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Statistics

Order Monotremata

Family Ornithorhynchidae

PictureCommon NameNameMapHabitatBehaviorReproductionStatus
PlatypusOrnithorhynchus anatinus(red-native; yellow-introduced) small streams and rivers; tropical rainforests; digs resting and nesting burrows and home territorysemiaquatic; electrolocation; males possess defensive venomous spursingle 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 monthsnear threatened

Family Tachyglossidae

PictureCommon NameNameMapHabitatBehaviorReproductionStatusTraits
Short-beaked EchidnaTachyglossus aculeatus forested areas near termites; uncleared scrub; grassland, arid areas, outer suburbs; no home territory or fixed sheltersolitary; typically diurnal, crepuscular or nocturnal in warm weather; regulates body temperature and swims; hibernation; wraps into a ballseeks a mate between May and Sept; courtship rituals and cloaca; 1 egg; gestation between 21 and 28 days after copulationleast concern
Sir David's Long-beaked EchidnaZaglossus attenboroughi Cyclops Mountain forest; burrowssolitary; nocturnal; rolls into a ball when threatenedmates in July; lays eggs after about 8 days, and young stay in pouch for around 8 weeks or until spines developcritically endangeredsmallest echidna, male larger than female; spurs on hind legs
Eastern Long-beaked EchidnaZaglossus bartoni mainly nocturnal; tropical hill forests; sub-alpine forests; upland grasslands; scrubrolls into a ball for defenselays eggs; cloacavulnerabledistinctive: 5 claws on fore feet, 4 claws on hind feet
Western Long-beaked EchidnaZaglossus bruijni(green-extant; orange-possibly extinct) prefers alpine meadow and humid montane forestslays eggscritically endangeredeats earthworms unlike the short-beaked echidna that eats ants and termites; distinctive: three claws on fore and hind feet, rarely four; largest extant monotreme

Infraclass Marsupialia

Order Didelphimorphia (Opossums)

