Virginia opossum

Species of marsupial

For other uses of "possum", see Possum (disambiguation).

Virginia opossum[1]

Temporal range:

Middle Pleistocene – present (~600,000–0 YBP)[2]

North American opossum in winter

Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[3]

Secure  (NatureServe)[4]

Scientific classification
Domain:  | Eukaryota
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Chordata
Class:  | Mammalia
Infraclass:  | Marsupialia
Order:  | Didelphimorphia
Family:  | Didelphidae
Genus:  | Didelphis
Species:  |

D. virginiana

Binomial name
Didelphis virginiana

(Kerr, 1792)

Range of habitat, showing both historic, native range and introductions in the west; these areas are currently expanding northward (e.g., into Wisconsin and Minnesota).[5]
Synonyms

Didelphis marsupialis virginiana[6]

The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), also known as the North American opossum, is a member of the opossum family found from southern Canada to northern Costa Rica (making it the northernmost marsupial in the world). Commonly referred to simply as the possum,[7] 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, nocturnal nature and their attraction to roadside carrion make opossums more likely to become roadkill.

## Name

[edit]

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".[8] The term is applied more generally to any of the other marsupials of the families Didelphidae and Caenolestidae. The generic name (Didelphis) is derived from Ancient Greek: di, "two", and delphus, "womb".[9]

The possums of Australia, whose name derives from their similarity to the American species, are also marsupials, but of the order Diprotodontia.

The Virginia opossum is known in Mexico as tlacuache, tacuachi, and tlacuachi, from the Nahuatl word tlacuatzin.

## Range

[edit]

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The Virginia opossum's ancestors evolved in South America, but spread into North America as part of the Great American Interchange, which occurred mainly after the formation of the Isthmus of Panama about 3 million years ago. Didelphis was apparently one of the later migrants, entering North America about 0.8 million years ago.[10] It is now found throughout Central America and North America from Costa Rica to southern Ontario and is expanding its range northward, northwesterly and northeasterly at a significant pace.[8]

Its pre-European settlement range was generally as far north as Maryland; southern Ohio, Indiana and Illinois; Missouri and Kansas. The clearing of dense forests in these areas and further north by settlers allowed the opossum to move northward. Elimination of the opossum's main predators in these areas also contributed to their expansion. Since 1900, it has expanded its range to include most of New England (including Maine); New York, extreme southwestern Quebec; most of southern and eastern Ontario; most of Michigan and Wisconsin; most of Minnesota, southeastern South Dakota and most of Nebraska.

Areas such as Rhode Island and Waterloo Region and Simcoe County in southern Ontario rarely had sightings of opossums in the 1960s, but now have them regularly; some speculate that this is likely due to global warming causing winters to be warmer.[11] Some people speculate the expansion into Ontario mostly occurred by opossums accidentally being transferred across the St. Lawrence, Niagara, Detroit and St. Clair rivers by motor vehicles or trains they may have climbed upon. As the opossum is not adapted to colder winters or heavy snow, its population may be significantly reduced if a colder winter with heavier snow occurs in a particular northern region.

The Virginia opossum was not originally native to the West Coast of the United States. It was intentionally introduced into the West[8] during the Great Depression, probably as a source of food,[12] and now occupies much of the Pacific coast. Its range has been expanding steadily northward into British Columbia.

Small isolated populations of Opossums also occur in Eastern New Mexico and parts of Southern and Central Arizona, particularly around Tucson. It is unknown if these populations are native to these regions or were introduced at some point.[13]

## Description

[edit]

Skull of a Virginia opossum The back foot has an opposable "thumb".

Virginia opossums can vary considerably in size, with larger specimens found to the north of the opossum's range and smaller specimens in the tropics. They measure 33–55 cm (13–22 in) long from their snout to the base of the tail, with the tail adding another 25–54 cm (9.8–21.3 in). Males are slightly larger, with an average body length of 40.8 cm (16.1 in) with an average tail length of 29.4 cm (11.6 in), while females are 40.6 cm (16.0 in) long with a 28.1 cm (11.1 in) tail. Weight for males ranges from 2.1–2.8 kg (4.6–6.2 lb) and for females from 1.9–2.1 kg (4.2–4.6 lb).[14]

Their coats are a dull grayish brown, other than on their faces, which are white. Opossums have long, hairless, prehensile tails, which can be used to grab branches and carry small objects. They also have hairless ears and a long, flat nose. Opossums have 50 teeth, more than any other North American land mammal,[15] and opposable, clawless thumbs on their rear limbs. Opossums have 13 nipples, arranged in a circle of 12 with one in the middle.[16][17]

The dental formula of an opossum is 5.1.3.44.1.3.4.[18] No other mammal in North America has more than 6 upper incisors, but the Virginia opossum has 10.

