed, and it was last seen in 1962....
        
         (Cryptonanus ignitus) † 1962
      • Unduavi Gracile Opossum
        Unduavi gracile opossum
        The Unduavi gracile opossum is a species of opossum in the family Didelphidae. It is native to northern Bolivia, where it has been found in seasonally flooded grassland...
        
         (Cryptonanus unduaviensis)
    • Genus Didelphis
      Didelphis
      The six species in the genus Didelphis, commonly known as large American opossums, are members of the Didelphimorphia order....
      
      
      
      • White-eared Opossum
        White-eared Opossum
        The White-eared Opossum is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela....
        
         (Didelphis albiventris)
      • Big-eared Opossum
        Big-eared Opossum
        The Big-eared Opossum is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.This species, which was considered a population of the Common Opossum for some time, was originally described as D. azarae by Coenraad Jacob Temminck in 1824, but this name was...
        
         (Didelphis aurita)
      • Guianan White-eared Opossum
        Guianan White-eared Opossum
        The Guianan White-eared Opossum, Didelphis imperfecta, is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Brazil, Suriname, French Guiana and Venezuela....
        
         (Didelphis imperfecta)
      • Common Opossum
        Common Opossum
        The common opossum , also called the southern or black-eared opossum, is a mammal species living from the northeast of Mexico to Bolivia, including the Lesser Antilles, where it is called manicou. It prefers the woods, but can also live in fields and cities...
        
         (Didelphis marsupialis)
      • Andean White-eared Opossum
        Andean White-eared Opossum
        The Andean White-eared Opossum is an opossum species from South America. It is found in the Andes Mountains, ranging from Venezuela to Bolivia....
        
         (Didelphis pernigra)
      • Virginia Opossum
        Virginia Opossum
        The Virginia opossum , commonly known as the North American opossum or tlacuache in Mexico, is the only marsupial found in North America north of Mexico. A solitary and nocturnal animal about the size of a domestic cat, and thus the largest opossum, it is a successful opportunist...
        
         (Didelphis virginiana)
    • Genus Gracilinanus
      Gracilinanus
      Gracilinanus is a genus of opossum in the family Didelphidae. It was separated from the genus Marmosa in 1989, and has since had the genus Cryptonanus removed from it...
      
      
      • Aceramarca Gracile Opossum
        Aceramarca Gracile Opossum
        The Aceramarca Gracile Mouse Opossum or Bolivian Gracile Opossum is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. It is found in Bolivia and Peru. This species inhabits tropical forests . It is likely that it is arboreal, although it may forage for fruit, insects and other small invertebrates on...
        
         (Gracilinanus aceramarcae)
      • Agile Gracile Opossum
        Agile Gracile Opossum
        The Agile Gracile Opossum , is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Paraguay, and Uruguay....
        
         (Gracilinanus agilis)
      • Wood Sprite Gracile Opossum
        Wood Sprite Gracile Opossum
        The Wood Sprite Gracile Opossum is a mammal. It is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. It is found in Colombia and Venezuela. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss....
        
         (Gracilinanus dryas)
      • Emilia's Gracile Opossum
        Emilia's Gracile Opossum
        Emilia's Gracile Opossum, Gracilinanus emiliae, is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Brazil, Colombia, French Guyana, Surinam.-References:*...
        
         (Gracilinanus emilae)
      • Northern Gracile Opossum
        Northern Gracile Opossum
        The Northern Gracile Opossum is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. It is found in Colombia and Venezuela. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests....
        
         (Gracilinanus marica)
      • Brazilian Gracile Opossum
        Brazilian Gracile Opossum
        The Brazilian gracile opossum, Gracilinanus microtarsus, is a species of small opposum from Brazil.-Description:Brazilian gracile opossums are relatively small opossums, with males ranging from and females from in head-body length. The tail is between 30 and 50% of the head-body length...
        
         (Gracilinanus microtarsus)
    • Genus Hyladelphys
      • Kalinowski's Mouse Opossum
        Kalinowski's Mouse Opossum
        Kalinowski's Mouse Opossumn or the Peru Gracile Mouse Opossum is a species of opossum in the family Didelphidae. It is found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, and Peru. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests at elevations up to 1000 m.This is the only living species...
        
         (Hyladelphys kalinowskii)
    • Genus Lestodelphys
      • Patagonian Opossum
        Patagonian Opossum
        The Patagonian opossum is the sole species in genus Lestodelphys. They occur further south, in Argentina, than any other living marsupial....
        
