What is the difference between a possum and an opossum?

Answer 1

Differences between squirrels and possums include the following:

• Possums are marsupials and squirrels are placental mammals.
• There are many more varieties of possums, including the six species of gliders, and sizes range from the tiny pygmy possums to the much larger brush tailed possums.
• True possums, which are not opossums, are native to Australia, New Guinea and some islands of Indonesia while squirrels are not found in that region at all.
• Possums feed on nectar, fruit, blossoms and some species feed also on insects; squirrels are more opportunistic feeders with a wider diet, feeding on seeds, nuts, fruits, fungi and lichen, buds, mushrooms, roots, pine cones, leaves, twigs and bark and even, when very hungry, bird eggs, snakes and insects.

Answer 2

The Opossum is North America's only Marsupial (an animal which carries its young in a pouch). A raccoon is more related to canines and bears, while an Opossum is related to Koalas and Kangaroos and Brushtails. The raccoon is about the size of a cat, with dark mask over its eyes, and pointy ears, while the Opossum is the same size, but looks like a large grey, fuzzy rat, with a pink nose, a white face, and rounded ears like a mouse.

Answer 3

Not at all. Some believe that possums and opossums are both the same animal. This is quite incorrect, however.

The "possum" of North America is just a shorter name for an opossum, but true possums are different from opossums, and not related at all, except by virtue of both animals being marsupials.

• Possums belong to the family Phalangeridae and order Marsupialia, while opossums belong to the order Didelphimorphia, although they are also marsupials.
• Opossums are found only in North America, although there is a "water possum", also known as the yapok, which is found in central and South America.
• True possums are found in New Guinea, Australia (including Tasmania), Sulawesi (Indonesia) and a few other small islands in the Pacific region. Although not native to New Zealand, the brush-tailed possum was introduced into that country over a century ago and has subsequently become a pest.
• The North American Opossum has a bare tail. All varieties of Australian possums have furry tails.
• There are many varieties of possums in Australia (and New Guinea), including Gliders and the Cuscus. There are more limited species of the opossum.
• Captain Cook's botanist, Sir Joseph Banks, named the Australian animal "Possum", referring to it as "an animal of the Opossum tribe" because he believed there was a physical resemblance.
• Opossums were named by Captain John Smith in 1612.

Answer 4

Differences between badgers and possums include the following:

• Possums are marsupials and badgers are placental mammals.
• Possums have prehensile or semi-prehensile tails to help them when they climb. Badgers do not.
• True possums, which are not opossums, are native to Australia, New Guinea and some islands of Indonesia while badgers are not found in that region at all.
• Possums feed on nectar, fruit, blossoms and some species feed also on insects; badgers are more opportunistic feeders with a wider diet, feeding on earthworms, grubs, and insects, reptiles and amphibians, small mammals and ground nesting birds. The honey badger also feeds on honey, climbing trees to reach beehives.

Answer 5

Some people believe that possums and opossums are both the same animal, but this is not the case. The most obvious way to tell whether the creature is a possum or an opossum is to check which country you are in.

• Opossums are found only in North America, although there is a "water possum", also known as the yapok, which is found in central and South America.
• True possums are found in New Guinea, Australia (including Tasmania), Sulawesi (Indonesia) and a few other small islands in the Pacific region. Although not native to New Zealand, the brush-tailed possum was introduced into that country over a century ago and has subsequently become a pest.

The "possum" of North America is just a shorter name for an opossum, but true possums are different from opossums, and not related at all, except by virtue of both animals being marsupials.

Also, the North American Opossum has a bare tail. All varieties of Australian possums have furry tails.

Answer 6

The Virginia opossum of North America and the Australian possum are not related at all, except by virtue of both animals being marsupials.

• Possums belong to the family Phalangeridae and order Marsupialia, while opossums belong to the order Didelphimorphia, although they are also marsupials.
• Opossums are found only in North America, although there is a "water possum", also known as the yapok, which is found in central and South America.
• True possums are found in New Guinea, Australia (including Tasmania), Sulawesi (Indonesia) and a few other small islands in the Pacific region. Although not native to New Zealand, the brush-tailed possum was introduced into that country over a century ago and has subsequently become a pest.
• The North American Opossum has a bare tail. All varieties of Australian possums have furry tails.
• There are many varieties of possums in Australia (and New Guinea), including Gliders and the Cuscus. There are more limited species of the opossum.
• Captain Cook's botanist, Sir Joseph Banks, named the Australian animal "Possum", referring to it as "an animal of the Opossum tribe" because he believed there was a physical resemblance.
• Opossums were named by Captain John Smith in 1612. He took the name from an Algonquian (North American Indian) word.

Answer 7

Some believe that possums and opossums are both the same animal. This is quite incorrect, however.

The "possum" of North America is just a shorter name for an opossum, but true possums are different from opossums, and not related at all, except by virtue of both animals being marsupials.

• Possums belong to the order Diprotodontia and the suborder Phalangeriformes, while opossums belong to the order Didelphimorphia and the family Didelphidae.
  
• Opossums are found only in North America, although there is a "water possum", also known as the yapok, which is found in central and South America.
• True possums are found in New Guinea, Australia (including Tasmania), Sulawesi (Indonesia) and a few other small islands in the Pacific region. Although not native to New Zealand, the brush-tailed possum was introduced into that country over a century ago and has subsequently become a pest.
• The North American Opossum has a bare tail. All varieties of Australian possums have furry tails.
• There are many varieties of possums in Australia (and New Guinea), including Gliders and the Cuscus. There are more limited species of the opossum.
• Captain Cook's botanist, Sir Joseph Banks, named the Australian animal "Possum", referring to it as "an animal of the Opossum tribe" because he believed there was a physical resemblance.
• Opossums were named by Captain John Smith in 1612. He took the name from an Algonquian (North American Indian) word.