Perhaps surprisingly for such a widespread and successful species, the Virginia opossum has one of the lowest encephalization quotients of any marsupial.[19] Its brain is one-fifth the size of a raccoon's.[20]

### Tracks

[edit]

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Opossum tracks (photo center) in mud: Left-fore print appears on left center of photo, right-hind print appears right center. The small, circular tracks at bottom center of photo were made by a meadow vole. The yellow ruler (top) is in inches.

Pacing diagram for Virginia opossum - key: rectangles represent hind tracks, ellipses are fore tracks, left tracks are red, right are green. (a) the position of the four feet frozen in mid-pace. (b) the opossum brings right fore and hind feet forward. (c) the opossum brings left fore and hind feet forward. One grid square represents one square inch.

Virginia opossum tracks generally show five finger-like toes in both the fore and hind prints.[21] The hind tracks are unusual and distinctive due to the opossum's opposable thumb, which generally prints at an angle of 90° or greater to the other fingers (sometimes near 180°). Individual adult tracks generally measure 1.9 in long by 2.0 in wide (4.8 × 5.1 cm) for the fore prints and 2.5 in long by 2.3 in wide (6.4 × 5.7 cm) for the hind prints. Opossums have claws on all fingers fore and hind except on the two thumbs (in the photograph, claw marks show as small holes just beyond the tip of each finger); these generally show in the tracks. In a soft medium, such as the mud in this photograph, the foot pads clearly show (these are the deep, darker areas where the fingers and toes meet the rest of the hand or foot, which have been filled with plant debris by wind due to the advanced age of the tracks).

The tracks in the photograph were made while the opossum was walking with its typical pacing gait. The four aligned toes on the hind print show the approximate direction of travel.

In a pacing gait, the limbs on one side of the body are moved simultaneously, just prior to moving both limbs on the other side of the body. This is illustrated in the pacing diagram, which explains why the left-fore and right-hind tracks are generally found together (and vice versa). If the opossum was not walking (perhaps running), the prints would fall in a different pattern. Other animals that generally employ a pacing gait are raccoons, bears, skunks, badgers, woodchucks, porcupines, and beavers.

When pacing, the opossum's 'stride' generally measures from 7 to 10 in, or 18 to 25 cm (in the pacing diagram the stride is 8.5 in, where one grid square is equal to 1 in2). To determine the stride of a pacing gait, measure from the tip (just beyond the fingers or toes in the direction of travel, disregarding claw marks) of one set of fore/hind tracks to the tip of the next set. By taking careful stride and track-size measurements, one can usually determine what species of animal created a set of tracks, even when individual track details are vague or obscured.

## Behavior

[edit]

### "Playing possum"

[edit]

When injured or threatened (e.g., by a dog), the Virginia opossum is known to feign death or "play possum".

If threatened, an opossum will either flee or take a stand. To appear threatening, an opossum will first bare its 50 teeth, snap its jaw, hiss, drool, and stand its fur on end to look bigger.[22] If this does not work, the Virginia opossum is noted for feigning death in response to extreme fear.[23] This is the genesis of the term "playing possum", which means pretending to be dead or injured with intent to deceive.[24]

In this inactive state it lies limp and motionless on its side, mouth and eyes open, tongue hanging out, and feet clenched.[22] Fear can also cause the opossum to release a green fluid from its anus with a putrid odor that repels predators.[23][25] Heart rate drops by half, and breathing rate is so slow and shallow it is hardly detectable.[22] Death feigning normally stops when the threat withdraws, and it can last for several hours.[22][25] Besides discouraging animals that eat live prey, playing possum also convinces some large animals that the opossum is no threat to their young.[23] "Playing possum" in response to threats from oncoming traffic often results in death.[26]

### Diet

[edit]

Night camera shows video of an opossum considering a bagel before walking away

Opossums are omnivorous (sometimes said to be insectivorous) and eat a wide range of plant-based food, as well as animal-based food like small invertebrates, carrion, eggs, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, small mammals, and other small animals.[27]