         (Lestodelphys halli)
    • Genus Lutreolina
      • Lutrine
        Lutrine Opossum
        The lutrine opossum , also known as the little water opossum or thick-tailed opossum, is an opossum species from South America and is monotypical of the genus Lutreolina. It is found in Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay, Paraguay, Colombia and Guyana...
        
         or Thick-tailed Opossum (Lutreolina crassicaudata)
    • Genus Marmosa
      Marmosa
      The nine species in the genus Marmosa are relatively small Neotropic members of the order Didelphimorphia. This genus is one of four that are known as mouse opossums. The others are Micoureus , Thylamys and Tlacuatzin, the grayish mouse opossum...
      
      
      • Heavy-browed Mouse Opossum (Marmosa andersoni)
      • Isthmian Mouse Opossum
        Isthmian mouse opossum
        The Isthmian Mouse Opossum is a species of opossum in the family Didelphidae found in Colombia and Panama.Foraging along branches and vines for fruit and insects, with the help of a prehensile tail, M...
        
         (Marmosa isthmica)
      • Rufous Mouse Opossum
        Rufous Mouse Opossum
        The rufous mouse opossum, Marmosa lepida, is an opossum species from South America. The species has been found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru and Surinam in lowland tropical rainforest at altitudes from 100 to 1000 m. It is presumed to feed on insects and fruit, like its close...
        
         (Marmosa lepida)
      • Mexican Mouse Opossum
        Mexican Mouse Opossum
        The Mexican mouse opossum is a species of Central American opossum in the family Didelphidae.-Range:It is found in Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, eastern Mexico as far north as Tamaulipas, Nicaragua, and western Panama at elevations from sea level up to 3000 m ; most...
        
         (Marmosa mexicana)
      • Linnaeus's Mouse Opossum
        Linnaeus's Mouse Opossum
        Linnaeus's Mouse Opossum , also known as the Common or Murine Mouse Opossum, is a South American marsupial of the family Didelphidae.-Range and habitat:...
        
         (Marmosa murina)
      • Quechuan Mouse Opossum
        Quechuan mouse opossum
        The Quechuan mouse opossum, Marmosa quichua, is a South American opossum species of the famiy Didelphidae. It is known from two areas of montane forest on the eastern slopes of the Andes in Peru, at altitudes from 300 to 2700 m...
        
         (Marmosa quichua)
      • Robinson's Mouse Opossum
        Robinson's Mouse Opossum
        Robinson's Mouse Opossum is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family.It is found in Belize, Colombia, Ecuador, Grenada, Honduras, Panama, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela....
        
         (Marmosa robinsoni)
      • Red Mouse Opossum
        Red Mouse Opossum
        The Red mouse opossum is a South American marsupial of the family Didelphidae. Its range includes eastern Ecuador and Peru....
        
         (Marmosa rubra)
      • Marmosa simonsi
      • Tyleria Mouse Opossum
        Tyleria Mouse Opossum
        Tyleria Mouse Opossum is a South American marsupial of the family Didelphidae. Its range includes the Guayanan Highland tepuis of Venezuela....
        
         (Marmosa tyleriana)
      • Guajira Mouse Opossum
        Guajira Mouse Opossum
        The Guajira Mouse Opossum is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. It is found in Colombia and Venezuela....
        
         (Marmosa xerophila)
      • Marmosa zeledoni
    • Genus Marmosops
      Marmosops
      Marmosops is a genus of Neotropic opossums of the family Didelphidae. It includes the following species:* Genus Marmosops** Bishop's Slender Opossum ** Narrow-headed Slender Opossum...
      
      
      • Bishop's Slender Opossum
        Bishop's Slender Opossum
        Bishop's Slender Opossum, Marmosops bishopi is a small, arboreal marsupial opossum native to Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia. It somewhat resembles a placental rat or shrew....
        
         (Marmosops bishopi)
      • Narrow-headed Slender Opossum
        Narrow-headed Slender Opossum
        The Narrow-headed Slender Opossum is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. It is endemic to Venezuela....
        
         (Marmosops cracens)
      • Creighton's slender opossum
        Creighton's slender opossum
        Creighton's slender opossum , also known commonly as Voss' slender opossum is a species of South American opossum of the family Didelphidae. It is known only from the valley of the Rio Zongo in La Paz Department, Bolivia, where it lives in Andean cloud forests at elevations between 1800 and 3000 m....
        