PictureCommon NameNameMapHabitatBehaviorReproductionStatusTraits
Derby's Woolly OpossumCaluromys derbianus deciduous and moist evergreen forests; nests made of dead leaves in upper reaches of treesnocturnal; arboreal; solitarysexually mature by 7-9 months; estrus cycle nearly 28 days long; males seen pursuing females before copulation; litter ranges from 1-6least concernlargest Caluromys species
Brown-eared Woolly OpossumCaluromys lanatus humid tropical forests; plantations; mangrove and xerophytic forests; cerrado and pantanalnocturnal; generally solitary, but seen foraging in pairsestrus cycle is 27-29 days long; females develop a pouch prior to carrying young; litter ranges from 1-4least concerncomparatively large braincase
Bare-tailed Woolly OpossumCaluromys philander subtropical forests, rainforests, secondary forests; plantations; constructs nests in tree cavitiesnocturnal; solitarygestation lasts 25 days; litter is 1-7; young exit pouch after 3 months, weaning occurring a month laterleast concernlongest gestation of all didelphomorphs; male activity studied to change with the extent of moonlight
Black-shouldered OpossumCaluromysiops irrupta humid forests; high branchesnocturnal; arboreallitter is 1-2least concernbroad black stripes; shorter rostrum and larger molars than Caluromys species
Chacoan Pygmy OpossumChacodelphys formosa near threatenedsmallest 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
Water Opossum (Yapok)Chironectes minimus found in and near freshwater streams and lakes; bankside burrowssemiaquatic; emerges after duskmates 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 motherleast concernonly 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
Agricola's Gracile OpossumCryptonanus agricolai caatinga and cerradodata deficient
Chacoan Gracile OpossumCryptonanus chacoensis seasonally flooded grasslands and forests in an near Gran Chacoleast concern
Guahiba Gracile OpossumCryptonanus guahybae presumed to inhabit subtropical forestsdata deficient
Unduavi Gracile OpossumCryptonanus unduaviensis been found in seasonally flooded grasslanddata deficient
White-eared OpossumDidelphis albiventris habitat generalist, changing habitat depending on its breeding season; open areas, mountains, and deciduous and humid foreststerrestrial; sometimes arborealleast concern
Big-eared Opossum (Saruê)Didelphis aurita least concern
Guianan White-eared OpossumDidelphis imperfecta least concern
Common OpossumDidelphis marsupialis found in tropical and subtropical forest, both primary and secondary, but can also live in fields and cities; uses a wide range of nest sitesmainly nocturnal and terrestrial, with some arboreal exploration and nesting; usually solitary5-9 young between 1 and 3 times per yearleast concerntheir ability to digest almost anything edible gives them a broader range than a human
Andean White-eared OpossumDidelphis pernigra least concern
Virginia OpossumDidelphis virginiana woodlands; swamps; citiesnocturnal; solitary; feigns death by "playing possum" for defensebreeding 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 monthsleast concernpossesses 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
Bushy-tailed OpossumGlironia venusta been captured in heavy, humid tropical forestsarboreal; nocturnal; solitaryleast concern
Aceramarca Gracile OpossumGracilinanus aceramarcae tropical elfin forestmostly arboreal, but it may forage for food on the groundleast concern
Agile Gracile OpossumGracilinanus agilis Brazilian cerrado; evergreen and gallery forests; moist woodlandnocturnal; arboreal; reported to be an adept climber, with nests made of vegetation, one containing 7 individualsreported to have up to 12 youngleast concern
Wood Sprite Gracile OpossumGracilinanus dryas subtropical or tropical moist lowland forestsleast concern
Emilia's Gracile OpossumGracilinanus emiliae data deficient
Kalinowski's Mouse OpossumHyladelphys kalinowskii subtropical or tropical moist lowland forestsleast concern
Northern Gracile OpossumGracilinanus marica subtropical or tropical moist lowland forestsleast concern
Brazilian Gracile OpossumGracilinanus microtarsus rainforests and partly deciduous forests; also been found in artificial plantations; individuals inhabit a home range whose size depends on habitatnocturnal; solitary; arborealfemales 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 birthleast concernprehensile, 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
Patagonian OpossumLestodelphys halli believed to only be able to live in the Patagonian steppeleast concernoccurs 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
Lutrine OpossumLutreolina crassicaudata 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 burrowsnocturnal and crepuscular; terrestrial, but excellent swimmers and climbersbreeding 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 matesleast concernlong weasel-like body with short legs and no undulation of the vertebral column, disqualifying them from being categorized as a specialized semi-aquatic mammal
Alston's Mouse OpossumMarmosa alstoni forestsnocturnal; arborealleast concern
Heavy-browed Mouse OpossumMarmosa andersoni forestsnocturnal and probably arborealdata deficientlarge thin ears to provide acute hearing; each foot has five digits and the big toe on the hind foot is opposable
