Virginie opossum

Frae Wikipedia, the free beuk o knawledge
Virginie opossum[1]
Scientific classification
Kinrick: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Cless: Mammalia
Infracless: Marsupialia
Order: Didelphimorphia
Faimily: Didelphidae
Subfaimily: Didelphinae
Genus: Didelphis
Species: D. virginiana
Binomial name
Didelphis virginiana
(Kerr, 1792)
Virginie opossum range

The Virginie opossum (Didelphis virginiana), commonly kent as the North American opossum, is the anly marsupial foond in North Americae north o Mexico. In the Unitit States it is teepically referred tae simply as a possum. A solitar an nocturnal ainimal aboot the size o a domestic cat, an thus the lairgest opossum, it is a successfu opportunist. It is familiar tae mony North Americans as it is eften seen near touns, rummagin throu garbage cans, or lyin bi the road, a victim o traffic.[3]

In Mexico it is kent as the tlacuache.

References[eedit | eedit soorce]

  1. Gardner, A. L. (2005). "Order Didelphimorphia". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 6. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. Cuarón, A. D., Emmons, L., Helgen, K., Reid, F., Lew, D., Patterson, B., Delgado, C. & Solari, S. (2008). "Didelphis virginiana". IUCN Reid Leet o Threatened Species. Version 2008. Internaitional Union for Conservation o Naitur. Retrieved 28 December 2008. Cite has empty unkent parameter: |last-author-amp= (help)CS1 maint: uises authors parameter (link) CS1 maint: ref=harv (link) Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
  3. "Virginia Opossum". Mass Audubon. Archived frae the original on 29 December 2010. Retrieved 11 Mey 2011. Opossums are frequently encountered as corpse 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) suggests that they may just be too dumb to get out of the way of vehicles!