         Marmosops creightoni
      • Dorothys' Slender Opossum
        Dorothys' Slender Opossum
        Dorothy's Slender Opossum is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. It is found in Brazil and Bolivia. It is threatened by habitat loss....
        
         (Marmosops dorothea)
      • Dusky Slender Opossum
        Dusky Slender Opossum
        The Dusky Slender Opossum is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. It is found in Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. It is threatened by habitat loss....
        
         (Marmosops fuscatus)
      • Handley's Slender Opossum
        Handley's Slender Opossum
        Handley's Slender Opossum is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. It is endemic to Colombia....
        
         (Marmosops handleyi)
      • Tschudi's Slender Opossum
        Tschudi's Slender Opossum
        Tschudi's Slender Opossum, Marmosops impavidus, is an opossum species from South America, named after Swiss naturalist Johann Jakob von Tschudi. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela.-References:*...
        
         (Marmosops impavidus)
      • Gray Slender Opossum
        Gray Slender Opossum
        The Gray Slender Opossum, Marmosops incanus, is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Brazil.-References:*...
        
         (Marmosops incanus)
      • Panama Slender Opossum
        Panama Slender Opossum
        The Panama slender opossum , also known as the slaty slender mouse opossum, is a species of opossum in the family Didelphidae. It is endemic to Panama, where it has been found in tropical rainforest habitats, including disturbed areas, at elevations from 500 to 1500 m. This opossum is mostly...
        
         (Marmosops invictus)
      • Junin Slender Opossum
        Junin slender opossum
        The Junin slender opossum is a species of South American opossum in the family Didelphidae. It is known only from the valley of the Rio Chanchamayo, Peru , where it lives in Andean montane forests at elevations between 1460 and 2200 m....
        
         (Marmosops juninensis)
      • Neblina Slender Opossum
        Neblina Slender Opossum
        The Neblina Slender Opossum, Marmosops neblina, is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela, and perhaps Peru.-References:*...
        
         (Marmosops neblina)
      • White-bellied Slender Opossum
        White-bellied Slender Opossum
        The White-bellied Slender Opossum, Marmosops noctivagus, is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador and Peru.Recent research suggests that M. dorothea is a synonym of M. noctivagus.-References:*...
        
         (Marmosops noctivagus)
      • Delicate Slender Opossum
        Delicate Slender Opossum
        The delicate slender opossum, Marmosops parvidens, is a small pouchless marsupial of the family Didelphidae that occurs in French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and adjacent Venezuela and Brazil...
        
         (Marmosops parvidens)
      • Brazilian Slender Opossum
        Brazilian Slender Opossum
        The Brazilian Slender Opossum, Marmosops paulensis, is an opossum species from South America. It is found in moist montane forest in the Atlantic Forest region of southeastern Brazil. Its breeding appears to be fully semelparous, unusual for a mammal....
        
         (Marmosops paulensis)
      • Pinheiro's Slender Opossum
        Pinheiro's Slender Opossum
        Pinheiro's Slender Opossum, Marmosops pinheiroi, is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Brazil, French Guyana, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela.-References:*...
        
         (Marmosops pinheiroi)
    • Genus Metachirus
      • Brown Four-eyed Opossum
        Brown Four-eyed Opossum
        The Brown Four-eyed Opossum is a pouchless marsupial of the family Didelphidae. It is found in different forested habitats of Central and South America, from Nicaragua and to Paraguay and northern Argentina...
        
         (Metachirus myosuros)
    • Genus Micoureus
      Micoureus
      Micoureus is a genus of Neotropic opossums of the family Didelphidae. It includes the following species:* Alston's Mouse Opossum * White-bellied Woolly Mouse Opossum...
      
      (translation of Spanish article)
      • Alston's Mouse Opossum
        Alston's Mouse Opossum
        Alston's Mouse Opossum , also known as Alston's Opossum, is a medium sized pouchless marsupial of the family Didelphidae. It is arboreal and nocturnal, inhabiting forests from Belize to northern Colombia. The main components of its diet are insects and fruits, but it may also eat small rodents,...
        
         (Micoureus alstoni)
      • White-bellied Woolly Mouse Opossum
        White-bellied Woolly Mouse Opossum
        The White-bellied Woolly Mouse Opossum, Micoureus constantiae, is a small pouchless marsupial of the family Didelphidae. It is arboreal and nocturnal and inhabits moist forests in eastern Bolivia, the Brazilian State of Mato Grosso, and northwestern Argentina...
        
