single breeding season, mating between June and Oct; lays 1-3 eggs, in utero for about 28 days, about 10 days of external incubation; suckles for 3-4 months
eats earthworms unlike the short-beaked echidna that eats ants and termites; distinctive: three claws on fore and hind feet, rarely four; largest extant monotreme
smallest known species of didelphid; differs from all other members of the "marmosine" genera in having a long third manual digit, no distinctly tricolored pelage, a long fourth pedal digit, and a tail shorter than head-body
found in and near freshwater streams and lakes; bankside burrows
semiaquatic; emerges after dusk
mates in Dec, with 1-5 young born 12-14 days later; at 48 days old, young detach from the nipples, but still nurse and sleep with the mother
least concern
only living marsupial in which both sexes have a pouch (the Thylacine also exhibited this trait); most aquatic-living marsupial, with broad webbed hind feet and short, dense, water-repellent fur; does not possess a cloaca like other didelphids
nocturnal; solitary; feigns death by "playing possum" for defense
breeding season can begin as early as Dec and continue through Oct with most young born between Feb and June; male attracts female by making clicking sounds with its mouth; may have 1-3 litters per year, consisting of up to 20-50 young, only 13 of which who will reach the mother's 13 teats and survive; young reside in pouch for about 2 1/2 months before climbing onto the mother's back, leaving her after about 4 or 5 months
least concern
possesses opposable, clawless thumbs on the rear limbs; has 50 teeth, more than any other North American land mammal; has been found to be very resistant to snake venom; has one of the lowest encephalization quotients of any marsupial
rainforests and partly deciduous forests; also been found in artificial plantations; individuals inhabit a home range whose size depends on habitat
nocturnal; solitary; arboreal
females come into estrus once a year, between Aug and Sept; litters of up to 12 young are born during the wet season, when food is plentiful; weaned by 3 months of age, offspring reach sexual maturity within a year of birth
least concern
prehensile, scaly tail that does not store fat as it does in some related species; female typically has 15 teats, but the exact number can vary
believed to only be able to live in the Patagonian steppe
least concern
occurs further south, in Argentina, than any other living marsupial; the upper molars are narrow in size, compared to any of the other living opossums; the shortage of fruits and insects in southern regions has led this species to feed on mainly birds and mice, one caught using a dead bird as bait
grasslands and savanna grasslands near water; gallery woodlands with permanent water bodies; marshy or riparian habitats; builds tight nests made of grass and reeds or utilizes abandoned armadillo or viscacha burrows
nocturnal and crepuscular; terrestrial, but excellent swimmers and climbers
breeding begins in Sept and carries on until April followed by approx. 5 months of anestrous; two breeding periods per year resulting in litters of 7-11 offspring, born in Sept and either Dec or Jan; gestation lasts approx. 2 weeks and young are weaned at around 3 months; males likely compete for mates
least concern
long weasel-like body with short legs and no undulation of the vertebral column, disqualifying them from being categorized as a specialized semi-aquatic mammal
moist tropical forests, often near the boundary with drier habitats; montane forests
nocturnal; solitary; arboreal
little is known, but it appears to breed throughout the year, and mothers have been captured with up to 7 young attached to their teats
least concern
one of the largest mouse opossums; thick and woolly fur; narrow black eye rings; as with all mouse opossums, females do not have a pouch, but this species has 15 teats arranged in a circle, more than in any of its closest relatives
primary and secondary forest, including lowland tropical rainforest, and dry deciduous and cloud forest; plantations; grassland; likely constructs nests in burrows and trees
nocturnal; solitary; primarily arboreal
least concern
black eye rings that vary in intensity based on the region of the individual; forepaws provide powerful burrowing skills
appears to be solitary in the wild, but captivity showed the formation of social hierarchies; first appears at sunset and is active intermittently until sunrise; likely often switches nests
gestation is 14 days; litter is 6-14; young remain attached to the mother's mammae for around 30 days
least concern
black facial mask that varies in size according to the region of the individual; feet are modified for grasping with pads and an opposable hallux
typically in mature, secondary rainforest; plantations or gardens; not as often found in dry deciduous forests; reside in shrubby areas with lots of vegetation; found in hollows of trees
nocturnal and crepuscular; poor climbers and stay on the forest floor
polygynous and become sexually mature at around 4-5 months; breeding season is typically from May to Aug; males may be violent and fight for territory and mates; litter is 7, and healthy females can have 4 litters per year; mothers care for young for about 50 days, the young riding on her back when old enough
shows a variety of behaviors used in social contexts, including male-to-male agonistic rituals, and a variety of vocalizations whose significance is yet to be further investigated
suspected to be a once-in-a-lifetime breeder
least concern
thought to be a miniature analog to the marsupial sabertooths Thylacosmilus, possessing one of the largest canines of any marsupial relative to body size and was proposed as a living model to test hypotheses about hunting strategies of the extinct predators
rainforest; scrubland; agricultural and urban land; each individual occupies a 1,200 to 1,800 square meter home range
