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Brown four-eyed opossum

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Brown four-eyed opossum[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Didelphimorphia
Family: Didelphidae
Subfamily: Didelphinae
Tribe: Metachirini
Reig et al., 1987
Genus: Metachirus
Burmeister, 1854
Species:
M. nudicaudatus
Binomial name
Metachirus nudicaudatus
(É. Geoffroy, 1803)
Brown four-eyed opossum range

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] It is the only recognized species in the genus Metachirus,[1] but molecular phylogenetics studies suggest that it should probably be split into several species.[2] Population densities are usually low, and it is uncommon in parts of Central America.[2] A density of 25.6/km2 (66/sq mi) was reported near Manaus, Brazil.[3] Its karyotype has 2n = 14 and FN = 24.[3]

It is a nocturnal, solitary,[2] strongly terrestrial and omnivorous animal, feeding on fruits, small vertebrates and invertebrates.[3]

The brown four-eyed opossum builds nests made of leaves and twigs in tree branches or under rocks and logs.[4] It is seasonally polyestrous and the litter size varies from one to nine.[3]

The white spot over each eye inspired the common name of "four-eyed opossum". Its scaly tail is longer than its body.[3]

The opossum is mostly insectivorous,[5] though it also consumes some types of fruit seeds, small vertebrates like birds and reptiles and invertebrates like crayfish and snails.[6] The brown four-eyed opossum is a host of the acanthocephalan intestinal parasite Gigantorhynchus ortizi.[7]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Gardner, A.L. (2005). "Order Didelphimorphia". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Brito, D.; Astúa, D.; Lew, D.; de la Sancha, N. (2021). "Metachirus nudicaudatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T40509A197311536. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T40509A197311536.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Eisenberg, John F.; Redford, Kent H. (May 15, 2000). Mammals of the Neotropics, Volume 3: The Central Neotropics: Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil. University of Chicago Press. pp. 77–78. ISBN 978-0-226-19542-1. OCLC 493329394.
  4. ^ Bies, L. (2002). "Metachirus nudicaudatus". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  5. ^ Cáceres, N.C. (2004). "Diet of three didelphid marsupials (Mammalia, Didelphimorphia) in southern Brazil". Mammalian Biology. 69 (6): 430–433. Bibcode:2004MamBi..69..430C. doi:10.1078/1616-5047-00165.
  6. ^ Gardner, Alfred L.; Dagosto, Marian (2007). "Tribe Metachirini Reig, Kirsch, and Marshall, 1985". In Gardner, Alfred L. (ed.). Mammals of South America. Vol. 1. University of Chicago Press. pp. 35–39. ISBN 978-0-226-28240-4.
  7. ^ Nascimento Gomes, Ana Paula; Cesário, Clarice Silva; Olifiers, Natalie; de Cassia Bianchi, Rita; Maldonado, Arnaldo; Vilela, Roberto do Val (December 2019). "New morphological and genetic data of Gigantorhynchus echinodiscus (Diesing, 1851) (Acanthocephala: Archiacanthocephala) in the giant anteater Myrmecophaga tridactyla Linnaeus, 1758 (Pilosa: Myrmecophagidae)". International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife. 10: 281–288. Bibcode:2019IJPPW..10..281N. doi:10.1016/j.ijppaw.2019.09.008. PMC 6906829. PMID 31867208.
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