Insects such as grasshoppers, crickets, and beetles make up the bulk of the animal foods eaten by opossums.[28] It has been stated that opossums eat up to 95% of the ticks they encounter[26][29] and may eat up to 5,000 ticks per season, helping to prevent the spread of tick-born illnesses, including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.[29] This interpretation has been challenged.[30] A widely publicized 2009 study by the Cary Institute indicated that Virginia opossums in a laboratory setting could eat thousands of ticks per week grooming.[31][32] However, subsequent studies of the stomach contents of wild Virginia opossums have not found any ticks in their diet.[33]

Small animals include young rabbits, meadow voles, mice, rats, birds, snakes, lizards, frogs, fish, crayfish, gastropods, and earthworms.[34][35][36][37][38] The Virginia opossum has been found to be very resistant to snake venom.[39][29] Attracted to carrion on the side of the highway, opossums are at an increased risk of being hit by motor vehicles.[25]

Plant foods are mainly eaten in late summer, autumn, and early winter.[28] These include raspberries, blackberries, apples, acorns, beechnuts, seeds, grains, bulbs, and vegetables.[28][38] Persimmons are one of the opossum's favorite foods during the autumn.[40] Opossums in urban areas scavenge from bird feeders, vegetable gardens, compost piles, garbage cans, and food dishes intended for dogs and cats.[28][34]

Virginia opossum in northeastern Ohio

Opossums in captivity are known to engage in cannibalism, though this is probably uncommon in the wild.[41] Because of this, placing an injured opossum in a confined space with its healthy counterparts is inadvisable.

### Seasonality

[edit]

The Virginia opossum is most active during the spring and summer.[28] It does not hibernate but reduces its activity during the winter.[27][42] It may not leave its den for several days if the temperature drops below −7 to −4 °C (19 to 25 °F).[28] Both males and females are at greater risk of injury during breeding season.[43] Males extend their range in search of mates which puts them at greater risk of injury from motor vehicles and predators as they venture into unfamiliar territory.[43] Females carrying young are slower moving and have to forage earlier in the evening and later into the night, also increasing their risk of injury from motor vehicles and predation.[43]

### Reproduction

[edit]

Carrying her young

The breeding season for the Virginia opossum can begin as early as December and continue through October with most young born between February and June.[43] A female opossum may have one to three litters per year.[43] During the mating season, the male attracts the female by making clicking sounds with his mouth.[43] The female's estrus cycle is 28 days and lasts 36 hours.[43] Gestation lasts 11–13 days and the average litter size is 8–9 infants, although over 20 infants may be born.[43] Opossums have a very high mortality rate of their young; only one in ten offspring survive to reproductive adulthood.[44]

Newborns are the size of a honeybee.[28] Once delivered through the median vagina or central birth canal, newborn opossums climb up into the female opossum's pouch and latch onto one of her 13 teats.[43] The young remain latched for two months and in the pouch for 2+1⁄2 months.[43] The young then climb onto the mother's back, where she carries them for the remainder of their time together.[43] It is during this time that the young learn survival skills.[43] They leave their mother after about four or five months.[45]

Like all female marsupials, the female's reproductive system is bifid, with two lateral vaginae, uteri, and ovaries.[46] The male's penis is also bifid, with two heads, and as is common in New World marsupials, the sperm pair up in the testes and only separate as they come close to the egg.[46] Males have three pairs of Cowper's glands.[47]

## Lifespan

[edit]

Compared to other mammals, including most other marsupials except dasyuromorphians, opossums have unusually short lifespans for their size and metabolic rate.[48][49] The Virginia opossum has a maximal lifespan in the wild of only about two years.[50] Even in captivity, opossums live only about four years.[51] The rapid senescence of opossums is thought to reflect the fact that they have few defenses against predators; given that they would have little prospect of living very long regardless, they are not under selective pressure to develop biochemical mechanisms to enable a long lifespan.[52] In support of this hypothesis, one population on Sapelo Island, 5 miles (8 km) off the coast of Georgia, which has been isolated for thousands of years without natural predators, was found by Dr. Steven Austad to have evolved lifespans up to 50% longer than those of mainland populations.[52][53]

## Historical references

[edit]

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."[54][55] 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.[56]