nocturnal; solitary
sexually mature at 5-6 months of age; breeds year round with suitable climate, raising up to 6 litters of 6-11 young each during a good year; females only come into oestrus when exposed to male pheromones; gestation lasts 14 days; young stay attached to teats for 2 weeks, and are weaned at 8 weeks
least concern
proportionately shorter tail than in some other opossums; it was the first marsupial to have its genome sequenced
primary, secondary, and disturbed forest; often moist areas near water; no well defined territory; builds nests out of dry leaves in various places
mostly nocturnal; solitary; partly arboreal; terrestrial but a good swimmer and climber
typically seasonal, more young born during rainy season with fruit abundance; gestation averages 13-14 days; litter averages 4-5, with each female producing between 2 and 4 litters per year; factors of dry season and <11 month old mother determines offspring's survival; young nurse until 68-75 days old, then 8-15 days later the mother becomes aggressive and expels them
least concern
sharply defined white spot above each eye; similar to the Virginia Opossum, it is able to overcome toxic effects from snake bites, but it does not "play possum," but aggressively fights with potential predators, so it is known to be "the fiercest fighter of the opossums"; seems more alert than other didelphids with agile and swift movements
variety of habitats from cloud forests to chaparrals; lives in tree hollows or under rocks and roots, with a home range
crepuscular; arboreal; terrestrial
both sexes mature by the first year; females can have 1-2 litters in the annual breeding season, typically from Sept to March; though up to 17 embryos can be produced, typically between 11 and 13, depending on the number of functioning nipples, will survive
least concern
this species can exhibit torpor, a mechanism that allows it to significantly reduce its food and energy requirements, and when water is scarce, the urine tends to become very concentrated
arid and semiarid environments, ranging from the coastal deserts of Peru, through the Andes and the Monte Desert, and into the Patagonian steppe of Argentina; generally inhabits rocky environments with little plant cover, but can be found in dry forest or thorn scrub; nests in tree and shrub cavities or beneath rocks
nocturnal; good climber, but usually prefers the ground
litter is up to 15, typically born during the summer months; no pouch, but teats are variable in both number and arrangement, and may not all function at the same time
least concern
one of the smallest members of its genus; differs from most other mouse opossums in having a gray to brown coat and completely white underside; torpor
occupies seasonally arid habitats, especially mixed deciduous forests, but also scrub, grassland, and agricultural land; suggested to own small home ranges; nests lined with "cotton" from kapok trees
nocturnal; solitary; semiarboreal, being more terrestrial in its habits than other mouse opossums
breeding occurs in late summer and early autumn; mate while hanging upside down from their tails, with the male tightly holding onto the female's neck with its jaws; litter ranges from 8-14; in the absence of a true pouch, the young attach to teats, sheltering in a pouch-like layer of hair
nocturnal; can be a fast runner, but does not move in leaps and jumps; reported to have poor vision, but good smelling and hearing
least concern
the ears and eyes are smaller and the rostrum is longer than in other caenolestids; the tail, though prehensile, may not be able to support the animal when it hangs down a branch
occurs in temperate forests; prefers cool, moist areas; appears to live in burrows and fallen logs
appears to be nocturnal and terrestrial
lactating females have been reported in May as well as from Oct to March
near threatened
long, pointed snout, small eyes and ears, and one claw on a digit of each of the thin limbs; lacks a marsupium and has 7 nipples, unlike the 4 typical of other caenolestids; the tail helps in balancing the body during locomotion; its relatively shorter tail could imply lesser agility in comparison to other caenolestids, and moreover, the tail can be used to store fat, and is reportedly thickest during early winter
Valdivian temperate rainforests of the southern Andes, living in thickets of mountain bamboo; dense, humid forests of highland Argentina and Chile, mainly living in trees, where it constructs spherical nests of water resistant colihue leaves
nocturnal; arboreal; torpor and uses mossy nests for protection from bad weather; hibernation; sole dispersal agent for the loranthacous mistletoe
well-formed, fur-lined marsupium containing 4 mammae; normally reproduce in the spring once a year; litter varies from 1-5, only 4 of which can be fed and survive; when young are mature enough to leave the pouch, approx. 5 months, they are nursed in a distinctive nest, then carried on the mother's back, and remain in association with her after weaning; both sexes reach sexual maturity after 2 years
near threatened
only extant species in the ancient order Microbiotheria
nocturnal; digs networks of burrows, and known to share them with up to 10 individuals, equally divided by sex
slightly larger than the common wombat and able to breed somewhat faster, giving birth to 2 young every 3 years on average; young are usually born during the wet season, between Nov and April; young stay in pouch for 8-9 months, weaned at 12 months
critically endangered
one of the rarest land mammals; nose crucial to its survival because it has very poor eyesight, so it must detect its food in the dark through smell; the fat reserves and low metabolic rate of this species permit it to go without food for several days when food is scarce
