the common shining cockroach ( drymaplaneta communis ) is a cockroach native to south-east australia .

it feeds on organic matter and is often found under the bark of eucalypt trees .

during the late 1990s and 2000s , this cockroach appears to have had a population explosion in sydney and melbourne and is commonly found inside houses .

this population increase likely coincides with an extended dry period , where many suburban gardeners added mulch to their gardens providing habitat for the common shining cockroach .

despite commonly being found inside houses , the common shining cockroach does not pose the same health risk as introduced cockroaches .

common shining cockroach

the common shining cockroach feeds on organic matter and is often found sheltering under eucalypt bark .
common shining cockroach photographed against brick path , melbourne image by stuart cunningham - some rights reserved . ( view image details )
museum victoria ' s senior curator of entomology ken walker says the common shining cockroach doesn ' t carry disease or wish to share your meals .
as the gardens continued to dry out during the drought , desperate local cockroaches , like the common shining cockroach , started to venture into bathrooms seeking moisture , mr honan says .
the common shining cockroach is native to australia . it is a glossy black or dark brown cockroach with pale margin around the front half of the body . during the last decade or so , numbers have increased in cities such as sydney and melbourne where they often wander into houses , but they are not a pest species and not a health risk like some of the introduced cockroach species . if you find one in the house , try to put it back outside rather than kill it , as they are beneficial to the garden by breaking up leaf litter .
but it gets much worse . it may change your dental hygiene habits to know your toothbrush is a cockroach ' s favourite .
in dry weather leaf - eating bugs such as aphids , lerps ( which attach themselves to leaves ) and common butterflies are also likely to thrive .
if cockroach spotting is becoming sport at your house , you may want to look twice before next bringing a shoe down on the little critters .
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description : usually medium - sized or fairly large methanini ; third and fourth segments of maxillary palps swollen in male ; vestigial tegmina lobate or subquadrilateral , forming lateral margins of mesonotum , vestigial wings absent ; colour yellowish or reddish brown or black , usually with yellow markings ; proventriculus and genitalia of methanine type .
- tegmina larger , with square - cut tip ; abdomen uniformly dark ( ti0 of female with fairly sharp angles ) ; hind tibiae of male expanded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . d . semivitta ( walker )
- tegmina smaller , with rounded tip ; abdomen often with yellow sublateral bands or spots ; hind tibiae of male not expanded . . d . communis tepper
mackerras , j . ( 1968 ) australian blattidae ( blattodea ) ix . * revision of the polyzosteriinae tribe methanini , tryonicinae and blattinae . australian journal of zoology 16 : 511 - 75
updated on 7 / 14 / 2009 1 : 26 : 24 pm available online : padil - http : / / www . padil . gov . au .
local cockroaches are parched but for leaf - eating bugs it ' s an orgy of eating and breeding , as melbourne ' s drying conditions are a boon for some creatures and dire for others .
rainfall in melbourne has been well below average for five of the past six months , down by about one - third in every month but june , which is bad news for native cockroaches .
dry conditions are both the reason why we have some cockroaches in urban areas and the reason we see them inside homes , melbourne museum ' s manager of live exhibits patrick honan says .
about five years ago the local shy variety were hardly known . these creepy crawlies ate bush leaf litter , quietly churning soil nutrients , breaking down mulch and being part of the native eco system . but when gardeners - worried about water restrictions and drought - started introducing mulch to their gardens many were inadvertently transporting native cockroaches to their gardens inside bags of mulch .
they only tend to be inside temporarily because there is nothing for them to eat inside . they are transient visitors ,
he said .
these locals are around all year but it is only the dry conditions that bring them to notice , he says . there are about 500 native species but only four introduced varieties which are the ones seen scurrying in pantries or wardrobes .
mr honan knows most people either fear or loathe cockroaches no matter where they come from .
people don ' t like them but they are neutral as far as humans are concerned , they are neither good nor bad ,
he said .
in theory , he says , melburnians with cockroaches in their bathrooms should be looking for a garden hose to water their garden rather than a shoe to splat them with .
that would make the garden outside more attractive than the inside of the house , but it might not work in all circumstances ,
he said .
leaf chewers do well during the dry weather ,
mr honan said .
distressed plants concentrate their nutrients in an effort to survive making leaves and sap richer and a feast for leaf chewers .
every year there will be a massive increase in one particular insect ,
mr honan said .
the environmental factors and sequence seem to make it perfect for that particular insect . there could be seven or eight factors that make it perfect for them to breed in numbers . we never really know what those factors are until it ' s happened – it might be dry , then two weeks of rain and then very dry conditions . you just don ' t know .
there is one weather factor that brings an universally dreaded bug , and that is the hot northerly wind from the top end of australia . the foul bush fly travels on those winds .
once they start being blown down on the hot northerly they start to breed here , but they can ' t survive melbourne ' s winter so that ' s something ,
mr honan said .
