White-eared Opossum

Taxobox
name = White-eared OpossumMSW3 Gardner|pages=5]


image_width = 250px
status = LC
status_system = iucn3.1
status_ref = IUCN2006|assessors=New World Marsupial Specialist Group|year=1996|id=40489|title=Didelphis albiventris|downloaded=09 May 2006 Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern]
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Didelphimorphia
familia = Didelphidae
genus = "Didelphis"
species = "D. albiventris"
binomial = "Didelphis albiventris"
binomial_authority = Lund, 1840

The White-eared Opossum ("Didelphis albiventris") is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela.cite book | author = Eisenberg, John F., Redford, Kent H. | year = 2000 | title = Mammals of the Neotropics: Ecuador, Bolivia and Brazil]

It is a terrestrial and, sometimes, arboreal animal, and a habitat generalist, living in a wide range of different habitats. It's an omnivorous animal, feeding on invertebrates, small vertebrates, fruits and plants.

For some time, this species was incorrectly known by the name "D. azarae", correctly applied to the Big-eared Opossum. This led to "azarae"'s discontinuation as a species name.

From 1993 until 2002, this species also included the Guianan White-eared Opossum ("D. imperfecta") and the Andean White-eared Opossum ("D. pernigra") as subspecies.

References