         (Micoureus constantiae)
      • Woolly Mouse Opossum
        Woolly Mouse Opossum
        The long-furred woolly mouse opossum , known locally as the Cuíca, is a South American marsupial of the family Didelphidae. Its range includes central Colombia, Venezuela, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, eastern Peru, northern Bolivia, and northern Brazil....
        
         (Micoureus demerarae)
      • Tate's Woolly Mouse Opossum
        Tate's woolly mouse opossum
        Tate's woolly mouse opossum is an omnivorous, arboreal South American marsupial of the family Didelphidae, named after American zoologist George Henry Hamilton Tate. Insects are a major component of its diet. It is native to Atlantic coastal forests of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina....
        
         (Micoureus paraguayanus)
      • Little Woolly Mouse Opossum
        Little woolly mouse opossum
        The little woolly mouse opossum is a nocturnal, arboreal and mainly solitary South American marsupial of the family Didelphidae. It is native to the western slopes of the Andes in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, where it lives at altitudes from sea level to 1500 m...
        
         (Micoureus phaeus)
      • Bare-tailed Woolly Mouse Opossum
        Bare-tailed Woolly Mouse Opossum
        The bare-tailed woolly mouse opossum or short-furred woolly mouse opossum is a South American marsupial of the family Didelphidae. Its range includes Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. It is found in tropical rainforest in the westernmost portion of the Amazon Basin and the eastern...
        
         (Micoureus regina)
    • Genus Monodelphis (translation of Spanish article)
      
      • Sepia Short-tailed Opossum
        Sepia Short-tailed Opossum
        The Sepia Short-tailed Opossum is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Peru....
        
         (Monodelphis adusta)
      • Northern Three-striped Opossum
        Northern Three-striped Opossum
        The northern three-striped opossum, Monodelphis americana, is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Brazil.- References :*...
        
         (Monodelphis americana)
      • Northern Red-sided Opossum
        Northern Red-sided Opossum
        The northern red-sided opossum, Monodelphis brevicaudata, is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil. French Guyana, Guyana, Surinam and Venezuela.-Behavior:...
        
         (Monodelphis brevicaudata)
      • Yellow-sided Opossum
        Yellow-sided Opossum
        The Yellow-sided Opossum, Monodelphis dimidiata, is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay.-References:*...
        
         (Monodelphis dimidiata)
      • Gray Short-tailed Opossum
        Gray Short-tailed Opossum
        The gray short-tailed opossum is a small member of the Didelphidae family of opossums. It was the first marsupial to have its genome sequenced. It is naturally found in arboreal habitats in Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay. The opossum is used as a research model in science, and is also frequently...
        
         (Monodelphis domestica)
      • Emilia's Short-tailed Opossum
        Emilia's Short-tailed Opossum
        Emilia's Short-tailed Opossum, Monodelphis emiliae, is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil and Peru.-References:*...
        
         (Monodelphis emiliae)
      • Amazonian Red-sided Opossum
        Amazonian red-sided opossum
        The Amazonian red-sided opossum, Monodelphis glirina, is a South American opossum species of the family Didelphidae, formerly viewed as part of M. brevicaudata. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil and Peru, where it inhabits the Amazon rainforest. It is omnivorous, nocturnal, and primarily...
        
         (Monodelphis glirina)
      • Ihering's Three-striped Opossum
        Ihering's Three-striped Opossum
        Ihering's Three-striped Opossum, Monodelphis iheringi, is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Argentina and Brazil.-References:*...
        
         (Monodelphis iheringi)
      • Pygmy Short-tailed Opossum
        Pygmy Short-tailed Opossum
        The Pygmy Short-tailed Opossum, Monodelphis kunsi, is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay.-References:**...
        
         (Monodelphis kunsi)
      • Marajó Short-tailed Opossum
        Marajó Short-tailed Opossum
        The Marajó Short-tailed Opossum, Monodelphis maraxina, is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Brazil.-References:*...
        
         (Monodelphis maraxina)
      • Osgood's Short-tailed Opossum
        Osgood's Short-tailed Opossum
        Osgood's Short-tailed Opossum is a species of opossum in the Didelphidae family. It is found in Bolivia and Peru. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss. The opossum is named after...
        
