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The main thing that makes the opossum different from other marsupials is that they are the only marsupial native to North America.
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What is the opossum's relative?
The koala, kangaroo and other Australian marsupials are distantly related to the opossum.
What is the opossum's other name?
There are sometimes called possums. However, this name correctly belongs to a group of Australian marsupials.
Who is the opossums closest relatives?
A baby opossum is called a joey. They look a little bit like mice.
Are marsupials rare?
Marsupials are very common in Australia. They include kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, wombats, bandicoots, possums and many other species. Marsupials are less common in the other continents, although the Virginia Opossum of North America is becoming more widespread throughout the northern states.
How did possum get its name?
There are slightly different versions of how the 'possum got its name. From WikiPedia (see also link below): The Virginia Opossum is the original animal named "opossum". The word comes from Algonquian 'wapathemwa' meaning "white animal", not from Greek or Latin, so the plural is opossums. Colloquially, the Virginia Opossum is frequently called simply possum. The name is applied more generally to any of the other marsupials of the Didelphimorphia and Paucituberculata orders, which includes a number of opossum species in South America. The possums of Australia, whose name is derived from a similarity to the Virginia Opossum, are also marsupials, but of the order Diprotodontia. From the Opossum Society of the US: The name "opossum" is derived from an Algonquian Indian word "apasum", meaning white animal.
How long is a wombats gestation period?
It depends on the species. Two marsupials share the shortest gestation period. The Virginian opossum and the yapok (an unusual, rare water opossum) have a gestation period period of 12-13 days. On the other end of the scale, tree kangaroos have the longest gestation period, being 39-45 days. Most other marsupials range between 21 and 33 days.
What makes kangaroos different from other vertebrates?
they have special pouches that they/ carry their babies in. Mammals like these are called marsupials.
Can an opossum mate with a wild cat?
Possums reproduce in late winter, through to the summer months.
Are opossum vermin?
Although the Opossum in America has a "rat-like" tail, they are marsupials. They have pouches to carry their young in, similar to the famous kangaroo or koala. Upon closer inspection, their tail is different from a rat's along with their fur. Their tail is able to be controlled and has a grip on it, and is quite strong.
Name three Australian marsupials?
Some Australian marsupials are:kangarookoalawombatTasmanian devilnumbatquolldunnartphascogaledibbler
Can possum and rat live together int he same place?
Opossum and rats can live together in the same place. They do not really interact with each other, and would leave each other to their own kind.
What are Australia's marsupials?
Marsupials that live in Australia include:kangaroo (Red kangaroo, Eastern Grey, Western Grey)tree kangaroowallarookoalawombatTasmanian devilwallaby (e.g. swamp wallaby, rock wallaby, hare-wallaby)bilbybandicootquollquokkapademelonpotoroonumbat (does not have a pouch)possum (quite different to the North American opossum)sugar glider and other glidersphascogale / tuan / wambengerdunnartantechinus (including the Little red kaluta) and false antechinusrat-kangaroo (not kangaroo-rat, which is not a marsupial)bettongcuscuskultarrmulgaraningauidibblerplanigalebettongkowarimarsupial moleboodiewoylie