White-bellied Woolly Mouse OpossumMarmosa constantiae moist tropical forests, often near the boundary with drier habitats; montane forestsnocturnal; solitary; arboreallittle is known, but it appears to breed throughout the year, and mothers have been captured with up to 7 young attached to their teatsleast concernone 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
Woolly Mouse OpossumMarmosa demerarae least concern
Isthmian Mouse OpossumMarmosa isthmicaforages along branches and vinessupposed to be similar to the Robinson's Mouse Opossum
(above) Rufous Mouse OpossumMarmosa lepida lowland tropical rainforestleast concern
Mexican Mouse OpossumMarmosa mexicana primary and secondary forest, including lowland tropical rainforest, and dry deciduous and cloud forest; plantations; grassland; likely constructs nests in burrows and treesnocturnal; solitary; primarily arborealleast concernblack eye rings that vary in intensity based on the region of the individual; forepaws provide powerful burrowing skills
Quechuan Mouse OpossumMarmosa macrotarsus montane forest on the eastern slopes of the Andes in Peruleast concern
Linnaeus's Mouse OpossumMarmosa murina often near forest streams and human habitation; shelters in a mesh of twigs on a tree branch or in a tree hole, or in an old bird's nestnocturnal; will "play possum" for defensegestation is approx. 13 days; litter is 5-10least concern
Tate's Woolly Mouse OpossumMarmosa paraguayana primary and secondary forest, including forest fragments with grasslandarborealleast concern
Little Woolly Mouse OpossumMarmosa phaea primarily lowland rainforest and montane cloud forest; reported in dry forest in southern rangenocturnal; mainly solitary; arborealvulnerable
Bare-tailed Woolly Mouse OpossumMarmosa regina tropical rainforest in westernmost Amazon Basin and eastern Andes foothillsleast concern
Robinson's Mouse OpossumMarmosa robinsoni lowland and montane moist forests; lowland dry forests; mangroves; savannas; xeric shrublandsappears 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 nestsgestation is 14 days; litter is 6-14; young remain attached to the mother's mammae for around 30 daysleast concernblack facial mask that varies in size according to the region of the individual; feet are modified for grasping with pads and an opposable hallux
Red Mouse OpossumMarmosa rubra data deficient
Tyler's Mouse OpossumMarmosa tyleriana rainforests of the Guiana Highlands of southern Venezueladata deficient
Guajira Mouse OpossumMarmosa xerophila vulnerable
Bishop's Slender OpossumMarmosops bishopi arborealleast concern
Narrow-headed Slender OpossumMarmosops cracens data deficient
Creighton's Slender OpossumMarmosops creightoni Andean cloud forestsdata deficient
Dorothy's Slender OpossumMarmosops dorothea least concern
Dusky Slender OpossumMarmosops fuscatus data deficient
Handley's Slender OpossumMarmosops handleyi critically endangered
Tschudi's slender opossumMarmosops impavidus least concern
Gray Slender OpossumMarmosops incanus least concern
Panama Slender OpossumMarmosops invictus found in tropical rainforest, including disturbed areasmostly terrestrial in its habitsleast concern
Junin Slender OpossumMarmosops juninensis Andean montane forestsvulnerable
Neblina Slender OpossumMarmosops neblina least concern
White-bellied Slender OpossumMarmosops noctivagus least concern
Delicate Slender OpossumMarmosops parvidens moist primary tropical rainforestnocturnal; partially arborealleast concern
Brazilian Slender OpossumMarmosops paulensis moist montane forestbreeding appears to be fully semelparous, unusual for a mammalleast concern
Pinheiro's Slender OpossumMarmosops pinheiroi least concern
Brown Four-eyed OpossumMetachirus nudicaudatus different forested habitats; builds nests made of leaves and twigs in tree branches or under rocks and logsnocturnal; solitary; strongly terrestrialseasonally polyestrous; litter varies from 1-9least concernwhite spot over each eye
Sepia Short-tailed OpossumMonodelphis adusta forests; grasslands; lives in tree holesnocturnalleast concerndistinctive member of its genus for its lack of streaks on its trunk
Northern Three-striped OpossumMonodelphis americana least concern
Northern Red-sided OpossumMonodelphis brevicaudata 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 treesnocturnal and crepuscular; poor climbers and stay on the forest floorpolygynous 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 enoughleast concernpouch not as developed as in other marsupials; the shape of the urethral grooves of the males' genitalia is used to distinguish between the Gray Short-tailed Opossum and the Northern Three-striped Opossum
Yellow-sided OpossumMonodelphis dimidiata marshy grasslandsshows 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 investigatedsuspected to be a once-in-a-lifetime breederleast concernthought 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
Gray Short-tailed OpossumMonodelphis domestica rainforest; scrubland; agricultural and urban land; each individual occupies a 1,200 to 1,800 square meter home rangenocturnal; solitarysexually 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 weeksleast concernproportionately shorter tail than in some other opossums; it was the first marsupial to have its genome sequenced
Emilia's Short-tailed OpossumMonodelphis emiliae least concern
Amazonian Red-sided OpossumMonodelphis glirina Amazon rainforestnocturnal; primarily nonarborealleast concern
Ihering's Three-striped OpossumMonodelphis iheringi data deficient
Pygmy Short-tailed OpossumMonodelphis kunsi variety ranging from forested or wooded areas, to dry Cerrado savannahs, and Amazonian rainforestterrestrialleast concernconsidered a smaller species within didelphids; less protruded rostrum than some other opossums
Marajó Short-tailed OpossumMonodelphis maraxina endemic to the Amazon River delta regiondata deficient
Osgood's Short-tailed OpossumMonodelphis osgoodi subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest; subtropical or tropical dry lowland grasslandleast concern
Hooded Red-sided OpossumMonodelphis palliolata tropical rainforest; been seen in areas under cultivationprimarily nonarborealleast concern
Reig's OpossumMonodelphis reigi initially found in montane forest in Canaima National Park, Venezuela in the Sierra de Lemavulnerable
Ronald's OpossumMonodelphis ronaldi known only from Manú National Park, Peru, where it inhabits the Amazon rainforestleast concern
Chestnut-striped OpossumMonodelphis rubida crepuscular; terrestrialdata deficient
Gnome OpossumMonodelphis sacilowland rainforests along the south bank of the Brazilian Amazonreddish heads, hence the name
(below) Long-nosed Short-tailed OpossumMonodelphis scalops least concern
Southern Red-sided OpossumMonodelphis sorex terrestrialunlike most marsupials, the female has no pouch, so young cling to her nipples and then ride on her back and flanks when olderleast concern
Southern Three-striped OpossumMonodelphis theresa Atlantic Forest region of Brazildata deficient
Red Three-striped OpossumMonodelphis umbristriata vulnerable
One-striped OpossumMonodelphis unistriata critically endangered, possibly extinct
Anderson's Four-eyed OpossumPhilander andersoni least concern3-4 cm wide black stripe down the back
Deltaic Four-eyed OpossumPhilander deltae perennially flooded swamp forest or seasonally flooded marsh forest of the adjacent Orinoco deltasleast concernsmall spots above the eyes and inconspicuous small spots behind the ears
Southeastern Four-eyed OpossumPhilander frenatus least concerncream-colored vertical stripe along the midline of the throat
McIlhenny's Four-eyed OpossumPhilander mcilhennyi least concernblack with white spots above each eye
Mondolfi's Four-eyed OpossumPhilander mondolfii foothillsleast concernlarge conspicuous spots above the eyes and conspicuous smaller spots behind the ears
Olrog's Four-eyed OpossumPhilander olrogi lowland Amazon rainforestdata deficientsympatric with Gray Four-eyed Opossum, but differs with a zygomatic arch
Gray Four-eyed OpossumPhilander opossum primary, secondary, and disturbed forest; often moist areas near water; no well defined territory; builds nests out of dry leaves in various placesmostly nocturnal; solitary; partly arboreal; terrestrial but a good swimmer and climbertypically 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 themleast concernsharply 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
Cinderella Fat-tailed Mouse OpossumThylamys cinderella eastern foothills of the Andesleast concern
Elegant Fat-tailed Mouse OpossumThylamys elegans variety of habitats from cloud forests to chaparrals; lives in tree hollows or under rocks and roots, with a home rangecrepuscular; arboreal; terrestrialboth 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 surviveleast concernthis 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
Karimi's Fat-tailed Mouse OpossumThylamys karimii cerrado and caatingacrepuscular; mostly terrestrialvulnerableits tail may be nonprehensile
Paraguayan Fat-tailed Mouse OpossumThylamys macrurus forested areasnear threatenedalthough "Thylamys" are characterized by storing fat storage in the tail, no evidence shows that this species does
White-bellied Fat-tailed Mouse OpossumThylamys pallidior 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 rocksnocturnal; good climber, but usually prefers the groundlitter 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 timeleast concernone 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
Common Fat-tailed Mouse OpossumThylamys pusillus chaco and Andean foothill habitatsleast concernsharply bicolored tail; its tail often lacks fat deposits, but does not always
Argentine Fat-tailed Mouse OpossumThylamys sponsorius eastern foothills of the Andesleast concern
Tate's Fat-tailed Mouse OpossumThylamys tatei along the coast of central Perudata deficientnorthernmost range of any member of its genus
Dwarf Fat-tailed Mouse OpossumThylamys velutinus cerrado and caatinga habitatsnear threatenedits hind foot is less than 14 mm, which is short for its genus
Buff-bellied Fat-tailed Mouse OpossumThylamys venustus transitional and humid forestsdata deficientthe postorbital ridges are absent in the young and weakly developed in adults
Grayish Mouse OpossumTlacuatzin canescens 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 treesnocturnal; solitary; semiarboreal, being more terrestrial in its habits than other mouse opossumsbreeding 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 hairleast concern

Order Paucituberculata (Shrew Opossums)

PictureCommon NameNameMapHabitatBehaviorReproductionStatusTraits
Gray-bellied CaenolestidCaenolestes caniventer humid, temperate forests; moist grasslands in the subtropics; cool, moist areas with good cover; small tunnels under tree roots by streamsappears to be crepuscular or nocturnal, and terrestriallitter could be 2near threatened
Andean CaenolestidCaenolestes condorensis eastern Andes; specimens captured between the short grassy vegetation of the plateau and the higher, wooded slopesvulnerablelargest caenolestid
Northern CaenolestidCaenolestes convelatus occurs in and around alpine and secondary forestsvulnerable
Dusky CaenolestidCaenolestes fuliginosus occurs in alpine and páramo forestsnocturnal; can be a fast runner, but does not move in leaps and jumps; reported to have poor vision, but good smelling and hearingleast concernthe 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
Eastern caenolestidCaenolestes sangayeastern slopes of the Andesvulnerable
Incan CaenolestidLestoros inca southern Andes; moist habitats, in elfin and secondary forests, and Baccharis scrubsappears to be nocturnal and terrestrialleast concernthis caenolestid has a relatively stronger cranium and shorter mandible, suggesting that it can feed on tougher material than can other shrew opossums
Long-nosed CaenolestidRhyncholestes raphanurus occurs in temperate forests; prefers cool, moist areas; appears to live in burrows and fallen logsappears to be nocturnal and terrestriallactating females have been reported in May as well as from Oct to Marchnear threatenedlong, 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

