Marmosa

Marmosa
Mouse opossoms
The head of a Robinson's Mouse Opossum (Marmosa robinsoni).
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Didelphimorphia
Family: Didelphidae
Subfamily: Didelphinae
Genus: Marmosa
Gray, 1821
Type species
Didelphis marina
Gray, 1821
Species

The nine species in the genus Marmosa are relatively small Neotropic members of the order Didelphimorphia.[1] This genus is one of four that are known as mouse opossums. The others are Micoureus (the "woolly mouse opossums"), Thylamys (the "fat-tailed mouse opossums") and Tlacuatzin, the grayish mouse opossum. Members of the genus Marmosops used to be called "slender mouse opossums", but are now just called "slender opossums".

Mouse opossums are generally found in rainforests as they scavenge bromeliads for food.

References

  1. ^ Gardner, Alfred L. (16 November 2005). "Order Didelphimorphia (pp. 3-18)". In Wilson, Don E., and Reeder, DeeAnn M., eds. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2 vols. (2142 pp.). pp. 8-10. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/browse.asp?id=10400070. 
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