Metachirus nudicaudatus

Cladus: Eukaryota
Supergroup: Opisthokonta
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Classis: Mammalia
Subclassis: Theria
Infraclassis: Marsupialia
Ordo: Didelphimorphia
Familia: Didelphidae
Subfamilia: Didelphinae
Genus: Metachirus
Species: Metachirus nudicaudatus
Subspecies: M. n. colombianus - M. n. modestus - M. n. myosuros - M. n. nudicaudatus - M. n. tschudii

Name

Metachirus nudicaudatus (É. Geoffroy, 1803)

Type locality: French Guiana, Cayenne

Synonyms

Didelphis nudicaudatus Desmarest, 1817

References

Metachirus nudicaudatus in Mammal Species of the World.
Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, 2 Volume Set edited by Don E. Wilson, DeeAnn M. Reeder
Cat. Mam. Natl. Hist. Nat., Paris, 142.
Mammal Species of the World, A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, 3rd edition, 2005 ISBN 0801882214
IUCN link: Metachirus nudicaudatus (É. Geoffroy, 1803) (Least Concern)

Vernacular names
English: Brown Four-eyed Opossum
Polski: Opos nagoogonowy

The Brown Four-eyed Opossum (Metachirus nudicaudatus) is a pouchless marsupial of the family Didelphidae. It is found in different forested habitats of Central and South America,[2] from Nicaragua and to Paraguay and northern Argentina.[1] It is the only species in the genus Metachirus.[1]

It is a strongly nocturnal, terrestrial and omnivorous animal, feeding on fruits, small vertebrates and invertebrates.

The Brown Four-eyed Opossum builds nests made of leaves and twigs in tree branches or under rocks and logs. It is seasonally polyestrous and the litter size varies from one to nine.

The white spot over each eye inspired the common name of "Four-Eyed Opossum". Its scaly tail is longer than its body.

References

^ a b c Gardner, Alfred (16 November 2005). Wilson, Don E., and Reeder, DeeAnn M., eds. ed. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2 vols. (2142 pp.). pp. 12. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
^ a b Brito, D., Astua de Moraes, D., Lew, D., Soriano, P., Emmons, L., Cuarón, A. D., Helgen, K., Reid, R., Vazquez, E. & Sarmudio, R. (2008). Metachirus nudicaudatus. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 28 December 2008. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern