Family DIDELPHIDAE

(OPOSSUMS)

® Smallto medium-sized marsupals with mostly-naked tails, pointed snouts, prehensile hands and feet with five fingers on both and claws on hands, and opposable thumbs on hindfeet; some species with a pouch.

* 10-95 cm.

* Nearctic and Neotropical Regions.

* Wide-ranging, virtually present in all vegetation formations and biomes of the Americas from 50° N to 48° S.

* 18 genera, 103 species, at least 143 taxa.

* 2 species Critically Endangered, 6 species Vulnerable;1 species Extinct since 1600.