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Marsupials of North America — marsupial mammals of North America, within the Didelphimorphia order that is endemic to the Americas. Pages in category "Marsupials of North America" The following 9 pages are in this category, out of 9 total.
The largest order of marsupials in the Western Hemisphere, it comprises 126 species in 18 genera. Opossums originated in South America and entered North America in the Great American Interchange following the connection of North and South America in the late Cenozoic. The Virginia opossum is the only species found in the United States and Canada.
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]
The remaining 30% are distributed across the Americas, primarily in South America, with thirteen species in Central America and a single species, the Virginia opossum, inhabiting North America north of Mexico. Marsupial sizes range from a few grams in the long-tailed planigale, [1] to several tonnes in the extinct Diprotodon. [2]
This is a list of North American mammals. It includes all mammals currently found in the United States, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Canada, Greenland, Bermuda, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean region, whether resident or as migrants. This article does not include species found only in captivity.
Opossums probably diverged from the basic South American marsupials in the late Cretaceous or early Paleocene. They are small to medium-sized marsupials, about the size of a large house cat, with a long snout and prehensile tail. Family: Didelphidae (American opossums) Subfamily: Didelphinae. Virginia opossum, D. virginiana [n 1] [n 2] LC
Plus, fun facts about each one. 10. Nutria. Also known as a coypu, this large, semi-aquatic rodent is native to South America and stands out for its orange teeth and webbed hind feet.
Didelphimorphia, or (o)possums, an order of marsupials native to the Americas Common opossum, native to Central and South America; Virginia opossum, native to North America; White-eared opossum, native to South America; Phalangeriformes, also called (o)possums, any of a number of arboreal marsupial species native to Australia, New Guinea, and ...