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Didelphinae
The Didelphinae are a subfamily of opossums consisting of 15 genera and 123 species. Specimens have been collected throughout the Americas, but are predominant in South and Central America. Some sources call this subfamily the "American opossums", while others use that term for the whole family of opossums, Didelphidae. The term may be redundant, though, since all opossums are native to the Americas, while their distant Australian taxonomic relatives, in the suborder Phalangeriformes are referred to as possums in Australia. Classification * Subfamily Didelphinae ** Genus ''Chacodelphys'' *** '' C. formosa'' - Chacoan pygmy opossum ** Genus ''Chironectes'' *** '' C. minimus'' - water opossum ** Genus ''Cryptonanus'' *** '' C. agricolai'' - Agricola's gracile opossum *** '' C. chacoensis'' - Chacoan gracile opossum *** '' C. guahybae'' - Guahiba gracile opossum *** †'' C. ignitus'' - red-bellied gracile opossum *** '' C. unduaviensis'' - Unduavi gracile opossum ** Genus ''Di ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Opossum
Opossums () are members of the marsupial order Didelphimorphia () endemic to the Americas. The largest order of marsupials in the Western Hemisphere, it comprises 93 species in 18 genera. Opossums originated in South America and entered North America in the Great American Interchange following the connection of North and South America. The Virginia opossum is the only species found in the United States and Canada. It is often simply referred to as an opossum, and in North America it is commonly referred to as a possum (; sometimes rendered as ''possum'' in written form to indicate the dropped "o"). Possums should not be confused with the Australasian arboreal marsupials of suborder Phalangeriformes that are also called possums because of their resemblance to the Didelphimorphia. The opossum is typically a nonaggressive animal. Etymology The word ''opossum'' is borrowed from the Powhatan language and was first recorded between 1607 and 1611 by John Smith (as ''opassom'') ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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. It includes small opossums with generally grayish, sometimes reddish, fur that are mainly distinguished from other opossums by characters of the skull. Taxonomy Species of ''Cryptonanus'' were first described in 1931 by George Henry Hamilton Tate,Voss et al., 2005, p. 5 who described ''Marmosa microtarsus guahybae'' (now '' Cryptonanus guahybae'') as a subspecies of ''Marmosa microtarsus'' (now ''Gracilinanus microtarsus''), ''Marmosa agilis chacoensis'' (now '' Cryptonanus chacoensis'') as a subspecies of ''Marmosa agilis'' (now '' Gracilinanus agilis''),Tate, 1931, p. 10 and ''Marmosa unduaviensis'' (now '' Cryptonanus unduaviensis'') as a separate species.Tate, 1931, p. 11 In 19 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Virginia Opossum
The Virginia opossum (''Didelphis virginiana''), also known as the North American opossum, is the only opossum living north of Mexico, its range extending south into Central America. It is the northernmost marsupial in the world. In the United States and Canada, it is typically called a possum, 'possum or opossum. It is a solitary nocturnal animal about the size of a domestic cat, and a successful opportunist. Opossums are familiar to many North Americans as they frequently inhabit settled areas near food sources like trash cans, pet food, compost piles, gardens or housemice. Their slow and nocturnal nature, and their attraction to roadside carrion, makes many roadkill. Name The Virginia opossum is the original animal named "opossum", a word which comes from Algonquian ''wapathemwa'', meaning "white animal". Colloquially, the Virginia opossum is frequently just called a "possum". The name ''opossum'' is applied more generally to any of the other marsupials of the families Dide ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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 Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th .... Possessing the smallest distribution area of its genus, this species is endemic to the Guiana Shield and can inhabit elevations ranging from 80 to 2,250 meters above sea level in the region's lowland forests. This species, together with the Andean white-eared opossum (''D. pernigra''), was separated from the white-eared opossum (''D. albiventris'') in 2002, having been included with that species in 1993. References Opossums Mammals of Brazil Mammals of French Guiana Mammals of Guyana Mammals of Suriname Mammals of Venezuela Mammals described in 1984< ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Big-eared Opossum
The big-eared opossum (''Didelphis aurita'') also known as a saruê 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 The common opossum (''Didelphis marsupialis''), also called the southern or black-eared opossum or gambá, and sometimes called a possum, is a marsupial species living from the northeast of Mexico to Bolivia (reaching the coast of the South Pac ... (''D. marsupialis'') for some time, was originally described as ''D. azarae'' by Coenraad Jacob Temminck in 1824, but this name was incorrectly given to the white-eared opossum (''D. albiventris'') for over 160 years. As such, the name ''azarae'' has been abandoned. Due to carrying an off-spring, female Big-eared opossums tend to stay in smaller areas and reduce their movements. References External links facts and pictures at Animal Diversity WebDiogo Loretto, & Marcus Vinícius Vieira. (2005). The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