## Relationship with humans

[edit]

Virginia opossum cornered in a piano in Houston, Texas, shortly before its release

Opossums are not considered dangerous to humans.[57] Though their open-mouth hiss when frightened is often mistaken as rabid behavior, opossums are naturally resistant to rabies due to their low body temperature. Opossums can however host parasites and carry diseases such as tuberculosis, leptospirosis, and tularemia, among others.[58]

Like raccoons, opossums can be found in urban environments, where they eat pet food, rotten fruit, and human garbage. They also are considered a common predator of poultry farming in North America.[59][60] Research suggests that proximity to humans causes an increase in body size for opossums living in or near urban environments.[61] Though sometimes mistakenly considered to be rats, opossums are not closely related to rodents or any other placental mammals.

The opossum was once a favorite game animal in the United States, particularly in the southern regions which have a large body of recipes and folklore relating to it.[62] Their past wide consumption in regions where present is evidenced by recipes available online[63] and in books such as older editions of The Joy of Cooking.[64] A traditional method of preparation is baking, sometimes in a pie or pastry,[65] though at present "possum pie" most often refers to a sweet confection containing no meat of any kind.[66]

Around the turn of the 20th century, the opossum was the subject of numerous songs, including "Carve dat Possum", a minstrel song written in 1875 by Sam Lucas.[67]

Although it is widely distributed in the United States, the Virginia opossum's appearance in folklore and popularity as a food item has tied it closely to the American Southeast. In animation, it is often used to depict uncivilized characters or "hillbillies". Not surprisingly, then, the Virginia opossum is featured in several episodes of the hit TV show The Beverly Hillbillies, such as the "Possum Day" episode in 1965.[68] The title character in Walt Kelly's long-running comic strip Pogo was an opossum. In an attempt to create another icon like the teddy bear, President William Howard Taft was tied to the character Billy Possum.[69][70] The character did not do well, as public perception of the opossum led to its downfall. In December 2010, a cross-eyed Virginia opossum in Germany's Leipzig Zoo named Heidi became an international celebrity.[71] She appeared on a TV talk show to predict the 2011 Oscar winners, similar to the World Cup predictions made previously by Paul the Octopus, also in Germany.[72]

The Perelman Building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, an annex of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, was formerly the Fidelity Mutual Life Insurance Company Building. Built in the late 1920s its facade is decorated with polychrome sculptures of animals symbolizing various attributes of insurance, including a possum to represent "protection".[citation needed]

## References

[edit]