         (Monodelphis osgoodi)
      • Hooded Red-sided Opossum
        Hooded red-sided opossum
        The hooded red-sided opossum, Monodelphis palliolata, is a South American opossum species of the family Didelphidae. Until recently, it was viewed as a subspecies of M. brevicaudata. It is found in Colombia and Venezuela at altitudes from sea level to 2250 m...
        
         (Monodelphis palliolata)
      • Reig's Opossum
        Reig's opossum
        Reig's opossum is a South American opossum species of the family Didelphidae, discovered in 2004. It is known so far only from montane forest in Canaima National Park, Venezuela at an elevation of 1300 m in the Sierra de Lema. It is named after Argentine biologist Osvaldo Reig .-References:*...
        
         (Monodelphis reigi)
      • Ronald's Opossum
        Ronald's opossum
        Ronald's opossum is a South American opossum species of the family Didelphidae. It was discovered in 2004, and most closely resembles M. adusta. It is known only from Manú National Park, Peru, where it inhabits the Amazon rainforest. It is named after American zoologist Ronald H. Pine.-References:*...
        
         (Monodelphis ronaldi)
      • Chestnut-striped Opossum
        Chestnut-striped Opossum
        The Chestnut-striped Opossum, Monodelphis rubida, is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Brazil.-References:*...
        
         (Monodelphis rubida)
      • Long-nosed Short-tailed Opossum
        Long-nosed Short-tailed Opossum
        The Long-nosed Short-tailed Opossum, Monodelphis scalops, is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Argentina and Brazil.-References:*...
        
         (Monodelphis scalops)
      • Southern Red-sided Opossum
        Southern Red-sided Opossum
        The Southern Red-sided Opossum, Monodelphis sorex, is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay....
        
         (Monodelphis sorex)
      • Southern Three-striped Opossum
        Southern Three-striped Opossum
        The Southern Three-striped Opossum, Monodelphis theresa, is an opossum species from South America. It is found in the Atlantic Forest region of Brazil.-References:*...
        
         (Monodelphis theresa)
      • Red Three-striped Opossum
        Red Three-striped Opossum
        The Red Three-striped Opossum, Monodelphis umbristriata, is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Brazil.-References:*...
        
         (Monodelphis umbristriata)
      • One-striped Opossum
        One-striped Opossum
        The One-striped Opossum, Monodelphis unistriata, is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Argentina and Brazil.-References:*...
        
         (Monodelphis unistriata)
    • Genus Philander
      Gray and black four-eyed opossum
      The seven species in the genus Philander, commonly known as gray and black four-eyed opossums, are members of the order Didelphimorphia. Mature females have a well-developed marsupium. The tail appears to be hairless except for the proximal 5 or 6 cm, which has a few long hairs...
      
      
      • Anderson's Four-eyed Opossum
        Anderson's Four-eyed Opossum
        Anderson's Four-eyed Opossum, Philander andersoni, is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. Its dorsal fur is dark, with a black stripe, about 3-4 cm wide, going vertically down the midline of its back. Its dorsal fur is short, about 10...
        
         (Philander andersoni)
      • Deltaic Four-eyed Opossum
        Deltaic four-eyed opossum
        The deltaic four-eyed opossum is a species of opossum found in the Orinoco River delta region of Venezuela, South America, first described in 2006. It inhabits perennially flooded swamp forest or seasonally flooded marsh forest of the adjacent deltas of the Orinoco and nearby rivers. Its dorsal...
        
         (Philander deltae)
      • Southeastern Four-eyed Opossum
        Southeastern Four-eyed Opossum
        The Southeastern Four-eyed Opossum, Philander frenatus, is an opossum species from South America. It is a large dark gray opossum found in Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. Its dorsal fur is dark gray. The fur on the sides is also gray, but lighter than the dorsal fur. The ventral fur is white or...
        
         (Philander frenatus)
      • McIlhenny's Four-eyed Opossum
        McIlhenny's Four-eyed Opossum
        McIlhenny's Four-eyed Opossum, Philander mcilhennyi, is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Brazil and Peru. It is almost entirely black, except for white spots above each eye....
        
         (Philander mcilhennyi)
      • Mondolfi's Four-eyed Opossum
        Mondolfi's four-eyed opossum
        Mondolfi's four-eyed opossum is a South American species of opossum found in Colombia and Venezuela, first described in 2006. It inhabits foothills of the Cordillera de Mérida and those on the eastern side of the Cordillera Oriental at elevations from 50 to 800 m. Populations in the two ranges may...
        