White-eared Opossum
The white-eared opossum (''Didelphis albiventris''), known as the timbu in Brazil and comadreja overa in Argentina, is an opossum species found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. It is a terrestrial and, sometimes, arboreal animal, and a habitat generalist, living in a wide range of different habitats. For some time, this species was incorrectly known by the name ''D. azarae'', correctly applied to the big-eared opossum. This led to ''azaraes discontinuation as a species name. From 1993 until 2002, this species also included the Guianan white-eared opossum (''D. imperfecta'') and the Andean white-eared opossum (''D. pernigra'') as subspecies. It is the team mascot of Clube Náutico Capibaribe, a Brazilian football team from Recife, Pernambuco. Description The white-eared opossum is about one to three pounds in weight and has black and grey fur, with white hair covering their ears and face, and dark hair on their long tails. They are omnivorous, feeding on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Unduavi Gracile Opossum
The Unduavi gracile opossum (''Cryptonanus unduaviensis'') is a species of opossum in the family Didelphidae. It is native to northern Bolivia, where it has been found in seasonally flooded grassland Flooded grasslands and savannas is a terrestrial biome of the WWF biogeographical system, consisting of large expanses or complexes of flooded grasslands. These areas support numerous plants and animals adapted to the unique hydrologic regimes .... Some of the specimens recognized by Voss ''et al.'' as belonging to this species were previously classified as the ''unduaviensis'' or ''buenavistae'' subspecies of '' Gracilinanus agilis. References * Opossums Endemic fauna of Bolivia Marsupials of South America Mammals of Bolivia Mammals described in 1931 {{marsupial-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Red-bellied Gracile Opossum
The red-bellied gracile opossum (''Cryptonanus ignitus'') is an extinct species of opossum that was native to Jujuy Province in northwest Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th .... Its forest habitat has been destroyed, and it was last seen in 1962. References * Opossums Endemic fauna of Argentina Marsupials of Argentina Extinct marsupials Extinct mammals of South America Mammal extinctions since 1500 Mammals described in 2002 {{marsupial-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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. The poorly studied species is presumed to inhabit subtropical forests, and thus to be threatened by deforestation. References * * Opossums Endemic fauna of Brazil Environment of Rio Grande do Sul Marsupials of South America Mammals of Brazil Mammals described in 1931 {{marsupial-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chacoan Gracile Opossum
The chacoan gracile opossum (''Cryptonanus chacoensis'') 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 The Gran Chaco or Dry Chaco is a sparsely populated, hot and semiarid lowland natural region of the Río de la Plata basin, divided among eastern Bolivia, western Paraguay, northern Argentina, and a portion of the Brazilian states of Mato Gro .... References * Opossums Marsupials of South America Marsupials of Argentina Mammals of Brazil Mammals of Paraguay Gran Chaco Mammals described in 1931 {{marsupial-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Agricola's Gracile Opossum
Agricola's gracile opossum (''Cryptonanus agricolai'') is a species of opossum in the family Didelphidae endemic to eastern Brazil. Its habitat is the caatinga and cerrado The ''Cerrado'' (, ) is a vast ecoregion of tropical savanna in eastern Brazil, particularly in the states of Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Tocantins, Minas Gerais, and the Federal District. The core areas of the Cerrado biome are t .... While its conservation status has not been determined, expansion of agricultural activities is leading to loss of some of its habitat. There are several protected areas in the species' range but it has not been collected from these areas. The species is named after Brazilian physician Ernani Agricola. References Opossums Mammals described in 1943 Mammals of Brazil Endemic fauna of Brazil {{marsupial-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Water Opossum
The water opossum (''Chironectes minimus''), also locally known as the yapok (), is a marsupial of the family Didelphidae.* It is the only living member of its genus, ''Chironectes''. This semiaquatic creature is found in and near freshwater streams and lakes from Mexico through Central and South America to Argentina and is the most aquatic living marsupial (the lutrine opossum also has semiaquatic habits). It is also the only living marsupial in which both sexes have a pouch. The thylacine, commonly referred to as the Tasmanian tiger, also exhibited this trait, but it is now extinct. The water opossum lives in bankside burrows, emerging after dusk to swim and search for fish, crustaceans and other aquatic animals, which it eats on the bank. Origin of the name The local name for the water opossum, "yapok", probably comes from the name of the Oyapok River in French Guiana. Physical appearance The water opossum is a small opossum, 27-32.5 cm long, with a 36–40 c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