digs burrows connected into warrens with many entrances, shared with up to 10 individuals; communicates through vocalizations and olfaction
breeding occurs when its favored food is at its peak growth rates, relying on winter rainfall to germinate grasses; between Aug and Oct, when rainfall is sufficient, females enter ovulation and the males' testosterone levels and prostate gland sizes increases; males establish aggressive dominance hierarchies; gestation lasts 22 days; young stay in pouch for 6 months, fully weaned at a year old, sexually maturing at 3 years
near threatened
smallest of the 3 wombats; larger temporalis muscle and a smaller masseter muscle than the common wombat; unlike the northern hairy-nosed wombat, its nasal bone is longer than the frontal bone
typically inhabit open eucalypt woodlands and forests; home ranges; climates ranging from tropical to cool temperate
arboreal; largely sedentary and sleeps up to 20 hours a day; asocial; adults communicate with loud bellows that intimidate rivals and attract mates
females in oestrus tend to hold their heads further back than usual and commonly display tremors and spasms, but males do not appear to recognize these signs, and have been observed to mount non-oestrous females, sometimes forcing a mount; seasonal breeders, births taking place from the middle of spring through the summer to early autumn, from Oct to May; gestation lasts 33-35 days; litter is 1, or occassionally 2; at 26 weeks old, the young pokes it head out of the pouch, 6 months begins eucalyptus diet
vulnerable
only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae; has the most effective insulating back fur of any marsupial and is highly resilient to wind and rain, while the belly fur can reflect solar radiation; one of the smallest brains in proportion to body weight of any mammal; its vision is not well developed and its relatively small eyes are unusual among marsupials in that the pupils have vertical slits; since it gains a low amount of energy from its diet, its metabolic rate is half that of a typical mammal, although this can vary between seasons and sexes
variety of habitats, rainforest, eucalyptus forest, woodland, alpine grassland, and coastal areas; adapted to farmland in some regions; higher mountainous areas northern of its distribution; each individual has an established range
often nocturnal; solitary and territorial; digs a tunnel system, with one entrance, and sometimes one exit also, and many can live in the same burrow
can breed every 2 years and produce a single offspring; gestation is about 20-30 days; young remain in pouch for 5 months, are weaned at around 12-15 months, and are usually independent by 18 months
least concern
distinguished from both hairy-nosed wombats by its bald nose
dense alpine rock screes and boulder fields home ranges
nocturnal; terrestrial; females tend to stay in familial groups of up to 10 related individuals, and are relatively sedentary; males tend to be solitary; hibernation
although females are polyestrous, the need for sufficient fat reserves during hibernation limits them to 1 litter per year, reproducing the spring months when Bogong moths are abundant, breeding season typically occurring during the Austral spring months of Oct and Nov, when males migrate to higher elevation nesting sites of mates; internal gestation is 14-16 days; litter is usually 3-4, and young remain in pouch for approx. 3 weeks, remaining in nest for another 3-4 weeks, weaned at around 9-10 weeks
critically endangered
only Australian mammal restricted to alpine habitat
semi-arid woodland, shrubland, and heath; shelters in crevices, birds' nests, or dense vegetation
nocturnal; solitary; migrate to different areas over the course of the year, depending on local plant resources; described as making a rapid chattering noise; torpor, and rouse unusually quickly due to its size
can breed throughout the year, although usually in spring; litter is 4-6, often carrying >6 embryos at a time in her womb, having only 6 teats, leaving the pouch at around 25 days, and mother can give birth 2 days after weaning at around 50 days, when teats shrink and mammary glands revert to colostrum production
sclerophyll forest, mallee, and open heathland vegetation, and in shrubland or forest undergrowth; uses strips of bark to construct dome-like nests in tree cavities or rotten wood
nocturnal; solitary; arboreal; good climber; torpor
breeding occurs throughout the year, usually in spring or summer; litter is 4 for 4 teats; young leave pouch at around 42 days, but may cling to and be carried by mother after, leaving nest at around 90 days
rainforest, sclerophyll forest, woodland and heath; shelters in tree hollows and stumps, thickets, and birds' nests; home ranges
nocturnal; generally solitary, but reported to share communal nests and be in groups; torpor; active climber
typically breed twice a year; gestation lasts around 30 days, after which young spend 33-37 days in pouch; litter usually 4, having 6 teats; weaned at 60-65 days, and remain with mother for at least 10 more days
primary and secondary tropical forests with a preference for the dry lowland forest; seeks shelter under epiphytes and inside tree hollows during the day
nocturnal; arboreal; vocalizes while foraging; aggressive towards each other
distinctive composition of the mother's milk; as the young grow, the carbohydrate, lipid, and protein compositions in it fluctuates in accordance to the stage the young is in as it grows, and it will feed on milk that is very dilute and composted of simple sugars while the older ones feed on more concentrated milk
endangered
largest mammal living on Woodlark Island; set apart from other diprotodont marsupials because the back part of the cranium is not exposed to the mastoid; apart from all other marsupials by its short fur that has marble-like patterns
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