It depends on the species, as there are over 60 different kinds.
For example, the scientific name of the brushtail possumis Trichosurus. The various subspecies then have different scientific names, as follows:
There appears to be some overlapping of two subspecies, Short-eared Possum (Trichosurus caninus) and Mountain Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus cunninghami).
The scientific names of both are often commonly applied to the Mountain Brushtail possum.
The scientific name for the common ring-tail possum is Pseudocheirus Peregrines.
The scientific name of Leadbeater's possum is Gymnobelideus leadbeateri.
Possums belong to the family Phalangeridae and order Marsupialia, while opossums belong to the order Didelphimorphia, although they are also marsupials.
The correct way to write the scientific name for the genus containing marsupials, including the opossum, is Didelphis. "Marsupials" is not part of the scientific name since it is a general term for a group of animals with a distinct reproductive system. So, the correct scientific name is Didelphis only.
The scientific name for squids is Decapodiformes.
The scientific name for chrysanthemums is Chrysanthemum spp.
Cnidaria is the scientific name.
Possums belong to the family Phalangeridae and order Marsupialia, while opossums belong to the order Didelphimorphia, although they are also marsupials.
The scientific or taxonomic name would be Didelphis virginiana.
The scientific or taxonomic name would be Didelphis virginiana.
You can name your opossum anything you want. You might want to check with your local, state and federal law first. You might be harboring your opossum illegally. If you are not harboring the jack/jill illegally name him, Bill, Bob or Isaac or Haoi (acronym for harboring an opossum illegally)
'Opossum' means 'white animal' or 'white mammal'.
After it is attacked, the Opossum usually does exactly what its name means. "Play Dead".
Opossums
The correct way to write the scientific name for the genus containing marsupials, including the opossum, is Didelphis. "Marsupials" is not part of the scientific name since it is a general term for a group of animals with a distinct reproductive system. So, the correct scientific name is Didelphis only.
Mr. Possum
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.
* ogre * octopus * opossum * otter
Opossum, raccoon, panther...