Opossums are often considered to be "living fossils", [9] and as a result they are often used to approximate the ancestral therian condition in comparative studies. [9][10] But the oldest …

Nov 20, 2024 · What are opossums. Are they dangerous. Where & how long do they live. What do they eat. Learn their size, skeleton, predators, sounds, & their differences with possum.

Dec 2, 2025 · Opossum, any of slightly more than 100 species of New World marsupial mammals in the orders Didelphimorphia, Paucituberculata (see rat opossum), and Microbiotheria (see …

Opossums are small- to medium-sized, pouched (most of them) mammals, with pointed snouts and nearly hairless, prehensile tails. They are marsupials, like kangaroos and koalas.

Possum is the common name for any of the small- to medium-sized arboreal marsupials comprising the mammalian suborder Phalangeriformes of the order Diprotodontia and native …

There are several dozen different species of opossum, which are often called possums in North America. The most notable is the Virginia opossum or common opossum—the only marsupial …

Jan 6, 2026 · The North American Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is the sole marsupial native to the continent. This description focuses on the anatomical characteristics of this common …

The opossum is a medium-sized mammal, about the size of a house cat, with gray to black fur, a pink nose, naked ears, and an almost hairless prehensile tail (able to grasp, hold, or wrap …

Babies, typically 5 to 8 in a litter, are ready to leave mommy's pouch and walk around out on their own by 4 months of age. That's when they are 7 to 9 inches, nose to rump, and weigh about …

Often misunderstood and frequently underestimated, the opossum is a creature of remarkable resilience and fascinating biology. Far from being a mere backyard nuisance, this unique …