Order Didelphimorphia  
Learn more about the characteristics of these North, Central, and South American marsupials.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes
Didelphimorphia
Learn more about New World marsupials at this site site for kids.
Sources: NHPTV Wildlife Journal Junior Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: No
Caluromys (woolly opossums) Bare-tailed Woolly Opossum
Bare-tailed woolly opossums spend almost all of their time in trees. Find out more!
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes
Central American Woolly Opossum
The Central American Woolly opossum lives in highland and lowland rainforests. Learn more here.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes
Central American Woolly Opossum
See photos of this long-tailed, tree-dwelling opossum.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: N/A Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes
Caluromysiops (black-shouldered opossum) Black-shouldered Opossum
The black-shouldered opossum lives in trees in humid forest in the Andes. Learn more.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes
Glironia (bushy-tailed opossum) Bushy-tailed Opossum
The bushy-tailed opossum lives in the Amazonian regions of Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador and Peru. Find out more!
Source: Edge Intended Audience: General Reading Level: N/A Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes
Bushy-tailed Opossum
The bushy-tailed opossum has a black mask and a white stripe that runs from the top of its head to the tip of its nose.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes
Bushy-tailed Opossum
The bushy-tailed opossum, unlike other opossums, has a tail with fur in the top and sides.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes
Chironectes (water opossum) Water Opossum
The water opossum is adapted for life near the water. It has waterproof fur, webbed hind feet and a backward-pointing pouch. Learn more.
Source: BBC Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes
Water Opossum
The water opossum is also known as the yapok. It has marbled gray and black fur and lives near streams and lakes. Learn more.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes
Didelphis (common opossums) Virginia Opossum
Did you know the name opossum was first used in western culture by Captain John Smith in 1608? It comes from the Powhatan name apasum, which means "white animal."
Source:
NHPTV's Wildlife Journal Junior.
Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: No
Virginia Opossum
The Virginia opossum is a good swimmer and it can climb trees. Learn more.
Source: Utah's Hogle Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No
Virginia Opossum 
When the Virginia opossum is threatened, it flops on it's side, sticks out its tongue and plays dead! Learn more and print out a fact sheet!
Source: National Geographic Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes
Virginia Opossum
The Virginia opossum is the only marsupial found in North America.
Source:
Environmental Education for Kids Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes
Virginia Opossum
The Virginia opossum has a prehensile tail, but adults cannot hang by it from trees!
Source: Beardsley Zoo Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes
Virginia Opossum
The Virginia opossum is the size of a small dog and has a long, scaly, prehensile tail.
Source: The Mammals of Texas Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes
Virginia Opossum
The Virginia opossum marks its territory with scent marks. It licks itself and then rubs the side of its head against tree trunks or other objects.
Source: Brandywine Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes
Virginia Opossum
The life span of the Virginia opossum in the wild is only about 18 months. Learn more.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes
Virginia Opossum
Young Virginian opossums spend the first two months of their life in their mother's pouch.
Source: Animal Bytes Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No
Virginia Opossum
Learn more about the Virginia opossum and print out a labeled diagram.
Source: Enchanted Learning Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No
White-eared Opossum
The white-eared opossum is found throughout South America. It has very large ears, a long tail, and black fur.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes
Big-eared Opossum
The big-eared opossum is found along the Atlantic coast of Brazil to northeastern Argentina and southeastern Paraguay. Learn more.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes Southern Opossum
The southern opossum is found from eastern Mexico to northeastern Argentina Learn more.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes
Gracilinanus (gracile mouse opossums) Aceramarca Gracile Mouse Opossum
The Aceramarca gracile mouse opossum is a small opossum with no pouch. Learn more.
Source: EDGE Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes
Agile Gracile Mouse Opossum
These small opossums sometimes find their way into banana shipments!
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes
Hyladelphys (mouse opossum)
Lestodelphys (Patagonian opossum) Patagonian Opossum
The Patagonian opossum lives further south than any other opossum species. Learn more!
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes
Lutreolina (lutrine opossum) Lutrine Opossum
The Lutrine opossum has a long weasel-like body, short, rounded ears and a thick tail . Learn more!
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes
Marmosa (common mouse opossums) Anderson's Mouse Opossum
Anderson's mouse opossum is a mouse-like marsupial with fine, velvety fur and black eye-rings
Source: EDGE Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes
Anderson's Mouse Opossum
Everything we know about Anderson's mouse opossum comes from seven individuals found by scientists!
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes
Mexican Mouse Opossum
The female Mexican mouse opossum does not have a pouch; she carries her young on her back. Learn more!
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes
Marmosops (slender mouse opossums) Gray Slender Mouse Opossum
The gray slender mouse opossum has a black mask and a long, slender white-tipped tail. Learn more!
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes Metachirus (brown four-eyed opossum) Brown Four-eyed Opossum
The brown four-eyed opossum gets its name from a white spot over its eyes. Learn more!
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes
Micoureus (woolly mouse opossums) Alston's Woolly Mouse Opossum
View an image of this opossum.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes
Monodelphis (short-tailed opossums)
Gray Short-tailed Opossum
These tiny mouse-like marsupials are found in the forests of of Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, and Paraguay. Learn more!
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes
Gray Short-tailed Opossum
The female gray short-tailed opossum can have 4-5 litters a year and litters can have up 13 babies.
Source: Brandywine Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes
Pygmy Short-tailed Opossum
Everything we know about this species is based on 15 specimens examined by scientists. Learn more!
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes
Red-legged Short-tailed Opossum
The red-legged short-tailed opossum lives in South America. It has reddish fur on its sides and legs and black feet. Learn more!
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes
Shrewish Short-tailed Opossum
This tiny marsupial has brown fur, small, rounded ears, and small eyes. Learn more.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes
Philander (four-eyed opossums) Gray Four-eyed Opossum
This opossum has brown fur and white patches over its eyes. Learn more!
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes Thylamys (fat-tailed mouse opossums)
Tlacuatzin (gray mouse opossum)Gray Mouse Opossum
This small opossum is found in Mexico. It has brown fur, rounded ears, and black rings around its eyes. Learn more!
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes
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Vulnerable 
Endangered 
Critically Endangered 
Extinct in the Wild 
Extinct 