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welcome to the age . skip directly to : search box , section navigation , content . text version .
entomologists say that the shiny black kind are the
good
guys and melbourne ' s increasingly warm , dry weather is sending them indoors in search of moist places to lay eggs .
it is a native and it ' s not a pest , just a nuisance , so it ' s really just a matter of us learning to live with our native animals ,
he said .
roaming ' roaches have kept the phones ringing for pest control companies , but exopest director and entomologist simon dixon says having your yard sprayed with insecticide is unlikely to affect native cockroaches in their hiding places . it ' s also bad for the environment as it ' s more likely to kill vital smaller insects .
unfortunately , many pest control companies will say yes , they ' ll spray , but we don ' t advocate it as it is very ineffective and a waste of money ,
he said .
you are better to pick them up with a dustpan and shoo them outside .
or get a chook , council permitting .
but the
bad
cockroaches are also flourishing in homes and businesses around melbourne courtesy of the warmer weather . along with american and oriental cockroaches , german invaders are the exotic disease - carrying nasties who have adapted to living inside and feasting on our food scraps and other less savoury meals .
they carry a lot of diseases because they can be in sewers one moment and then in the pantry on your vita - brits ,
said dr walker .
they will set up home under the fridge or in cupboards and feast from bins or food scraps and seek other places of moisture , such as the bathroom .
they will go for moisture and unfortunately one of the last things we do at night is clean our teeth , turn off the light and leave the wet toothbrush in a cup , so it ' s a logical target ,
dr walker said .
touted as the critter most likely to survive a nuclear explosion , cockroaches have many remarkable survival abilities . even decapitation won ' t slow them down . and the females of some species can produce up to 20 , 000 young a year .
the drought has also caused other creepy - crawlies such as spiders to join the mass exodus from the garden . species that are vagrant hunters , such as huntsman , wolf and white - tailed spiders , are shacking up indoors .
they come inside foraging or just by accident , but they don ' t know it is a house ,
said mr dixon .
once they get inside , they can ' t get out .
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the margins of the hind tibia of d . communis are parallel : urltoken whereas the margins of the hind tibia of d . semivitta are rounded : urltoken
this sighting hasn ' t been described yet ! be the first to describe this sighting .
i opened the front door this morning to have this guy scuttle out from under it . just over 3cm long . i had it down as drymaplaneta communis , having seen it on the morwell national park website urltoken looking around i found there are two almost identical species from the genus in victoria . then i stumbled across a page by some guy called ken walker and that gave me the defining feature to check for . i also found comments by this same ken walker here on bowerbird which read as
the margins of the hind tibia of d . communis are parallel whereas the margins of the hind tibia of d . semivitta are rounded
. so d . communis it is .
by the way , any fine white streaks in the shot are bits of fluff reminding me i must sweep the floor . except for those blurry streaks in the top right hand corner of the third shot . that ' s the cats whiskers . seems i wasn ' t the only one with an interest in large roaches .


the six species in the genus didelphis , commonly known as large american opossums , are members of the order didelphimorphia .

the genus is composed of cat-sized omnivorous species , and are recognized on their prehensile tails and the tendency to " play possum " ( feign dead ) when cornered .

the largest species , the virginia opossum , is the only marsupial to be found in north america north of mexico .

didelphis

click to enlarge this image . ( 167kb ) didelphis virginiana ( virginia opossum ) , appalachian trail click to enlarge this image . ( 309kb ) didelphis virginiana ( virginia opossum ) , midatlantic click to enlarge this image . ( 175kb )
origins of chagas disease : didelphis species are natural hosts of trypanosoma cruzi i and armadillos hosts of trypanosoma cruzi ii , including hybrids .
origins of chagas disease : didelphis species are natural hosts of trypanosoma cruzi i and armadillos hosts of trypanosoma cruzi ii , including hybrids . - pubmed - ncbi
to cite this page : siciliano martina , l . 2014 .
didelphis marsupialis
( on - line ) , animal diversity web . accessed july 09 , 2018 at urltoken
to cite this page : siciliano martina , l . 2013 .
didelphis virginiana
( on - line ) , animal diversity web . accessed july 09 , 2018 at urltoken
shripat , v . 2011 .
the online guide to the animals of trinidad and tobago
( on - line ) . the university of the west indies . accessed may 21 , 2013 at http : / / sta . uwi / fst / lifesciences / documents / didelphis _ marsupialis . pdf .
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mammal species of the world : a taxonomic and geographic reference ( book , 2005 ) [ worldcat . org ]
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i thought you might be interested in this item at urltoken title : mammal species of the world : a taxonomic and geographic reference author : don e wilson ; deeann m reeder publisher : baltimore : johns hopkins university press , ©2005 . isbn / issn : 0801882214 9780801882210 0801882389 9780801882388 0801882397 9780801882395 oclc : 57557352
wilson and reeder ' s mammal species of the world is the classic reference book on the taxonomic classification and distribution of the more than 5400 species of mammals that exist today . the third edition includes detailed information on nomenclature and , for the first time , common names . each concise entry covers type locality , distribution , synonyms , and major reference sources . the systematic arrangement of
information indicates evolutionary relationships at both the ordinal and the family level . this indispensable reference work belongs in public and academic libraries throughout the world and on the shelf of every biologist who works with mammals .
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this indispensable reference work belongs in public and academic libraries throughout the world and on the shelf of every biologist who works with mammals .
a uniquely valuable compendium of taxonomic and distributional data on the world ' s living and historically extinct mammalian species . contributors and editors alike deserve the thanks of all
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wilson and reeder ' s mammal species of the world is the classic reference book on the taxonomic classification and distribution of the more than 5400 species of mammals that exist today . the third edition includes detailed information on nomenclature and , for the first time , common names . each concise entry covers type locality , distribution , synonyms , and major reference sources . the systematic arrangement of information indicates evolutionary relationships at both the ordinal and the family level . this indispensable reference work belongs in public and academic libraries throughout the world and on the shelf of every biologist who works with mammals .
