''Monodelphis'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

marsupial Marsupials are any members of the mammalian infraclass Marsupialia. All extant marsupials are endemic to Australasia, Wallacea and the Americas. A distinctive characteristic common to most of these species is that the young are carried in a po ...

s in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Didelphidae, commonly referred to as short-tailed opossums. They are found throughout

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

. , the most recently described species is ''M. vossi''.

Species

Sepia short-tailed opossum The sepia short-tailed opossum (''Monodelphis adusta'') is a species of opossum in the family Didelphidae found in Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=n ...

(''Monodelphis adusta'') *

Northern three-striped opossum The northern three-striped opossum (''Monodelphis americana'') is an opossum species from South America. It is endemic to Atlantic Forest ecoregions of coastal Brazil. References

Opossums Endemic fauna of Brazil Fauna of the Atlantic ...

(''Monodelphis americana'') * Arlindo's short-tailed opossum (''Monodelphis arlindoi'') *

Northern red-sided opossum The northern red-sided opossum or the Guianan short-tailed opossum, ''Monodelphis brevicaudata'', is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil. French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela. Characteristics Body leng ...

(''Monodelphis brevicaudata'') *

Yellow-sided opossum The yellow-sided opossum (''Monodelphis dimidiata'') is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. They have grey or black fur on their dorsal side with yellowish fur on the lateral side that continues d ...

(''Monodelphis dimidiata'') *

Gray short-tailed opossum The gray short-tailed opossum (''Monodelphis domestica'') is a small South American member of the family Didelphidae. Unlike most other marsupials, the gray short-tailed opossum does not have a true pouch. The scientific name ''Monodelphis'' is ...

(''Monodelphis domestica'') *

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 , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg ...

(''Monodelphis emiliae'') *

Gardner's short-tailed opossum Gardner's short-tailed opossum (''Monodelphis gardneri'') is a marsupial mammal from South America. It was named in 2012 by Sergio Solari, Víctor Pacheco, Elena Vivar and Louise H. Emmons. They named it after Dr. Alfred L. Gardner who took the f ...

(''Monodelphis gardneri'') *

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 ra ...

(''Monodelphis glirina'') *

Ihering's three-striped opossum Ihering's three-striped opossum (''Monodelphis iheringi''), is an opossum species found in Argentina and Brazil. References

Opossums Marsupials of South America Mammals of Brazil Mammals of Argentina Mammals described in 1888 Taxa named ...

(''Monodelphis iheringi'') *

Pygmy short-tailed opossum The pygmy short-tailed opossum, scientifically named ''Monodelphis kunsi,'' is an opossum species from South America. ''M. kunsi'' is a marsupial from the family Didelphidae of the order Didelphimorphia. Although it is a marsupial, it lacks the ...

(''Monodelphis kunsi'') *

Marajó short-tailed opossum The Marajó short-tailed opossum (''Monodelphis maraxina'') is an opossum species from South America. It is endemic to Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in ...

(''Monodelphis maraxina'') * Osgood's short-tailed opossum (''Monodelphis osgoodi'') *

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 ...

(''Monodelphis palliolata'') *

Peruvian short-tailed opossum The Peruvian short-tailed opossum (''Monodelphis peruviana'') is a species of marsupial in the family Didelphidae.It is found in Bolivia and Peru. Classification This species was initially described as ''Peramys peruvianus'' by Wilfred H. O ...

(''Monodelphis peruviana'') *

Long-nosed short-tailed opossum The long-nosed short-tailed opossum (''Monodelphis scalops''), is an opossum species in Argentina and Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South Americ ...

(''Monodelphis pinocchio'') *

Reig's opossum Reig's opossum (''Monodelphis reigi'') is a South American opossum species of the family Didelphidae, discovered in 2004. It is named after Argentine biologist Osvaldo Reig (1929–1992). It was initially found in montane forest in Canaima Nati ...

(''Monodelphis reigi'') *

Ronald's opossum Ronald's opossum (''Monodelphis ronaldi'') 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 , image_flag ...

(''Monodelphis ronaldi'') *

Chestnut-striped opossum The chestnut-striped opossum (''Monodelphis rubida'') is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Brazil. More specifically, it is found in East and Central Brazil, including areas such as Goiás, Minas Gerais, and São Paulo. It i ...

(''Monodelphis rubida'') *

Saci short-tailed opossum The Saci short-tailed opossum (''Monodelphis saci''), also known as gnome opossum, is a species of opossum endemism, endemic to the rainforests of Brazil. Characteristics They measure from their nose to the base of the tail. The tail measures ...

(''Monodelphis saci'') * Santa Rosa short-tailed opossum (''Monodelphis sanctaerosae'') *

(''Monodelphis scalops'') *

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 Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, ...

(''Monodelphis sorex'') * Touan short-tailed opossum (''Monodelphis touan'') *

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 Opossums Endemic fauna of Brazil Fauna of the Atlantic Forest Marsupials ...

(''Monodelphis theresa'') *

Red three-striped opossum The red three-striped opossum (''Monodelphis umbristriata'') is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in bot ...

(''Monodelphis umbristriata'') *

One-striped opossum The one-striped opossum (''Monodelphis unistriata'') is a possibly extinct opossum species from South America. It is known only from two specimens found in Brazil in 1821 and Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es ...

(''Monodelphis unistriata'') * Voss's short-tailed opossum (''Monodelphis vossi'') Speciation is based on fur coloration with additional details coming from differences in the skull and teeth.

Chemoreception Communication

Short-tailed opossums have been found to use nuzzling as a chemosensory and exploratory behavior in recognizing individuals of the same species. In ''Monodelphis domestica'', nuzzling and snout-rubbing transforms odor from dry components like glandular secretions, feces, and urine, into moist naso-oral secretions that reach the vomernasal organ to be processed chemically. Typically, this behavior is used to recognize individual familiar or new scents from the same species, with males typically being drawn to more novel scents from the same species. The vomeronasal organ is thus becoming an importantly recognized organ used in the social communication of these animals.

Conservation status

''M. sorex'' and ''M. rubida'' are considered to be endangered.

Reproductive development

The genus ''Monodelphis'' is marsupial; they are born under-developed and then mature further in the mother's pouch. In ''Monodelphis'', the young first come off the teat in 12 days, whereas this occurs at 48 days in the related genus ''Didelphis''. Most of the events in this process occur about 2–4 weeks later in ''Didelphis'' than in ''Monodelphis''. This may be related to the shorter longevity of the species of ''Monodelphis'' compared to other marsupials who nurse for a longer period. ''M. dimidiata'' is unusual in that it is a

semelparous Semelparity and iteroparity are two contrasting reproductive strategies available to living organisms. A species is considered semelparous if it is characterized by a single reproductive episode before death, and iteroparous if it is characteri ...

species, something rarely seen in mammals, being found predominantly in smaller didelphids and dasyurids.

References

External links