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2. ^ Harrington, Arianna (12 May 2015) [28 April 2015]. Hulbert Jr., Richard C.; Valdes, Natali (eds.). "Didelphis virginiana \- Florida Vertebrate Fossils". Florida Museum. University of Florida. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
3. ^ Pérez-Hernandez, R.; Lew, D.; Solari, S. (2016). "Didelphis virginiana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T40502A22176259. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T40502A22176259.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
4. ^ "Didelphis virginiana". NatureServe Explorer. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
5. ^ Gardner, A.L.; Sunquist, M.E. (2003). "Opossum: Didelphis virginiana". In Feldhamer, G.A.; Thompson, B.C.; Chapman, J.A. (eds.). Wild Mammals of North America: Biology, Management, and Conservation. JHU Press. pp. 3–29\. ISBN 978-0-8018-7416-1.3-29&rft.pub=JHU+Press&rft.date=2003&rft.isbn=978-0-8018-7416-1&rft.au=Gardner,+A.L.&rft.au=Sunquist,+M.E.&rft_id=https://books.google.com/books?id=-xQalfqP7BcC&pg;=PA4&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Virginia+opossum" class="Z3988">
6. ^ John J. McManus (July 1970), "Behavior of Captive Opossums, Didelphis marsupialis virginiana", American Midland Naturalist, 84 (1): 144–169, doi:10.2307/2423733, JSTOR 2423733144-169&rft.date=1970-07&rft_id=info:doi/10.2307/2423733&rft_id=https://www.jstor.org/stable/2423733#id-name=JSTOR&rft.au=John+J.+McManus&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Virginia+opossum" class="Z3988">
7. ^ "Possum vs. Opossum: Is There a Difference?". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 2023-11-12. "Textbooks, encyclopedias, and science publications favor opossum, but when it comes to general speech and writing, possum is and has been the far more common choice."
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11. ^ Walsh, L. L.; Tucker, P. K. (2017). "Contemporary range expansion of the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) impacted by humans and snow cover". Canadian Journal of Zoology. 96 (2): 107–115\. doi:10.1139/cjz-2017-0071. hdl:1807/81311.107-115&rft.date=2017&rft_id=info:hdl/1807/81311&rft_id=info:doi/10.1139/cjz-2017-0071&rft.aulast=Walsh&rft.aufirst=L.+L.&rft.au=Tucker,+P.+K.&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Virginia+opossum" class="Z3988">
12. ^ The Opossum: Its Amazing Story, William J. Krause and Winifred A. Krause, University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006, p. 23, ISBN 0-9785999-0-X, 9780978599904.
13. ^ "Opossums in Arizona? – Arizona Daily Independent". arizonadailyindependent.com. Retrieved 2025-02-08.
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15. ^ Wildlife Directory: Virginia Opossum — Living with Wildlife — University of Illinois Extension Archived 2018-05-13 at the Wayback Machine. Web.extension.illinois.edu. Retrieved on 2011-09-15.
16. ^ With the Wild Things - Transcripts Archived 2013-03-23 at the Wayback Machine. Digitalcollections.fiu.edu. Retrieved on 2011-09-15.
17. ^ Mary Stockard, AWRC Mammal Supervisor (2001) Raising Orphaned Baby Opossums. AWRC.org
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19. ^ Ashwell, K.w.s. (April 2008). "Encephalization of Australian and New Guinean Marsupials". Brain, Behavior and Evolution. 71 (3): 181–199\. doi:10.1159/000114406. ISSN 0006-8977. PMID 18230970. S2CID 7544968.181-199&rft.date=2008-04&rft.issn=0006-8977&rft_id=https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:7544968#id-name=S2CID&rft_id=info:pmid/18230970&rft_id=info:doi/10.1159/000114406&rft.aulast=Ashwell&rft.aufirst=K.w.s.&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Virginia+opossum" class="Z3988">
20. ^ "Virginia Opossum". Mass Audubon. Archived from the original on December 29, 2010. Retrieved May 11, 2011. "Opossums are frequently encountered as corpses along highways. Some biologists believe that many die as they feed on road-killed animals – a favorite food. Others believe that the opossums' small brain (5 times smaller than that of a raccoon[sic - erroneous logic]) suggests that they may just be too dumb to get out of the way of vehicles!"
21. ^ Krause, William J.; Krause, Winifred A. (2006).The Opossum: Its Amazing Story Archived 2012-12-11 at the Wayback Machine. Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri. 80 pages.
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34. ^ a b "Opossum Management Guidelines--UC IPM". ipm.ucanr.edu. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
35. ^ "Virginia Opossum | Chesapeake Bay Program". www.chesapeakebay.net.
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45. ^ "Reproduction – Life Cycle - Opossum Society of the United States". opossumsocietyus.org.
46. ^ a b Krause, William J. (2005). The Opossum: Its Amazing Story. Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri. ISBN 0-9785999-0-X.
47. ^ Martan, Jan. "The genital tract of the male opossum Didelphis marsupialis virginiana and other marsupials." Trans. I 11 (1983): 3-28.
48. ^ Krause, William J.; Krause, Winifred A. (2006).The Opossum: Its Amazing Story Archived 2012-12-11 at the Wayback Machine. Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri. 80 pages.
49. ^ Fisher, Diana O.; Owens, Ian P. F.; Johnson, Christopher N. (2001). "The ecological basis of life history variation in marsupials" (PDF). Ecology. 82 (12): 3531–3540\. doi:10.1890/0012-9658(2001)082[3531:TEBOLH]2.0.CO;2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-08-24.3531-3540&rft.date=2001&rft_id=info:doi/10.1890/0012-9658(2001)082[3531:TEBOLH]2.0.CO;2&rft.aulast=Fisher&rft.aufirst=Diana+O.&rft.au=Owens,+Ian+P.+F.&rft.au=Johnson,+Christopher+N.&rft_id=https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:60315/UQ60315_OA.pdf&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Virginia+opossum" class="Z3988">
50. ^ Virginia Opossum. Didelphis virginiana Archived 2007-10-24 at the Wayback Machine. Great Plains Nature Center. accessed Oct. 15, 2007
51. ^ The Life Span of Animals Accessed Oct. 15, 2007
52. ^ a b Karen Wright Staying Alive. Discover Magazine. November 6, 2003 Accessed Oct 15, 2007.
53. ^ "State Of Tomorrow™ - Rising Challenges. Higher Education Solutions". www.stateoftomorrow.com.
54. ^ Chrysti the Wordsmith > Radio Scripts > Opossum. Retrieved 2009-12-29.
55. ^ Possum History Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2009-12-29.
56. ^ Langworthy, Orthello R. (1932). "The Panniculus Carnosus and Pouch Musculature of the Opossum, a Marsupial". Journal of Mammalogy. 13 (3): 241–251\. doi:10.2307/1373999. JSTOR 1373999.241-251&rft.date=1932&rft_id=info:doi/10.2307/1373999&rft_id=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1373999#id-name=JSTOR&rft.aulast=Langworthy&rft.aufirst=Orthello+R.&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Virginia+opossum" class="Z3988">
57. ^ "Are opossums dangerous? They can be, but they're also good for your backyard". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
58. ^ Weinberger, Dawn (2023-10-19). "Are Opossums Dangerous To Humans, Pets And Property?". Forbes Home. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
59. ^ "Predators of Poultry". Ohioline Ohio State University. 2018-12-20. Retrieved 2022-04-21.
60. ^ "Predator Management for Small and Backyard Poultry Flocks". Cooperative Extension Poultry. Retrieved 2022-04-21.
61. ^ Wright (2012). "Influences of an Urban Environment on Home Range and Body Mass of Virginia Opossums (Didelphis virginiana)". Northeastern Naturalist. 19 (1): 77–86\. doi:10.1656/045.019.0106. JSTOR 41429417. S2CID 86663111.77-86&rft.date=2012&rft_id=https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:86663111#id-name=S2CID&rft_id=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41429417#id-name=JSTOR&rft_id=info:doi/10.1656/045.019.0106&rft.au=Wright&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Virginia+opossum" class="Z3988">
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66. ^ Burke, Peter (5 December 2024). "Arkansas dessert with an animal in its name is award-winning treat with 'no possum included'". Fox News. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
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## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Didelphis virginiana.

