Didelphis marsupialis

Linnaeus, 1758

Northern Black-eared Opossum

Taxonomy

Subclass : Theria
Infraclass : Marsupialia
Superorder : Ameridelphia
Order : Didelphimorphia
Family : Didelphidae
Subfamily : Didelphinae
Tribe : Didelphini
Genus : Didelphis

Species status

Living
Found in the wild
Listed in MSW3 2005

Authority citation

Linnaeus, C. 1758-01-01. Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Laurentii Salvii, Stockholm, 823 pp.

Authority publication link

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25033865

Original name as described

Didelphis marsupialis

Other common names

Common Opossum · Carachupa

Type material

ROM:MAM:113908

Type kind

neotype

Type specimen URI

http://portal.vertnet.org/o/rom/mammals?id=uri-catalog-rom-mammals-113908

Type locality

"America." Restricted by O. Thomas in 1911 to "Surinam."

Biogeographic realm

Nearctic · Neotropic

Country distribution

Mexico · Belize · Guatemala · El Salvador · Honduras · Nicaragua · Costa Rica · Panama · Colombia · Venezuela · Guyana · Suriname · French Guiana · Trinidad and Tobago · Dominica · Ecuador · Peru · Bolivia · Brazil

Distribution notes

E and S Mexico (from Tamaulipas to Chiapas and the Yucatan Peninsula), S through Central America and N South America, including Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianan Shield, Ecuador, Peru, N and C Bolivia, and N and WC Brazil.

Taxonomy notes citation

Cerqueira, R., & Lemos, B. (2000). Morphometric differentiation between Neotropical black-eared opossums, Didelphis marsupialis and D. aurita (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae). Mammalia, 64, 319-327. · Cerqueira, R., and Tribe, C. J. (2008). Genus Didelphis Linnaeus, 1758. In: A. L. Gardner, Mammals of South America, Volume 1: Marsupials, Xenarthrans, Shrews, and Bats. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, pp. 17-25. · Amador, L. I., & Giannini, N. P. (2016). Phylogeny and evolution of body mass in didelphid marsupials (Marsupialia: Didelphimorphia: Didelphidae). Organisms Diversity & Evolution, 16(3), 641-657. · Dias, C. A., & Perini, F. A. (2018). Biogeography and early emergence of the genus Didelphis (Didelphimorphia, Mammalia). Zoologica Scripta, 47(6), 645-654. · Dias, C. A. R., Garbino, G. S. T., & Perini, F. A. (2018). On the identity of Didelphis marsupialis Linnaeus 1758. Mammalia, 82(6), 626-631. · Dias, C. A. R., dos Santos Junior, J. E., Pinto, C. M., Santos, F. R., & Perini, F. A. (2021). Mitogenomics of Didelphis (Mammalia; Didelphimorphia; Didelphidae) and insights into character evolution in the genus. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, 59(2), 498-509.

IUCN Red List status

Least Concern

Species Permalink

https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1000021

Country distribution map

The map below provides a general overview. Most species inhabit only specific regions within countries. Hover over the highlighted regions to see the country name.

Names and synonyms

Present and past (if available) associated names to the species. Click on a name to view its details. If the list is long, scroll down to see more.

Didelphis marsupialis

Linnaeus, 1758

Family

Didelphidae

Root name

marsupialis

Validity status

species

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

ROM:MAM:113908

Type kind

neotype

Type specimen URI

http://portal.vertnet.org/o/rom/mammals?id=uri-catalog-rom-mammals-113908

Authority page

54

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25033865

Authority publication

Stockholm

Name usages

  1. Linnaeus (1758:54, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25033865) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/57429)
  2. Linnaeus (1766:71, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/42946267) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38438)
  3. Boddaert (1772:48, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/43563420) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67754)
  4. Erxleben (1777:73, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15872870) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36060)
  5. Zimmermann (1783:174) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69242)
  6. Boddaert (1785:76, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28230040) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35384)
  7. Gmelin (1788:105, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25751325) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35943)
  8. Kerr (1792:191, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/38664215) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36283)
  9. André (1796:6) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/37446)
  10. Cuvier (1797:124, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11637206) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38531)
  11. Turton (1802:65, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25772921) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69249)
  12. Desmarest (1803:147, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/57985126) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67528)
  13. Fischer (1813:576, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29109687) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/49925)
  14. Schinz (1821:251, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/51529012) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/37604)
  15. Lesson (1842:186) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)
  16. Elera (1895:42, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/38853952) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/68680)
  17. Rhoads (1896:176, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/1675518) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/14622)
  18. Allen (1896:51) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/15951)
  19. Alfaro (1897:49) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/37835)
  20. Bailey (1905:57, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25801712) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/14873)
  21. Allen (1911:193, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2815277) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67867)
  22. Osgood (1914:147, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2646790) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/20586)
  23. Goldman (1920:45, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/30263157) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9520)
  24. Tate (1939:160) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9796)
  25. Goodwin (1946:282) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/15800)
  26. Vieira (1953:219) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/61587)
  27. Sanborn (1953:4) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/41452)
  28. Burt & Stirton (1961:18) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/5545)
  29. Husson (1978:30) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35225)
  30. Corbet & Hill (1980:9) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63069)
  31. Honacki, Kinman & Koeppl (1982:19) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63071)
  32. Corbet & Hill (1991:11) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63070)
  33. Gardner (1993:16) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/68997)
  34. Anderson (1997:144) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/5773)
  35. Hershkovitz (1997:7, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2820508) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/3781)
  36. Voss, Lunde & Simmons (2001:23) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/10101)
  37. Gardner (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8547)
  38. O'Brien, Menninger & Nash (2006:18) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/7321)
  39. Mittermeier & Wilson (2015:163) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/59410)
  40. Mammal Diversity Database (2018:ID #40501) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67336)
  41. Mammal Diversity Database (2019:ID #40501) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67337)
  42. Mammal Diversity Database (2024, https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1000021) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67250)
  43. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2024, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/40501/197310576) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67246)

