Pygmy short-tailed opossum
| Pygmy short-tailed opossum[1] | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Didelphimorphia |
| Family: | Didelphidae |
| Genus: | Monodelphis |
| Species: | M. kunsi |
| Binomial name | |
| Monodelphis kunsi Pine, 1975 | |
 | |
| Pygmy short-tailed opossum range | |
The pygmy short-tailed opossum (Monodelphis kunsi) is an opossum species from South America and is one of the three endangered marsupials of the world.[3] It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay. It is also found in the Rio Lipeo department of Tarija, which is between 200 m and 640 m in elevation.[4] They are most likely insectivorous and have a diet similar to the shrews of that region. The young are referred to as 'joeys'. The females are referred to as 'Jill' and the males 'jack'. M. kunsi is typically found in forested or wooded areas. They are generally encountered in shrub forests of 6–12 m in height in Paraguay.[5] Pale gray fur on the dorsal side that becomes progressively darker as it goes more towards the head which grows anywhere between 3 to 2 mm. The tail is hairless at the tip which is seen in many members of the Short-tailed opossum genus. This is thought to be used for tactile purposes.[4] It was thought to have been endangered in 2001, but has since been moved to least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.[6]
References
- ↑ Gardner, A. (2005). Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M., eds. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 15. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
- ↑ Solari, S., de la Sancha, N. & Vilela, J. (2011). "Monodelphis kunsi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 18 January 2012.
- ↑ Jones, M. Dickman, Predators with Pouches: The Biology of Carnivorous Marsupials, Marsupials of the World,Print. 2003.
- 1 2 Anderson, Sydney. Monodelphis Kunsi. Digital image. Clark Science Center. Smith College, 1982.
- ↑ Noe de la Sancha, First Records of Monodelphis kunsi PINE (DIDELPHIMORPHIA, DIDELPHIDAE) from Paraguay, with an Elevation of its Distribution", Mastozoología Neotropica, 2007.
- ↑ Carvalho, B de A., Oliveira, L. F. B., Langguth, A. Freygang, C. C., Ferrax, R. S., Mattevi, M. Phylogenetic relationships and phylogeographic patterns in Monodelphis (Didelphimorphia: Didelphidae). Journal of Mammalogy. 92(1): 121-133. 2011