New World Opossums: Didelphimorphia - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, New World Opossums And People, Virginia Opossum (didelphis Virginiana): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, CONSERVATION STATUS
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In a very general sense, the Didelphidae can be said to inhabit both New World continents, from southeastern Canada to southern South America, but the common or Virginia opossum is the only marsupial making its home in the continental U.S. and Canada. All other species of Didelphidae range across Mexico, Central, and South America, from northern Mexico to southern Patagonia in South America, and on some of the Lesser Antilles Islands.
The Virginia opossum inhabits the widest range of habitats of any New World opossum, being found over most of the continental United States and southeastern Canada, in forest, grassland, and desert. The other species variously inhabit tropical and subtropical forests, and a few, like the Patagonian opossum, inhabit temperate grasslands in South America. The dryland mouse opossum prefers desert-like conditions in Central America.
Out of all the Didelphidae species, the IUCN lists three as Critically Endangered (facing an extremely high risk of extinction), three as Endangered (facing a very high risk of extinction), fifteen as Vulnerable (facing a high risk of extinction), and eighteen as Near Threatened (close to becoming threatened with extinction).
Additional Topics
The word "opossum," commonly used to refer to all species within the family Didelphidae, is derived from an Algonquian Indian word for the Virginia opossum, the only living marsupial species north of the U.S.-Mexico border. "Possum," without the first "O," refers to certain Old World marsupials in Australia and New Guinea. Didelphidae are tiny to medium-si…
Diet among Didelphidae is omnivorous, with some variation among species. Food sources include insects, small reptiles, small mammals, especially rodents, birds' eggs, fruits, seeds, snails, freshwater crustaceans, earthworms, and carrion. One species is skilled at subduing scorpions. The yapok, or water opossum, hunts and eats freshwater fish. Some species store fat in the bases of their ta…
New World opossums are marsupials, mammals that give birth to tiny, only partly developed young that crawl into the mother's pouch, latch their jaws tightly onto a milk nipple, and finish their development. Most mammals are placental, meaning that they carry their young in the womb for longer periods before birthing them, and these are born in a more completely developed state. "Mars…
Physical characteristics: The Virginia opossum is one marsupial that a majority of Americans have surely seen, if only as roadkill. These opossums have low-slung, vaguely rat-shaped bodies that in adults can weigh up to 14 pounds (6.4 kilograms). Males are larger than females. Adult head and body length can reach 20 inches (50 centimeters), and the tail length can reach 18 inches (47 centimeters).…
Physical characteristics: Unlike most of the New World opossums, the yapok, or water opossum, is specialized for an aquatic lifestyle. It is the only living aquatic marsupial species. In general terms, the yapok can be thought of as a sort of marsupial otter. The name "yapok" is derived from the Oyapock River in northern South America. Adult head and body length runs 10.5 to 16 inche…
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