page_title: Virginia opossum
section_title: Description
hierarchical_section_title: Virginia opossum / Description
caption_attribution_description: English: photograph of a Virginia opossum with some purple grapes. Patricia O'Tuama, northern Illinois, Sept 24, 2007. Français&#160;: Photographie d'un opossum avec une grappe de raisins. La photo a été prise dans le nord de l'Illinois aux États-Unis le 24 septembre 2007.
context_page_description: The Virginia opossum, commonly known as the North American opossum, is the only marsupial found north of Mexico. In the United States, the animal is typically referred to simply as a possum. It is a solitary and nocturnal animal about the size of a domestic cat. It is a successful opportunist. It is familiar to many North Americans as they frequently inhabit settled areas due to the associated proximity to food sources, notably trash cans.
context_section_description: Virginia opossums can vary considerably in size, with larger specimens found to the north of the opossum's range and smaller specimens in the tropics. They measure 13–37 in (35–94 cm) long from their snout to the base of the tail, with the tail adding another 8.5–19 in (21.6–47 cm). Weight for males ranges from 1.7 to 14 lb (0.8–6.4 kg) and for females from 11 ounces to 8.2 lb (0.3–3.7 kg). They are one of the world's most variably sized mammals, since a large male from northern North America weighs about 20 times as much as a small female from the tropics. Their coats are a dull grayish brown, other than on their faces, which are white. Opossums have long, hairless, prehensile tails, which can be used to grab branches and carry small objects. They also have hairless ears and a long, flat nose. Opossums have 50 teeth, more than any other North American land mammal, and opposable, clawless thumbs on their rear limbs. The dental formula of an opossum is 5134/4134. No other mammal in North America has more than 6 upper incisors, but the Virginia opossum has 10. 
  Opossums have 13 nipples, arranged in a circle of 12 with one in the middle.
  Perhaps surprisingly for such a widespread and successful species, the Virginia opossum has one of the lowest encephalization quotients of any marsupial.
  Its brain is one-fifth the size of a raccoon's.
caption: The back foot has an opposable "thumb".
exif: {"Image ImageDescription": "", "Image Make": "SONY", "Image Model": "DSC-S600", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image DateTime": "2007:05:24 07:04:57", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Co-sited", "Image Tag 0x5012": "1", "Image ExifOffset": "274", "Image CustomRendered": "Normal", "Image ExposureMode": "Auto Exposure", "Image WhiteBalance": "Auto", "Image SceneCaptureType": "Standard", "Image Contrast": "Normal", "Image Saturation": "Normal", "Image Sharpness": "Normal", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "602", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "2354", "EXIF ExposureTime": "1/40", "EXIF FNumber": "14/5", "EXIF ExposureProgram": "Program Normal", "EXIF ISOSpeedRatings": "80", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2007:05:24 07:04:57", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2007:05:24 07:04:57", "EXIF CompressedBitsPerPixel": "8", "EXIF ExposureBiasValue": "0", "EXIF MaxApertureValue": "3", "EXIF MeteringMode": "Pattern", "EXIF LightSource": "Unknown", "EXIF Flash": "Flash fired, compulsory flash mode, return light detected", "EXIF FocalLength": "51/10", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "1632", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "1224"}