South opossum
| South opossum | ||||||||||||
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Southern opossum ( Didelphis marsupialis ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Didelphis marsupialis | ||||||||||||
| Linnaeus , 1758 |
The southern opossum ( Didelphis marsupialis ), also known as the black-eared opossum , is a species of marsupial belonging to the genus of the opossums . The northern or Virginia opossum ( Didelphis virginiana ) was previously regarded as a subspecies of the southern opossum , which is why the name northern opossum (in contrast to other opossum species only living in South America ) for Didelphis marsupialis is found in older works . The name Manicou or Manikou, which is common in the Antilles , probably comes from an Indian-American language.
description
The animals reach a head trunk length of 32.5 to 46.5 cm, have a 33.5 to 46.5 cm long tail and reach a weight of 0.57 to 2.4 kg. Males are larger than females and have a different skull shape. The back fur is black or gray. The more or less clearly visible dense undercoat is light yellow, the coarse outer hair is black or gray. The peritoneum is similarly colored, only a little lighter or with a slight orange tint. The head is a dirty yellow, sometimes with an indistinct eye mask that extends from the nose to the base of the ears. The cheeks are yellowish or light orange in color. The dark median stripe on the face, which is typical for most opossum species, is not or only slightly pronounced. The tail is hairy only at the base. It's blackish, the tip is white. The paws are black. The large, hairless ears are black. In young animals, they can also be white up to about 4 months of age. Mostly gray-colored southern opossums and blackish specimens can occur in the same populations, but in most cases the animals from forests are predominantly blackish and those from dry areas are more gray in color. The females have 11 or 13 teats in the bag, 5 or 6 on the sides and one in the middle. In the wild, the animals reach a maximum age of 2.5 years.
Distribution area and habitat
South opossums are native to Central and South America. Its distribution area extends from the southern border of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas across southern Mexico and Central America to the Amazon basin and also includes Trinidad and Tobago and the Lesser Antilles south of Dominica . They may only have been introduced by humans in the Lesser Antilles. Southern opossums inhabit a number of habitats, including forests and grasslands, but also agricultural areas. Areas with an altitude of more than 1000 meters above sea level, e.g. B. the tepuis in Venezuela and Guyana, as well as dry regions are avoided. As a cultural follower , they can sometimes also be found in cities.
Way of life and food
Southern opossums are nocturnal solitary animals and usually become active an hour after sunset. In Costa Rica, the main activity time is between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. The animals spend the day sleeping in hollow trees, their heads hidden under their bodies. They can climb well and often hang out in trees, but keep coming back to the ground to forage. The territory of a southern opossum can be from 5.3 to 165 hectares. The territories of the males are up to 5 times larger than those of the females. The distance that an animal covers at night is between 70 and 1400 meters. If the conditions suit the animals, they can be very numerous. In Panama, 22 to 45 individuals per km² were counted, in Venezuela 30 to 250.
Southern opossums are omnivores that eat fruits (e.g. figs, mango ) and other vegetable material as well as meat such as worms , insects , frogs , small snakes and other small reptiles, but also small rodents, birds and eggs. Even bats, rats, four-eyed rats and house cats are occasionally preyed on. Carrion is also eaten on occasion. All the fruits they eat have a soft skin, lots of pulp and a lot of water. Possibly the southern opossums played a significant role in the distribution of the seeds of the corresponding plants. The consumption of nectar was also observed. Southern opossums are insensitive to the venom of pit vipers and various species of rattlesnakes ( Crotalus ), bushmasters ( Lachesis ) and American lance vipers ( Bothrops ) may be part of their prey spectrum.
Reproduction and development
The female can give birth to offspring up to three times a year by setting up a leaf nest with a diameter of about 40 cm in trees or burrows. The leaves for nest building are grasped with the front paws and held under the belly with the help of the tail are transported to the building site. In western Colombia, a female was filmed stuffing leaves into her pouch before continuing to collect leaves. The breeding season varies depending on the region. In areas without a distinct dry season, e.g. B. Venezuela's Andes, the Amazon basin or French Guiana , south opossums reproduce all year round, in central Brazil especially during the dry season from August to September. The litter size is different and varies from two to 14, with an average of four to six. As with all marsupials, the young are extremely small and weigh only 0.13 grams. After 75 to 80 days, they leave the mother's pouch and then stay in the nest for 8 to 15 days. They are weaned at three to four months. Females become sexually mature at six to seven months of age, males at around eight months. The southern opossums die on average at 2.5 years.
South opossums and humans
In some areas, southern opossums have a bad rap for sometimes invading chicken coops and ripping off the poultry. They are also hunted for the possum fur. They are also popular in the Antilles. To do this, they are hunted at night with a flashlight, which blinds the animal so that it is easy to catch. Road traffic represents a further danger, and animals are often found on the streets.
Due to their large range and their ability to adapt, southern opossums are widespread and are not endangered species. However, they have been protected by law in the French Antilles since February 17, 1989.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d e Diego Astúa: Family Didelphidae (Opossums). in Don E. Wilson , Russell A. Mittermeier : Handbook of the Mammals of the World - Volume 5. Monotremes and Marsupials. Lynx Editions, 2015, ISBN 978-84-96553-99-6 . Page 163.
- ↑ Didelphis marsupialis in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2006. Posted by: New World Marsupial Specialist Group, 1996. Retrieved on 12 May, 2006.