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) are found throughout much of central and south america . the range of this species is limited by high elevations and dry environments . these animals are found native to the following countries : argentina , belize , bolivia , brazil , columbia , costa rica , ecuador , el salvador , french guiana , guatemala , guyana , honduras , mexico , nicaragua , panama , paraguay , peru , suriname , trinidad , tobago and venezuela . in recent history , these animals have also been introduced to a variety of islands .
( brito , et al . , 2008 ; cerqueira and tribe , 2008 )
common opossums are found in a variety of habitats throughout central and south america . these animals are considered habitat generalists and are even tolerant of anthropogenically altered environments . they are not found in areas of exceptionally high elevation or extremely dry habitats , although they are found in montane environments in costa rica and may survive in areas with a wide range of precipitation . it has been suggested that common opossums may be the most tolerant and adaptable neotropical mammal . their preferred habitats include tropical , subtropical , old growth , evergreen and gallery forests in lowland regions below about 2 , 000 meters on average . these animals also frequent urban environments such as near human dwellings and garbage dumps , as well as agricultural lands including pastures and cacao , coffee and citrus plantations . common opossums may be found on the ground or in large trees , although they are more terrestrial than some members of their genus .
( adler , et al . , 2012 ; brito , et al . , 2008 ; cerqueira and tribe , 2008 ; estrada , et al . , 1994 ; medellin , 1994 ; reid , 2009 ; tyndale - biscoe , 1973 )
common opossums are robust marsupials . the fur on their body is thick with long guard hairs , leading these animals to appear somewhat disheveled . their dorsal pelage is often dark , typically blackish or grayish , but in rare instances they may appear whitish . in comparison , their ventral fur is yellow or cream . these animals have primarily whitish fur on their faces and a dark stripe extending to the crown of their heads , with a black ring around both eyes . their ears are large and all black . common opossums have sharp claws , long whiskers and a primarily naked prehensile tail that is slightly longer than their body . these animals are sexually dimorphic ; males trapped in french guiana averaged 1 . 2 kg , whereas females averaged 1 . 03 kg . these values may be low ; other sources suggest that their body weights range between 4 to 6 kg . in general , adult males have longer canines than adult females . common opossums typically have a total body length of 371 mm ( ranging from 265 to 430 mm ) , including a tail length of 395 mm .
( castillo - flores and calvo - irabien , 2003 ; reid , 2009 ; richard - hansen , et al . , 1999 ; shripat , 2011 ; tyndale - biscoe and renfree , 1987 )
common opossums show a polygynous mating system , in which males compete for reproductive females . these animals are almost exclusively solitary , but come together seasonally for breeding .
do not exhibit courtship rituals and do not pair bond . females experience a 25 to 32 day estrous cycle . when resources are limited or unavailable these animals may choose not to mate .
( fernandes , et al . , 2010 ; julien - laferriere and atramentowicz , 1990 ; o ' connell , 2006 ; shripat , 2011 ; sunquist , et al . , 1987 )
breeding seasons and the number of annual litters varies based on latitude . breeding seasons can vary from one long season from january to september or several shorter seasons annually . these seasons may be correlated with seasonal precipitation . female common opossums begin breeding when they are 6 to 7 months old . gestation typically lasts 13 to 15 days , after which 2 to 20 altricial young are born , interestingly ; animals living closer to the equator tend to have smaller litters . at birth , their young are tiny ; they are usually about 1 cm long and weigh about 0 . 13 grams . although they are extremely under - developed , newborn common opossums have well - developed claws on their front legs that help them climb to their mother’s pouch . once inside the pouch , their young remain attached to the mammae for about 50 days . young are weaned and independent when they are 90 to 125 days old , often when fruit is plentiful .
( brito , et al . , 2008 ; cabello , 2006 ; gustavo , et al . , 1990 ; julien - laferriere and atramentowicz , 1990 ; o ' connell , 2006 ; shripat , 2011 ; tyndale - biscoe and mackenzie , 1976 ; tyndale - biscoe and renfree , 1987 ; tyndale - biscoe , 1973 ; tyndale - biscoe , 2005 )
breeding season breeding season varies depending on latitude , but likely correlates to seasonal precipitation .
common opossums offer very little parental care . males have no involvement in raising their offspring and females invest a minimal effort . when their tiny offspring are born , they begin a harrowing journey to their mother’s pouch ; many of the young will not survive . female common opossums typically only have 9 teats available for nursing , so they often have more offspring than they can accommodate . however , they have a fairly low mortality rate once they are safely inside the pouch and nursing . the young may begin leaving the pouch when they are about 70 days old , at which time they may begin riding on their mother’s back while she forages . the young become independent when they are weaned between 90 and 125 days old . interestingly , a study in venezuela determined that females with ample resources are more likely to have mostly male offspring , whereas , when resources become limited they typically have a greater number of females in their litters .
common opossums are very short lived ; they typically live fewer than 2 years . in a long term study of these animals , the oldest individual lived to be 20 months old , in another study ; the oldest individual lived to be 11 months old . these animals experience their greatest mortality rate prior to maturity and while lactating . common opossums are frequent victims of collisions with cars .
