Virginia Opossum (Didelphis marsupialis)
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The opossum is the largest of about 65 species of marsupials in the New World, and is the only one found north of Mexico. The most unique feature of opossums is, of course, their method of bearing young. Unlike all the other mammals in our country, which are placental, meaning the young are carried to term within a uterus, the opossum is a marsupial and possesses a pouch in which the young develop after a very brief gestation period. The baby opossums are born no more mature than a fetus and manage to crawl to the pouch, where they attach to the mother's teats and complete their growth. Once the young outgrow the pouch, they stay with their mother for a while longer, clinging to the fur of her back until they are too large for that as well.
Opossums are nocturnal, but can sometimes be found out in the open during early morning hours. They cannot outrun most predators and so instead have a variety of behaviors for defense. Although their constant drooling is enough to repel most people, they do have a couple other tricks. The animals have a mouthful of teeth, including large canines which can inflict a wicked bite. They are also expert, but slow, climbers and will retreat up a tree if possible. The most famous of their behaviors, though, is feigning death, or "playing 'possum." They will assume a disgustingly realistic corpse-like pose, complete with lips drawn back as if in a death grin, tongue partly hanging out, head folded under their chest, and eyes tightly shut, only to open one eye to check things out if they think the danger is gone. They are also quite capable, while "dead," of grasping onto sticks, rocks, or anything else if they feel they are going to be dragged away.
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class: Mammalia / order: Marsupialia / family: Didelphiidae / genus: Didelphis / species: marsupialis
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