Wikispecies has information related to Didelphis virginiana.

* The National Opossum Society
* Opossum Society of the United States
* "Virginian Opossum" . Collier's New Encyclopedia. 1921.

* v
* t
* e

Extant Didelphimorphia (opossums) species

* Kingdom Animalia
* Phylum Chordata
* Class Mammalia
* Infraclass Marsupialia

Subfamily Caluromyinae

| Caluromys
(Woolly opossums)|

Subgenus Caluromys
Bare-tailed woolly opossum (C. philander)

Subgenus Mallodelphys
Derby's woolly opossum (C. derbianus)
Brown-eared woolly opossum (C. lanatus)

|

Caluromysiops|

* Black-shouldered opossum (C. irrupta)

Subfamily Didelphinae (cont. below)

| Chacodelphys|

* Chacoan pygmy opossum (C. formosa)

|

Chironectes|

* Water opossum (C. minimus)

Cryptonanus|

* Agricola's gracile opossum (C. agricolai)
* Chacoan gracile opossum (C. chacoensis)
* Guahiba gracile opossum (C. guahybae)
* Unduavi gracile opossum (C. unduaviensis)

Didelphis
(Large American
opossums)|

* White-eared opossum (D. albiventris)
* Big-eared opossum (D. aurita)
* Guianan white-eared opossum (D. imperfecta)
* Common opossum (D. marsupialis)
* Andean white-eared opossum (D. pernigra)
* Virginia opossum (D. virginiana)

Gracilinanus|

* Aceramarca gracile opossum (G. aceramarcae)
* Agile gracile opossum (G. agilis)
* Wood sprite gracile opossum (G. dryas)
* Emilia's gracile opossum (G. emilae)
* Northern gracile opossum (G. marica)
* Brazilian gracile opossum (G. microtarsus)
* Peruvian opossum (G. peruanus)

Lestodelphys|

* Patagonian opossum (L. halli)

Lutreolina
(Little water opossums)|

* Big lutrine opossum (L. crassicaudata)
* Massoia's lutrine opossum (L. massoia))

Marmosa
(Mouse opossums)|

* Adler's mouse opossum (M. adleri)
* Alston's mouse opossum (M. alstoni)
* Heavy-browed mouse opossum (M. andersoni)
* White-bellied woolly mouse opossum (M. constantiae)
* Woolly mouse opossum (M. demerarae)
* Northwestern mouse opossum (M. germana)
* Isthmian mouse opossum (M. isthmica)
* Jansa's woolly mouse opossum (M. jansae)
* Rufous mouse opossum (M. lepida)
* Quechuan mouse opossum (M. macrotarsus)
* Mexican mouse opossum (M. mexicana)
* Linnaeus's mouse opossum (M. murina)
* Nicaraguan woolly mouse opossum (M. nicaraguae)
* Tate's woolly mouse opossum (M. paraguayanus)
* Peruvian woolly mouse opossum (M. parda)
* Anthony's woolly mouse opossum (M. perplexa)
* Little woolly mouse opossum (M. phaeus)
* Bolivian woolly mouse opossum (M. rapposa)
* Bare-tailed woolly mouse opossum (M. regina)
* Robinson's mouse opossum (M. robinsoni)
* Red mouse opossum (M. rubra)
* Bare-tailed woolly mouse opossum (M. rutteri)
* Simons's woolly mouse opossum (M. simonsi)
* Tyler's mouse opossum (M. tyleriana)
* Waterhouse's mouse opossum (M. waterhousei)
* Guajira mouse opossum (M. xerophila)
* Zeledon's mouse opossum (M. zeledoni)

Marmosops
(Slender opossums)|

* Bishop's slender opossum (M. bishopi)
* Carr's slender opossum (M. carri)
* Cauca slender opossum (M. caucae)
* Cordillera slender opossum (M. chucha)
* Narrow-headed slender opossum (M. cracens)
* Creighton's slender opossum (M. creightoni)
* Dorothy's slender opossum (M. dorothea)
* Dusky slender opossum (M. fuscatus)
* Handley's slender opossum (M. handleyi)
* Tschudi's slender opossum (M. impavidus)
* Gray slender opossum (M. incanus)
* Panama slender opossum (M. invictus)
* Junin slender opossum (M. juninensis)
* Rio Magdalena slender opossum (M. magdalenae)
* Silva's slender opossum (M. marina)
* Neblina slender opossum (M. neblina)
* White-bellied slender opossum (M. noctivagus)
* Spectacled slender opossum (M. ocellatus)
* Ojasti's slender opossum (M. ojastii)
* Pantepui slender opossum (M. pakaraimae)
* Delicate slender opossum (M. parvidens)
* Brazilian slender opossum (M. paulensis)
* Pinheiro's slender opossum (M. pinheiroi)
* Soini's slender opossum (M. soinii)
* Woodall's slender opossum (M. woodalli)

Subfamily Didelphinae (cont. above)

| Metachirus
(Brown four-
eyed opossums)|

* Aritana's brown four-eyed opossum (M. aritanai)
* Common brown four-eyed opossum (M. myosuros)
* Guianan brown four-eyed opossum (M. nudicaudatus)

|

Monodelphis
(Short-tailed
opossums)|

* Sepia short-tailed opossum (M. adusta)
* Northern three-striped opossum (M. americana)
* Arlindo's short-tailed opossum (M. arlindoi)
* Northern red-sided opossum (M. brevicaudata)
* Yellow-sided opossum (M. dimidiata)
* Gray short-tailed opossum (M. domestica)
* Emilia's short-tailed opossum (M. emiliae)
* Gardner's short-tailed opossum (M. gardneri)
* Amazonian red-sided opossum (M. glirina)
* Handley's short-tailed opossum (M. handleyi)
* Ihering's three-striped opossum (M. iheringi)
* Pygmy short-tailed opossum (M. kunsi)
* Osgood's short-tailed opossum (M. osgoodi)
* Hooded red-sided opossum (M. palliolata)
* Peruvian short-tailed opossum (M. peruviana)
* Long-nosed short-tailed opossum (M. pinocchio)
* Reig's opossum (M. reigi)
* Ronald's opossum (M. ronaldi)
* Saci short-tailed opossum (M. saci)
* Santa Rosa short-tailed opossum (M. sanctaerosae)
* Long-nosed short-tailed opossum (M. scalops)
* Touan short-tailed opossum (M. touan)
* One-striped opossum (M. unistriata)
* Voss's short-tailed opossum (M. vossi)