( kajin , et al . , 2008 ; pinowski , 2005 ; reid , 2009 ; sunquist , et al . , 1987 )
common opossums are solitary and nocturnal . they begin their daily activities about an hour before sunset ; however , their activity level peaks from 11 pm to 3 am . these animals are primarily terrestrial but spend a significant amount of time in trees , although other members of their genus are much more arboreal . during daylight hours , common opossums stay inside their burrows . burrow locations vary and include tree cavities , underground , in palm or fig trees , in the tree canopy or in the abandoned nests of other species . these animals do not maintain a burrow for very long , males remain in the same den for about 1 . 5 days on average and females remain in the same den for about 5 . 1 days .
( adler , et al . , 2012 ; brito , et al . , 2008 ; julien - laferriere and atramentowicz , 1990 ; reid , 2009 ; shripat , 2011 ; sunquist , et al . , 1987 ; vaughan , et al . , 1999 )
male common opossums maintain a much larger home range than their female counterparts . females average 16 . 3 hectares ( + / - 8 . 2 ha ) , whereas males average a home range of 123 hectares ( + / - 60 . 8 ha ) . male home ranges overlap ; generally there is about one individual per hectare .
( brito , et al . , 2008 ; sunquist , et al . , 1987 )
common opossums use a variety of perception channels . their auditory ability develops relatively late in life , young do not fully develop their auditory capabilities until they are about 80 days old . common opossums may communicate vocally , specifically when they are engaged in an aggressive encounter . in such circumstances , these animals may hiss , growl or screech . common opossums also perform a variety of visual displays when engaged in an aggressive interaction including rocking from side to side , drooling , baring their teeth , and in the case of an extreme threat , these animal have also been known to enter a catatonic state , commonly known as ‘playing opossum’ . olfaction is also used to communicate ; common opossums may produce a secretion from their anal gland or spray urine and feces when a threat is perceived . their vision is acute and is likely on par with the visual abilities of cats ; however , their visual acuity is limited when compared to some primates .
( ehret , 1983 ; oswaldo - cruz , et al . , 1979 ; reid , 2009 ; shripat , 2011 ; volchan , et al . , 2004 )
common opossums have a very broad diet . their feeding habits are often referred to as opportunistic omnivory . their diet includes invertebrates , vertebrates , leaves , fruits , nectar and carrion . common opossums may alter their diet seasonally , during the dry season mammals and birds are more likely consumed , whereas during the wet season they rely more heavily on fruits , snakes and toads . regardless of the season , invertebrates are a primary staple of their diet including
. after weaning , their diet remains fairly constant throughout their life , although older animals tend to consume vertebrates more frequently . common opossums eat a variety of vertebrates including birds such as
and a variety of small mammals . interestingly , their ability to consume rattlesnakes is facilitated by their apparent immunity to the venom of many members of family
( almeida - santos , et al . , 2000 ; cerqueira and tribe , 2008 ; cordero and nicolas , 1987 ; garrett and boyer , 1993 ; reid , 2009 ; reidy , 2009 )
given their abundance , common opossums are likely prey for a variety of large mammals throughout central and south america . their known predators include
. when a threat is detected , common opossums may choose to run or climb a tree to evade predators . less frequently , these animals may enter a catatonic state , commonly known as ' playing opossum ' . this death feigning behavior may last as little as 1 minute or as long as 6 hours .
( gustavo , et al . , 1990 ; rotenberg , et al . , 2012 ; shripat , 2011 )
common opossums carry a variety of parasites ; some reports claim they may carry up to 46 species of internal and external parasites . most notably ,
in their large and small intestines . common opossums are also important seed dispersers . they move some seeds due to ingestion after eating fruits , such as for
. these plants are anthropogenic herbs and have been introduced to the forest understory partially via the fur of animals .
( castillo - flores and calvo - irabien , 2003 ; cerqueira and tribe , 2008 ; deane , et al . , 1984 ; jimenez , et al . , 2011 ; medellin , 1994 )
common opossums are often hunted by humans . they are killed for sport and food and are even part of the illegal wild game trade . some cultures believe that the fat of common opossums can be used to treat a variety of ailments including stomach aches , rheumatism , diarrhea , inflammation , skin infections , labor pains , asthma , headaches , toothaches , ear aches and sore throats .
( alves and rosa , 2006 ; alves and rosa , 2007 ; brito , et al . , 2008 ; junior , et al . , 2010 )
common opossums are known to transmit diseases which impact human populations , such as chagas disease and leishmaniansis . these animals may also be considered pests due to their aptitude for killing bats caught in research mist nets and their proclivity for poultry .
( brito , et al . , 2008 ; cabello , 2006 ; deane , et al . , 1984 ; reid , 2009 )
common opossums are currently listed as a species of least concern according to the iucn red list of threatened species . these animals are found throughout much of central and south america and likely have a very large population size . their ability to live in anthropogenically disturbed environments facilities this species broad success .
are commonly grouped into either ‘white - eared’ or ‘black - eared opossums’ . common opossums (
living in the southern part of the new world . in other words , central and south america .
young are born in a relatively underdeveloped state ; they are unable to feed or care for themselves or locomote independently for a period of time after birth / hatching . in birds , naked and helpless after hatching .