         (Philander mondolfii)
      • Olrog's Four-eyed Opossum
        Olrog's four-eyed opossum
        Olrog's four-eyed opossum is a South American species of opossum found in eastern Bolivia and Peru, first described in 2008. It inhabits the Amazon rainforest. The species is named after Swedish-Argentine biologist Claes C. Olrog. It is sympatric with P. opossum, which it resembles...
        
         (Philander olrogi)
      • Gray Four-eyed Opossum
        Gray Four-eyed Opossum
        The gray four-eyed opossum, Philander opossum, is an opossum species from Central and South America, ranging from southern Mexico to Peru, Bolivia and southwestern Brazil, at altitudes from sea level to 1600 m...
        
         (Philander opossum)
    • Genus Thylamys
      Thylamys
      Thylamys is a genus of opossum in the family Didelphidae. The premaxillae are rounded rather than pointed. The females lack a pouch. The females' nipples are arranged in two symmetrical rows on the abdomen All species but T...
      
      (translation of Spanish article)
      • Cinderella Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum
        Cinderella fat-tailed mouse opossum
        The Cinderella fat-tailed mouse opossum is a species of opossum in the family Didelphidae. It is found in northern Argentina and southern Bolivia, in the eastern foothills of the Andes. Its dorsal fur is gray brown to dark brown. Its ventral fur is gray-based, except for the white to yellowish...
        
         (Thylamys cinderella)
      • Elegant Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum
        Elegant Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum
        The Elegant Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum is a species of opossum in the family Didelphidae. Its head-and-body length ranges from 106 to 121 millimeters. Its tail length ranges from 115 to 142 millimeters. Its tail is swollen and has fine hairs all over it. Its fur color varies, but it usually ranges...
        
         (Thylamys elegans)
      • Karimi's Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum
        Karimi's fat-tailed mouse opossum
        Karimi's fat-tailed mouse opossum is a species of opossum in the family Didelphidae. It is endemic to central and northeast Brazil, where it is found in the cerrado and caatinga. Its head-and-body length is about 95 millimeters, and its tail length is about 72 millimeters. It is very similar to T....
        
         (Thylamys karimii)
      • Paraguayan Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum
        Paraguayan Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum
        The Paraguayan Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum is a species of opossum in the family Didelphidae. It is found in forested areas of Brazil and Paraguay. It is known only from a few specimens...
        
         (Thylamys macrurus)
      • White-bellied Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum
        White-bellied Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum
        The White-bellied Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum is a species of opossum in the family Didelphidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru.-Description:...
        
         (Thylamys pallidior)
      • Common Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum
        Common Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum
        The Common Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum is a species of opossum in the family Didelphidae. It occurs in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay in chaco and Andean foothill habitats. Its head-and-body length is about 75 to 120 mm, and its tail length is about 90 to 134 mm...
        
         (Thylamys pusillus)
      • Argentine Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum
        Argentine fat-tailed mouse opossum
        The Argentine fat-tailed mouse opossum is a species of opossum in the family Didelphidae. It is found in the eastern foothills of the Andes in northern Argentina and southern Bolivia. Its dorsal fur is gray brown to dark brown. Its ventral fur is gray-based except for the white to yellowish chest...
        
         (Thylamys sponsorius)
      • Tate's Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum
        Tate's fat-tailed mouse opossum
        Tate's fat-tailed mouse opossum is a species of opossum in the family Didelphidae, named after American zoologist George Henry Hamilton Tate. It is found at elevations of 300 to 3,000 m along the coast of central Peru. The species has the northernmost range of any member of its genus. It has white...
        
         (Thylamys tatei)
      • Dwarf Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum
        Dwarf Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum
        The Dwarf Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum , also known as the Velvety Fat-tailed Opossum is an opossum species from South America. It is endemic to Brazil, where it is found in cerrado and caatinga habitats. Its head-and-body length is about 141-212 mm, and its tail length is about 73-85 mm...
        
         (Thylamys velutinus)
      • Buff-bellied Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum
        Buff-bellied fat-tailed mouse opossum
        The buff-bellied fat-tailed mouse opossum is a species of opossum in the family Didelphidae. It is found in the forests of northern Argentina and southern Bolivia. Its dorsal fur is cinnamon brown...
        
         (Thylamys venustus)
    • Genus Tlacuatzin (translation of Spanish article)
      • Grayish Mouse Opossum
        Grayish Mouse Opossum
        The grayish mouse opossum is a species of opossum in the family Didelphidae, and is the sole member of the genus Tlacuatzin....
        
        (Tlacuatzin canescens)