Bush-tailed opossum

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Bush-tailed opossum
Systematics
Class : Mammals (mammalia)
Subclass : Marsupials (Marsupialia)
Order : Opossum-like (Didelphimorphia)
Family : Opossum rats (Didelphidae)
Genre : Glironia
Type : Bush-tailed opossum
Scientific name of the  genus
Glironia
Thomas , 1912
Scientific name of the  species
Glironia venusta
Thomas , 1912

The bush-tailed opossum ( Glironia venusta ) is a mammal of the family of opossums (Didelphidae).

description

The thick, woolly fur of these animals is brownish in color, two dark brown or black vertical stripes on their face ensure a mask-like appearance. The tail is slightly longer than the body and relatively bushy except for the hairless tip. These animals reach a head-torso length of 16 to 20 centimeters and a tail length of 20 to 23 centimeters.

habitat

So far only nine specimens of this species have been found, all in the rainforests of Brazil , Peru , Ecuador or Bolivia . Based on the physique (opposable thumb and prehensile tail) one suspects that it lives on trees.

Way of life

Little is known about the way of life of the bush-tailed opossum. Like most other opossum rats, it is likely to be a nocturnal, solitary omnivore.

threat

Although the bush-tailed opossum is very rare, the IUCN lists it as not endangered (“least concern”).

Systematics

There is disagreement about the systematic assignment of the bushtail pouch rat. Usually it is classified in the subfamily Caluromyinae as a close relative of the wool pouch rats. Other systematics, however, give it the rank of its own subfamily (Glironiinae).

literature

  • Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .

Web links

Commons : Bush-tailed opossum ( Glironia venusta )  - Collection of images, videos and audio files