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror - image halves . animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides , as well as anterior and posterior ends . synapomorphy of the bilateria .
animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature . endothermy is a synapomorphy of the mammalia , although it may have arisen in a ( now extinct ) synapsid ancestor ; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities . convergent in birds .
forest biomes are dominated by trees , otherwise forest biomes can vary widely in amount of precipitation and seasonality .
offspring are produced in more than one group ( litters , clutches , etc . ) and across multiple seasons ( or other periods hospitable to reproduction ) . iteroparous animals must , by definition , survive over multiple seasons ( or periodic condition changes ) .
this terrestrial biome includes summits of high mountains , either without vegetation or covered by low , tundra - like vegetation .
the area in which the animal is naturally found , the region in which it is endemic .
rainforests , both temperate and tropical , are dominated by trees often forming a closed canopy with little light reaching the ground . epiphytes and climbing plants are also abundant . precipitation is typically not limiting , but may be somewhat seasonal .
the region of the earth that surrounds the equator , from 23 . 5 degrees north to 23 . 5 degrees south .
living in cities and large towns , landscapes dominated by human structures and activity .
reproduction in which fertilization and development take place within the female body and the developing embryo derives nourishment from the female .
adler , g . , a . carvajal , s . davis - foust , j . dittel . 2012 . habitat associations of opossums and rodents in a lowland forest in french guiana .
almeida - santos , s . , m . antoniazzi , o . sant ' anna , c . jared . 2000 . predation by the opossum
alves , r . , i . rosa . 2006 . from cnidarians to mammals : the use of animals as remedies in fishing communities in northeast brazil .
alves , r . , i . rosa . 2007 . zootherapeutic practices among fishing communities in north and northeast brazil . a comparison .
austad , s . , m . sunquist . 1987 . sex ratio manipulation in the common opossum .
brito , d . , d . astuade moraes , d . lew , p . soriano , l . emmons , a . cuaron , k . helgen , r . reid , e . vazquez . 2008 .
( on - line ) . iucn red list of threatened species . accessed may 21 , 2013 at
castillo - flores , a . , l . calvo - irabien . 2003 . animal dispersal of two secondary - vegetation herbs into the evergreen rainforest of south - eastern mexico .
ehret , g . 1983 . development of hearing and response behavior to sound stimuli : behavioral studies . pp . 211 - 237 in r romand , ed .
estrada , a . , r . coates - estrada , d . merritt jr . 1994 . non - flying mammals and landscape change in the tropical rainforest region of los tuxtlas , mexico .
gustavo , a . , b . da fonseca , j . robinson . 1990 . forest size and structure : competitive and predatory effects on small mammal communities .
julien - laferriere , d . , m . atramentowicz . 1990 . feeding and reproduction of three
junior , p . , d . guimaraes , y . le perdu . 2010 . non - legalized commerce in game meat in the brazilian amazon : a case study .
o ' connell , m . 2006 . american opossums . pp . 808 - 813 in d macdonald , s norris , eds .
oswaldo - cruz , e . , j . hokoc , a . sousa . 1979 . a schematic eye for the opossum .
reidy , j . 2009 . nest predators of lance - tailed manakins on isla boca brava , panama .
richard - hansen , c . , j . vie , n . vidal , j . keravec . 1999 . body measurements on 40 species of mammals from french guiana .
tyndale - biscoe , c . , r . mackenzie . 1976 . reproduction in
volchan , e . , c . vargas , j . da franca , a . pereira jr , c . da rocha - miranda . 2004 . tooled for the task : vision in the opossum .
disclaimer : the animal diversity web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students . adw doesn ' t cover all species in the world , nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe . though we edit our accounts for accuracy , we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts . while adw staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable , we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control .
this material is based upon work supported by the national science foundation grants drl 0089283 , drl 0628151 , due 0633095 , drl 0918590 , and due 1122742 . additional support has come from the marisla foundation , um college of literature , science , and the arts , museum of zoology , and information and technology services .
( cuaron , et al . , 2012 ; harmon , et al . , 2005 ; hossler , et al . , 1994 ; kanda , 2005 )
virginia opossums may be found in a fairly wide range of habitats ; however , they typically prefer areas near a water source , such as a stream or swamp . these animals may live in woodlands and thickets but they are very often found within human altered areas . this species has been extremely successful due to their ability to thrive in urban areas ; this is assisted by their small body size , nocturnal habits and high reproductive output . virginia opossums nest in brush piles , hallow trees and drainage areas . they can be found from near sea level to 3 , 000 meters in elevation .
( cuaron , et al . , 2012 ; hoffmeister , 2002 ; mcmanus , 1974 ; wright , et al . , 2012 )
( burnie , et al . , 2001 ; christiansen , 2006 ; gipson and kamler , 2001 ; hoffmeister , 2002 ; hossler , et al . , 1994 ; mcmanus , 1974 ; mcruer and jones , 2009 ; wright , et al . , 2012 )
marsupials engage in a polygynous mating system , in which males vie for reproductive females . male virginia opossums possess a sexually dimorphic scent gland on their chest , which emits a musky odor and stains their fur ; this is most commonly observed near the onset of the breeding season . females experience an approximately 29 . 5 day estrous cycle , upon entering estrous , breeding begins almost immediately . mating behavior is one of the only social behaviors displayed by virginia opossums , after mating ; females resume their aggressive , solitary disposition .
( christiansen , 2006 ; fernandes , et al . , 2010 ; holmes , 1992a ; mcmanus , 1974 )
( burnie , et al . , 2001 ; christiansen , 2006 ; feldhamer , et al . , 2007 ; hoffmeister , 2002 ; holmes , 1992b ; hossler , et al . , 1994 ; mcmanus , 1974 ; o ' connell , 2006 ; rademaker and cerqueira , 2006 )
breeding interval this species has 1 to 3 litters per year ; this varies based on a populations range .
breeding season the exact breeding season for this species varies based on a population’s range , in more northern climates they breed from february to september ; in ranges further south they breed from january to august .
virginia opossums invest little in parental care ; males provide no parental care , while females offer moderate care . after breeding , the female’s pouch takes on a brownish - orange hue and emits a musky odor due to scent glands located within ; this likely assists newborn opossums in finding their mothers pouch . while young are residing within , females are often observed licking at the pouch and their offspring . this practice led to the mistaken idea that virginia opossums breed with their noses and afterward , the young crawl from the female’s nostrils into her pouch . although a female with pouch - young may become very protective of her pouch , once her young are removed , females show little interest . female virginia opossums typically continue lactating for about 15 weeks , over which time , the composition of the milk becomes modified . most young virginia opossums become solitary after weaning , however , some may remain with their mother in their weaning den until they are about 120 days old .
virginia opossums have a fairly short lifespan ; wild individuals typically only survive about 1 . 5 to 2 years . early in life , young opossums have a very high mortality rate . many of these altricial young never arrive in their mothers pouch , afterward ; about 60 % of those who do reach the pouch will perish once they are weaned . among adult animals , the vast majority of deaths occurred during the cold season . although males typically only participate in breeding for one year , they are technically not semelparous because most ranges involve 2 to 3 breeding seasons per year . however , in one study , among approximately 12 , 000 trapped virginia opossums , no adult males were found . females may live slightly longer than their male counterparts ; however , they are no longer reproductively viable after 2 years of age . captive individuals typically have a longer lifespan ; they generally survive to be 3 to 4 years old ; however , there are reports of captive virginia opossums surviving until they are 8 to 10 years old .
( christiansen , 2006 ; gipson and kamler , 2001 ; harmon , et al . , 2005 ; hossler , et al . , 1994 ; mcmanus , 1974 ; mcruer and jones , 2009 ; o ' connell , 2006 ; woods ii and hellgren , 2003 )
( allen , et al . , 1985 ; cuaron , et al . , 2012 ; hoffmeister , 2002 ; hossler , et al . , 1994 ; kimble , 1997 ; ladine and kissell jr , 1994 ; mcmanus , 1974 ; mcruer and jones , 2009 )
the home range kept by virginia opossums varies greatly . this may depend on their range , their habitat , the availability of resources and their gender . in general , their home range size is thought to be about 12 . 5 to 38 . 8 hectares ; females generally have a smaller home range . a study conducted in georgia found that home range size may be between 7 . 2 to 94 . 4 hectares , a study in texas found home range sizes from 0 . 12 to 23 . 47 hectares ; likewise , home range sizes in urban environments averaged 18 . 8 hectares for females and 37 . 3 hectares for males . males are believed to keep larger home ranges because their reproductive success is based solely on their ability to find mates , whereas female success is based on the accessibility of food items . their home ranges are oval shaped and often overlap with a water source . virginia opossums were once considered a nomadic species but more recent research has shown that an individual maintains a fairly constant home range throughout their lifespan .
( allen , et al . , 1985 ; gehrt , et al . , 1997 ; gipson and kamler , 2001 ; harmon , et al . , 2005 ; mcmanus , 1974 ; o ' connell , 2006 ; wright , et al . , 2012 )
virginia opossums are extremely opportunistic feeders . these animals eat a variety of foods based on the season , their habitat and their range . their diets include vertebrates , invertebrates , plant material , fruits , grains and carrion . during the colder seasons , small vertebrates tend to make up a larger portion of their diet , whereas in the warmer seasons , they consume more invertebrates , plant material , fruits and seeds . stomach content analyses have been conducted on virginia opossums throughout the united states , generally their diet is composed of 14 to 27 % mammal tissues , 10 to 18 % fruits , seeds and bulbs , 6 to 11 % grasses and leaves , 3 to 13 . 5 % insects , 5 . 5 to 9 %
and 3 to 5 % birds . other food items were found more specific to an animal’s location and included up to 22 . 5 %
, 9 % pet food , 9 % garbage and up to 5 % carrion .
. this species may have a better chance of survival within more urban environments due partially to the lower predation risk .
( harmon , et al . , 2005 ; hossler , et al . , 1994 ; ladine and kissell jr , 1994 ; werner and vick , 1977 )
virginia opossums are opportunistic omnivorous feeders . they consume a variety of vertebrates , invertebrates , plant material and carrion . virginia opossums are important seed dispersers and redistribute undamaged seeds from the genera
, among others . these animals are also carriers for a wide variety of internal and external parasites . virginia opossums are known carriers of at least 24 internal and 13 external parasites . although they are not immune , it is unusual for this species to be a carrier of the rabies virus .
