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In the case of baby opossums, however, the brain does not always react this way at the appropriate moment, and therefore they often fail to "play dead" when threatened. When an opossum is "playing possum", the animal's lips are drawn back, the teeth are bared, saliva foams around the mouth, the eyes close or half-close, and a foul-smelling ...
The common opossum (Didelphis marsupialis), also called the southern or black-eared opossum [2] or gambá, and sometimes called a possum, is a marsupial species living from the northeast of Mexico to Bolivia (reaching the coast of the South Pacific Ocean to the central coast of Peru), including Trinidad and Tobago and the Windwards in the Caribbean, [2] where it is called manicou. [3]
The common name "four-eyed opossum" comes from the spots above the eyes of this species looking like another set of eyes. The specific name " canus " comes from Latin and means "white" or " hoary ", [ 4 ] in reference to the lighter color of this species.
If threatened, an opossum will either flee or take a stand. To appear threatening, an opossum will first bare its 50 teeth, snap its jaw, hiss, drool, and stand its fur on end to look bigger. [21] If this does not work, the Virginia opossum is noted for feigning death in response to extreme fear. [22]
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 Sulawesi Common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), a common possum in Australian urban areas, invasive in New Zealand
Unlike many marsupials, female mouse opossums do not possess a pouch to protect the young as they develop. The young are born so undeveloped that they don't open their eyes until 39–40 days after birth. It is likely that the young are completely weaned after around 65 days, and they may have an incredibly short life span of only one year.
The brown four-eyed opossum (Metachirus nudicaudatus) is a pouchless marsupial [3] of the family Didelphidae.It is found in different forested habitats of Central and South America, [2] from Nicaragua to Brazil and northern Argentina, [1] including southeastern Colombia, Paraguay and eastern Peru and Bolivia, at elevations from sea level to 1,500 m (4,900 ft). [2]
Gray short-tailed opossums are relatively small animals, with a superficial resemblance to voles.In the wild they have head-body length of 12 to 18 cm (4.7 to 7.1 in) and weigh 58 to 95 grams (2.0 to 3.4 oz); males are larger than females. [5]