Virginia Opossum
⚡ Key Facts & Quick Answers (AEO Summary)
- Taxonomic Class: Mammals
- Dietary Niche: Omnivore (Insects, fruits, rodents, snakes, carrion)
- Max Speed: 24 km/h (15 mph)
- Adult Weight: 0.8 - 6.4 kg (1.8 - 14 lbs)
- Typical Lifespan: 1 - 2 years
- Primary Habitat: Deciduous woodlands, brushy wetlands, suburban areas
- Native Region: North and Central America
- IUCN Red List: Least Concern
📊 Physical & Biological Metrics
🧬 Scientific Taxonomy & Biological Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Didelphimorphia |
| Family | Didelphidae |
| Genus | Didelphis |
| Species Binomial | Didelphis virginiana |
📖 1. Species Overview
The Virginia Opossum is the only marsupial found in North America north of Mexico. A solitary, nocturnal survivor, it is famous for 'playing possum' (feigning death) when threatened by predators.
🦿 2. Physical Appearance, Anatomy & Adaptations
Features a grey-white coat, a pink pointed snout, a hairless scaly prehensile tail, and hairless ears. They possess 50 teeth, more than any other land mammal.
🗺️ 3. Habitat, Geographic Distribution & Territorial Range
Highly nocturnal. They are excellent climbers, using their prehensile tail and opposable thumbs on their hind feet to navigate tree branches.
🥩 4. Diet, Feeding Strategy & Hunting Tactics
Opportunistic omnivores that scavenge carrion, eat ticks, and are immune to the venom of pit vipers (rattlesnakes), making snakes a frequent food source.
🐣 5. Reproduction, Lifecycle & Social Hierarchy
Gestation is only 12 days. The tiny, honeybee-sized joeys crawl to the mother's pouch, nursing for 2 months, then riding on her back.
🛡️ 6. Conservation Status, Population Threats & Protection
Least Concern. Highly successful and adaptable, though threatened locally by vehicle collisions.
💡 Fascinating Facts & Trivia
- When playing possum, they go completely limp, secrete a foul-smelling fluid, and can remain unconscious for up to four hours.
- Virginia opossums are voracious tick eaters, consuming up to 5,000 ticks in a single season, helping reduce Lyme disease.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Direct authoritative answers regarding the biology, feeding habits, and habitat of the Virginia Opossum.
The Virginia Opossum is scientifically classified as Didelphis virginiana. It belongs to the genus Didelphis within the family Didelphidae, class Mammalia, and phylum Chordata.
In the wild, Virginia Opossums inhabit Deciduous woodlands, brushy wetlands, suburban areas. Their native geographic range primarily spans North and Central America.
The Virginia Opossum is classified as a Omnivore. It feeds primarily on specialized nutrients suited to its ecological niche in Deciduous woodlands, brushy wetlands, suburban areas.
A Virginia Opossum can achieve top speeds of 24 km/h (15 mph) and weighs approximately 0.8 - 6.4 kg (1.8 - 14 lbs). Its expected natural lifespan is 1 - 2 years.
The Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is currently designated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Cite this Article
FaunaWiki Zoological Database (2026). "Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) Species Profile."
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