( baker , et al . , 1995 ; durden and nixon , 1990 ; mcmanus , 1974 ; mcruer and jones , 2009 ; monet - mendoza , et al . , 2005 ; rejmanek , et al . , 2009 ; willson , 1993 )
given the frequent urban habitation of virginia opossums , interaction with humans is almost inevitable . these animals are hunted for sport and food . some cultures believe that virginia opossums’ meat has medical properties . for instance , eating their meat in a soup is believed to help inflammation , colitis , gastritis and skin infections . likewise eating cooked virginia opossum meat is believed to prevent heart attacks , using an ointment composed of opossum fat is believed to treat epilepsy and infusing opossum bones in water is believe to treat allergies , dermatitis and coughing . virginia opossums’ pelts may also be sold commercially . although it is illegal in many states , virginia opossums are sometimes kept as pets . in such situations , these animals may be successfully litter trained and adapt to the diurnal lifestyle of their owners . obesity is common among captive virginia opossums .
( alonso - castro , et al . , 2011 ; cuaron , et al . , 2012 ; jacobo - salcedo , et al . , 2011 ; mcmanus , 1974 ; mcruer and jones , 2009 )
virginia opossums are often seen a pest species . stomach content analyses in portland , oregon found that as much as 9 % of an opossums diet was composed of garbage , likewise , another 9 % of their diet was pet food . virginia opossums are also seen as farm pests due to their proclivity for poultry .
( cuaron , et al . , 2012 ; mcruer and jones , 2009 )
virginia opossums are currently listed as a species of least concern according to the iucn red list of threatened species . this animal’s ability to adapt to human altered habitats has made it extremely successful and widespread . virginia opossums do not merely tolerate human settlements ; they flourish and have a greater survival rate near them .
( cuaron , et al . , 2012 ; harmon , et al . , 2005 ; wright , et al . , 2012 )
living in the nearctic biogeographic province , the northern part of the new world . this includes greenland , the canadian arctic islands , and all of the north american as far south as the highlands of central mexico .
referring to animal species that have been transported to and established populations in regions outside of their natural range , usually through human action .
a wetland area that may be permanently or intermittently covered in water , often dominated by woody vegetation .
that region of the earth between 23 . 5 degrees north and 60 degrees north ( between the tropic of cancer and the arctic circle ) and between 23 . 5 degrees south and 60 degrees south ( between the tropic of capricorn and the antarctic circle ) .
allen , c . , r . marchinton , w . maclentz . 1985 . movement , habitat use and denning of opossums in the georgia piedmont .
alonso - castro , a . , c . carranza - alvarez , j . maldonado - miranda , m . jacobo - salcedo , d . quezada - rivera , h . lorenzo - marquez , l . figueroa - zuniga , c . fernandez - galicia , n . rios - reyes , m . de leon - rubio , v . rodriguez - gallegoes , p . medellin - milan . 2011 . zootherapeutic practices in aquismon , san luis potos , mexico .
( on - line ) . iucn red list of threatened species . accessed may 02 , 2013 at
gehrt , s . , d . clark , e . fritzell . 1997 . population dynamics and ecology of virginia opossums in southern texas .
gipson , p . , j . kamler . 2001 . survival and home ranges of opossums in northeastern kansas .
holmes , d . 1992 . odor as cues for orientation to mothers by weaning virginia opossums .
hopkins , d . , r . forbes . 1980 . dietary patterns of the virginia opossum in an urban environment .
hossler , r . , j . mcaninch , j . harder . 1994 . maternal denning behavior and survival of juveniles in opossums in southeastern new york .
jacobo - salcedo , m . , a . alonso - castro , a . zarate - martinez . 2011 . folk medicinal use of fauna in mapimi , durango , mexico .
ladine , t . , r . kissell jr . 1994 . escape behavior of virginia opossums .
monet - mendoza , a . , d . osorio - sarabia , l . garcia - prieto . 2005 . helminthes of the virginia opossum (
woods ii , h . , e . hellgren . 2003 . seasonal changes in the physiology of male virginia opossums (
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thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .
justification : a widespread and common species throughout its range , this species is adaptable to human dominated landscapes . although hunted or trapped locally for food , sport and as predators of poultry , apparently the species has not been adversely affected by human settlement , in fact its range appears to be expanding . commercial hunting for the fur trade does not appear to have much impact .
this species is found in central america , from costa rica to mexico and in the united states east of the rocky mountains , and north into southwestern ontario , canada ( the northernmost locality reached by a marsupial ) . some introduced populations are also found along the west coast of the united states and recently into british columbia ( canada ) . their range , limited by winter temperatures and snow depth , appears to be expanding northwards ( gardner 2005 ) . this species can be found from lowlands to 3 , 000 m ( reid 1997 ) .
this species is found in a variety of habitats , ranging from relatively arid to mesic environments . they prefer wet areas , however , especially woodlands and thickets near streams and swamps . also in suburban areas . the opportunistic denning and feeding habits of the virginia opossum has led to the success of the species , especially in areas of habitat fragmentation . high reproductive potential further contributes to increasing population size ( mcmanus 1974 ) . abandoned burrows , buildings , hollow logs , and tree cavities are generally used for den sites .
although opossums were once important in the fur trade , this activity has apparently had little impact on the species ' population ( whitaker jr . and hamilton jr . , 1998 ) .
there are no major threats to this species . opossums are hunted and trapped for food and fur in certain areas of their range , but the mortality is mostly caused by collision with motor vehicles ( gardner 2005 ) .
there are no specific measures in place to protect the virginia opposum , as it likely occurs in a number of protected areas throughout its range .
to make use of this information , please check the < terms of use > .
astua de moraes , d . , lew , d . , costa , l . p . & pérez - hernandez , r .
justification : this species is listed as least concern because of its wide distribution , presumed large population , tolerance to habitat modification , occurrence in a number of protected areas and because it is unlikely to be declining at nearly the rate required to qualify for listing in a threatened category . although hunted or trapped locally for food , sport and as predators of poultry , the species does not appear to have been adversely affected by human settlement . commercial hunting for fur trade does not appear to have much impact .
the species is found from tamaulipas , mexico , and in cozumel and the yucatan peninsula , south to perú , bolivia , paraguay and northeastern argentina , including trinidad and the lesser antilles ( emmons and feer 1997 , eisenberg and redford 1999 , gardner 2008 ) . it can be found to about 2 , 000 m . a . s . l . ( eisenberg and redford 1999 , emmons and feer 1997 ) .
this species is common , and is hunted for meat only where other game is scarce ( emmons and feer 1997 ) . densities of 0 . 25 - 2 . 5 individuals per hectare are found in venezuela ( august 1984 , o ' connell 1979 ) , of 0 . 22 - 0 . 45 in french guiana ( atramentowicz 1986 , charles - dominique et al . 1981 , julien - laferriere 1991 ) and of 0 . 09 - 1 . 32 in panamá ( fleming 1972 ) .
this species is hunted only where other game is scarce ( emmons and feer 1997 ) .
there are no major threats known to this species . in suriname , it is collected for its meat which is illegally exported to french - guiana ( j . de bruin , in litt . ) .
astua de moraes , d . , lew , d . , costa , l . p . & pérez - hernandez , r . 2016 .
astua de moraes , d . , de la sancha , n . & costa , l .
justification : this species is listed as least concern because of its wide distribution , presumed large population , tolerance to habitat modification , occurrence in a number of protected areas and because it is unlikely to be declining at nearly the rate required to qualify for listing in a threatened category . although hunted or trapped locally for food , sport and as predators of poultry , this species does not appear to have been adversely affected by human settlement ( nowak 1999 ) . commercial hunting for the fur trade does not appear to have much impact .
this species occurs in coastal brazil from bahia to rio grande do sul , to east of the lower rio paraguay and northeastern argentina ( gardner 2008 ) .
this species is found in the atlantic and aracaria forests , living in primary and secondary forests . it is also found in forests that have been fragmented by urban development and deforestation ( grelle 2003 ) . it is a habitat generalist ( emmons and feer 1997 ) and often moves long distances ( gentile and cerqueira 1995 ) . the diet of d . aurita is omnivorous ( carvalho et al . 2005 ) . it is scansorial , nocturnal and solitary . it is mainly terrestrial , but its forelimbs and claws allow it to climb trees ( grelle 2003 ) .
this species is locally hunted for food and sport . it is also hunted for the commercial fur trade .
there are no major threats known , although deforestation effects some subpopulations ( e . g . eastern paraguay ) . although hunted or trapped locally for food , sport and as predators of poultry , this species does not appear to have been adversely affected by human settlement ( nowak 1999 ) . commercial hunting for the fur trade does not appear to have much impact .
astua de moraes , d . , de la sancha , n . & costa , l . 2015 .
at home on the ground and in the trees . opossums prefer forested habitats , but they are quite successful even in urban areas . they are active at night , year - round : in freezing weather , an unlucky opossum can lose its ear - tips and the end of its tail to frostbite . like all
, opossums give birth to tiny , undeveloped young . the embryos develop in the mother ' s womb for less than two weeks , then the newborn opossums crawl from the birth canal to the mother ' s pouch , where they fasten tight to a nipple . they stay there , attached to the nipple , for 55 or 60 days . a female opossum usually has 13 nipples , and litters are usually smaller than that , but a baby that cannot attach to a nipple dies . after about 60 days the young opossums leave the pouch , but they stay close to their mother—sometimes riding on her back when they are out at night—and nurse for another month or more .
sexual dimorphism : males are slightly larger and much heavier than females , with larger canine teeth .
kerr , r . , 1792 . the animal kingdom , or zoological system , of the celebrated sir charles linnaeus . class i . mammalia , p . 193 . london , 651 pp .
mammal species of the world ( opens in a new window ) . mammalian species , american society of mammalogists ' species account ( opens in a new window ) .
this page was last edited on 23 february 2018 , at 13 : 36 .
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banks , r . c . , r . w . mcdiarmid , and a . l . gardner
checklist of vertebrates of the united states , the u . s . territories , and canada
walker ' s mammals of the world , vol . 1 , 5th ed .
mammal species of the world : a taxonomic and geographic reference , 2nd ed . , 3rd printing
mammal species of the world : a taxonomic and geographic reference , 3rd ed . , vols . 1 & 2
disclaimer : itis taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available , and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties . however , it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes . while every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up - to - date information available , ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the united states is a party , wildlife statutes , regulations , and any applicable notices that have been published in the federal register . for further information on u . s . legal requirements with respect to protected taxa , please contact the u . s . fish and wildlife service .
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yeo m 1 , acosta n , llewellyn m , sánchez h , adamson s , miles ga , lópez e , gonzález n , patterson js , gaunt mw , de arias ar , miles ma .
department of infectious and tropical diseases , london school of hygiene and tropical medicine , keppel street , london , uk . matthew . yeo @ urltoken
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