Family Microbiotheriidae

PictureCommon NameNameMapHabitatBehaviorReproductionStatusTraits
Monito del Monte (Colocolo Opossum)Dromiciops gliroides 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 leavesnocturnal; arboreal; torpor and uses mossy nests for protection from bad weather; hibernation; sole dispersal agent for the loranthacous mistletoewell-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 yearsnear threatenedonly extant species in the ancient order Microbiotheria

Order Diprotodontia

Suborder Vombatiformes
PictureCommon NameNameMapHabitatBehaviorReproductionStatusTraits
Northern Hairy-nosed WombatLasiorhinus krefftii nocturnal; digs networks of burrows, and known to share them with up to 10 individuals, equally divided by sexslightly 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 monthscritically endangeredone 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
Southern Hairy-nosed WombatLasiorhinus latifrons semiarid to arid grasslands and woodlandsdigs burrows connected into warrens with many entrances, shared with up to 10 individuals; communicates through vocalizations and olfactionbreeding 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 yearsnear threatenedsmallest 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
KoalaPhascolarctos cinereus(red–native, purple–introduced) typically inhabit open eucalypt woodlands and forests; home ranges; climates ranging from tropical to cool temperatearboreal; largely sedentary and sleeps up to 20 hours a day; asocial; adults communicate with loud bellows that intimidate rivals and attract matesfemales 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 dietvulnerableonly 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
Common WombatVombatus ursinus 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 rangeoften nocturnal; solitary and territorial; digs a tunnel system, with one entrance, and sometimes one exit also, and many can live in the same burrowcan 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 monthsleast concerndistinguished from both hairy-nosed wombats by its bald nose
Suborder Phalangeriformes
PictureCommon NameNameMapHabitatBehaviorReproductionStatusTraits
Talaud Bear CuscusAilurops melanotis subtropical or tropical dry forestscritically endangered
Sulawesi Bear CuscusAilurops ursinus tropical moist lowland forestdiurnal; often found in pairsvulnerable
Mountain Pygmy PossumBurramys parvus dense alpine rock screes and boulder fields home rangesnocturnal; terrestrial; females tend to stay in familial groups of up to 10 related individuals, and are relatively sedentary; males tend to be solitary; hibernationalthough 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 weekscritically endangeredonly Australian mammal restricted to alpine habitat
Long-tailed Pygmy PossumCercartetus caudatus rainforestsnocturnal; arboreal; torpidbreeds twice a year; litter is 1-4, born around Jan and Feb, and sometimes a 2nd litter from late Aug to early Sept; young leave nest when 45 days oldleast concerna tail that is about one and a half times as long as the body
Western Pygmy PossumCercartetus concinnus semi-arid woodland, shrubland, and heath; shelters in crevices, birds' nests, or dense vegetationnocturnal; 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 sizecan 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 productionleast concern
Tasmanian Pygmy PossumCercartetus lepidus 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 woodnocturnal; solitary; arboreal; good climber; torporbreeding 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 daysleast concernsmallest possum species
Eastern Pygmy PossumCercartetus nanus rainforest, sclerophyll forest, woodland and heath; shelters in tree hollows and stumps, thickets, and birds' nests; home rangesnocturnal; generally solitary, but reported to share communal nests and be in groups; torpor; active climbertypically 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 daysleast concern
Gebe CuscusPhalanger alexandrae endangered
Mountain CuscusPhalanger carmelitae least concern
Ground CuscusPhalanger gymnotis forests and scrublandmostly nocturnal; generally arboreal and slow-moving; regarded as solitary and fights with other individualsleast concerndiffers from all other phalangerids in spending its days in burrows in the ground and appears as comfortable at ground level as in the trees
Eastern Common CuscusPhalanger intercastellanus least concern
Woodlark CuscusPhalanger lullulae primary and secondary tropical forests with a preference for the dry lowland forest; seeks shelter under epiphytes and inside tree hollows during the daynocturnal; arboreal; vocalizes while foraging; aggressive towards each otherdistinctive 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 milkendangeredlargest 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
Blue-eyed CuscusPhalanger matabiru vulnerable
Telefomin CuscusPhalanger matanim oak forestscritically endangered, possibly extinct
Southern Common CuscusPhalanger mimicus arborealleast concern
Northern Common CuscusPhalanger orientalis(blue — native, red — introduced, dark gray — origin uncertain) secondary forest; plantations and gardens; primary tropical forest; coastal monsoon rainforest; gallery forest; remnant montane rainforestthought to be nocturnal and arborealleast concern
Ornate CuscusPhalanger ornatus least concern
Rothschild's CuscusPhalanger rothschildi least concern
Silky CuscusPhalanger sericeus across high elevations in central mountainsleast concern

Xenarthrans

Pangolins

Insectivores

Flying Lemurs

Treeshrews

Bats

Primates

Prosimians

Monkeys

Apes

Carnivores

Dogs

Bears

Mustelids

Pinnipeds

Raccoons

Hyenas

Civets

Cats

Ungulates

Elephants

Manatees

Horses

Tapirs

Rhinoceroses

Hyraxes

Aardvark

Cattle

Deer

Giraffes

Camels

Pigs

Peccaries

Hippos

Cetaceans

Rodents

Squirrels

Mice

Cavies

Lagomorphs

Elephant Shrews

Cat breeds

A

Abyssinian
Asian
American Shorthair
American Longhair
American Wirehair
American Bobtail
Arabian Mau
Australian Mist
American Curl

B

C

D

E

G


H

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

R

S

T

U

V

Y

For unarticled breeds, see List of minority cat breeds.

Dog breeds

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

R

S

T

V

W

X

Y