Philander
(Gray & black four-
eyed opossums)|

* Anderson's four-eyed opossum (P. andersoni)
* Common four-eyed opossum (P. canus)
* Deltaic four-eyed opossum (P. deltae)
* Southeastern four-eyed opossum (P. frenatus)
* McIlhenny's four-eyed opossum (P. mcilhennyi)
* Dark four-eyed opossum (P. melanurus)
* Black four-eyed opossum (P. nigratus)
* Mondolfi's four-eyed opossum (P. mondolfii)
* Olrog's four-eyed opossum (P. olrogi)
* Gray four-eyed opossum (P. opossum)
* Pebas four-eyed opossum (P. pebas)
* Southern four-eyed opossum (P. quica)
* Northern four-eyed opossum (P. vossi)

Thylamys
(Fat-tailed mouse
opossums)|

* Cinderella fat-tailed mouse opossum (T. cinderella)
* Elegant fat-tailed mouse opossum (T. elegans)
* Karimi's fat-tailed mouse opossum (T. karimii)
* Paraguayan fat-tailed mouse opossum (T. macrurus)
* White-bellied fat-tailed mouse opossum (T. pallidior)
* Common fat-tailed mouse opossum (T. pusillus)
* Argentine fat-tailed mouse opossum (T. sponsorius)
* Tate's fat-tailed mouse opossum (T. tatei)
* Dwarf fat-tailed mouse opossum (T. velutinus)
* Buff-bellied fat-tailed mouse opossum (T. venustus)

Tlacuatzin
(Grey mouse
opossums)|

* Balsas gray mouse opossum (T. balsasensis)
* Tehuantepec gray mouse opossum (T. canescens)
* Yucatan gray mouse opossum (T. gaumeri)
* Tres Marias gray mouse opossum (T. insularis)
* Northern gray mouse opossum (T. sinaloae)

Subfamily Glironiinae

| Glironia|

* Bushy-tailed opossum (G. venusta)

|

Subfamily Hyladelphinae

| Hyladelphys|

* Kalinowski's mouse opossum (H. kalinowskii)

|

* v
* t
* e

Game animals and shooting in North America

Game birds|

* Bobwhite quail
* Chukar
* Hungarian partridge
* Prairie chicken
* Mourning dove
* Ring-necked pheasant
* Ptarmigan
* Ruffed grouse
* Sharp-tailed grouse
* Snipe (common snipe)
* Spruce grouse
* Turkey
* Woodcock

Waterfowl hunters

Waterfowl|

* Black duck
* Canada goose
* Canvasback
* Gadwall
* Greater scaup
* Lesser scaup
* Mallard
* Northern pintail
* Redhead
* Ross's goose
* Snow goose
* Wood duck

Big game|

* Bighorn sheep
* Black bear
* Razorback
* Brown bear
* Bison (buffalo)
* Caribou
* Cougar (mountain lion)
* Elk
* Moose
* White-tailed deer
* Wolf
* Mountain goat
* Mule deer
* Pronghorn
* Muskox
* Dall sheep
* Polar bear
* Whales

Other quarry|

* American alligator
* Badger
* Bobcat
* Coyote
* Fox squirrel
* Gray fox
* Gray squirrel
* Opossum
* Rabbit
* Raccoon
* Red fox
* Snowshoe hare

See also|

* Bear hunting
* Big-game hunting
* Bison hunting
* Deer hunting
* Fox hunting
* Waterfowl hunting
* Whaling
* Fishing
* Wolf hunting
* Upland hunting

Taxon identifiers

Didelphis virginiana|

* Wikidata: Q147267
* Wikispecies: Didelphis virginiana
* ADW: Didelphis_virginiana
* BOLD: 12072
* CoL: 35WKF
* EoL: 328501
* EPPO: DIDEVI
* GBIF: 2439923
* iNaturalist: 42652
* IRMNG: 10194072
* ITIS: 179921
* IUCN: 40502
* MDD: 1000023
* MSW: 10400045
* NatureServe: 2.106143
* NCBI: 9267
* Observation.org: 83132
* ODNR: virginia-opossum
* Open Tree of Life: 919171
* Paleobiology Database: 45705
* Xeno-canto: Didelphis-virginiana

Authority control databases: National |

* Israel

|

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