Gray Four-eyed Opossum

Taxobox
name = Gray Four-eyed OpossumMSW3 Gardner|pages=16-17]
status = LC
status_system = iucn3.1
status_ref = IUCN2006|assessors=New World Marsupial Specialist Group|year=1996|id=40516|title=Philander opossum|downloaded=12 May 2006]
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Didelphimorphia
familia = Didelphidae
genus = "Philander"
species = "P. opossum"
binomial = "Philander opossum"
binomial_authority = Linnaeus, 1758
subdivision_ranks = Subspecies
subdivision =
* "P. o. canus"
* "P. o. fuscogriseus"
* "P. o. melanuris"
* "P. o. opossum"

The Gray Four-eyed Opossum, "Philander opossum", is an opossum species from Central and South America. It is found most commonly in Argentina, Paraguay and Mexico.

The species has a sharply defined white spot above each eye and, also, a bicolored tail, with a white distal part and a longer proximal darker one. It's a solitary arboreal animal found in moist areas, although it wanders in many different vegetation types. The females give birth from 2 to 7 young.

Gray Four-eyed Opossums do not have a well defined territory, and home range stability depends on the availability of adequate resources. They feed basically on small animals (vertebrates and invertebrates) and, secondarily, on fruits.

References

* John F. Eisenberg and Kent H. Redford, 2000. Mammals of Neotropics: Ecuador, Bolivia and Brazil.