Didelphys marsupialis

N. G. Leske, 1779

Family

Didelphidae

Root name

marsupialis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

151

Authority publication

Leipzig

Name usages

  1. Leske (1779:151) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69307)
  2. Borowski (1780:79, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28347037) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67757)
  3. Link (1795:66, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/46272942) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35635)
  4. Goldfuss (1809:215, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47498049) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/34654)
  5. Illiger (1815:107, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11080963) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38688)
  6. Lichtenstein (1818:16) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/68386)
  7. Olfers (1818:204) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38523)
  8. Voigt (1819:413) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69477)
  9. Fischer (1829:264) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/59856)
  10. Thomas (1893:341, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/35992605) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/16303)
  11. Lahille (1899:205, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/35147071) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/37834)

Didelphis (Karkinophaga)

E. A. W. von Zimmermann, 1780

Family

Didelphidae

Root name

karkinophaga

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

226

Authority publication

Leipzig

Name usages

  1. Zimmermann (1783:174) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69242)
  2. Gardner (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8547)

Didelphis Carcinophaga

Boddaert, 1785

Family

Didelphidae

Root name

carcinophaga

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

unjustified_emendation

Authority page

77

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28230041

Authority publication

Rotterdam

Name usages

Boddaert (1785:77, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28230041) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35384)

Didelphis cancrivora

J. F. Gmelin, 1788

Family

Didelphidae

Root name

cancrivora

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

108

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25751328

Authority publication

Leipzig

Name usages

  1. Gmelin (1788:108, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25751328) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35943)
  2. Kerr (1792:195, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/38664219) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36283)
  3. André (1796:12) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/37446)
  4. Daudin (1802:152, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/42033402) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/64044)
  5. Turton (1802:66, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25772922) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69249)
  6. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1803:139) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/19153)
  7. Desmarest (1817:422, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18038117) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69389)
  8. Desmarest (1821:255, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/39524019) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/34459)
  9. Lesson (1827:210, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207678) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)
  10. Gervais (1837:253) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67308)
  11. Gervais (1837:61, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13395153) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38619)
  12. Cuvier (1842:2, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/44518525) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/60227)
  13. Gardner (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8547)

Didelphys cancrivora

Link, 1795

Family

Didelphidae

Root name

cancrivora

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

67

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/46272943

Authority publication

Rostock

Name usages

  1. Link (1795:67, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/46272943) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35635)
  2. Goldfuss (1809:216, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47498050) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/34654)
  3. Illiger (1815:107, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11080963) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38688)
  4. Giebel (1855:707, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/45548898) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38563)
  5. Murray (1866:362, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15580358) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39798)
  6. Sclater (1872:113, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/17037890) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/61617)

Didelphys austro-americana

Oken, 1816

Family

Didelphidae

Root name

austroamericana

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

placedonindex

Authority page

1148

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/59375895

Authority publication

Jena

Didelphys mes-americana

Oken, 1816

Family

Didelphidae

Root name

mesamericana

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

placedonindex

Authority page

1152

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/59375899

Authority publication

Jena

Sarigua marsupialis

(Muirhead, 1819)

Family

Didelphidae

Root name

marsupialis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

429

Authority publication

Edinburgh

Name usages

Muirhead (1819:429) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69481)

Didelphys marsupialis, var. typica

O. Thomas, 1888

Family

Didelphidae

Root name

typica

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Type

ROM:MAM:113908

Type kind

neotype

Type specimen URI

http://portal.vertnet.org/o/rom/mammals?id=uri-catalog-rom-mammals-113908

Authority page

323

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/37986717

Authority publication

British Museum Catalogue

Name usages

  1. Gardner (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8547)
  2. Gardner (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8547)
  3. Gardner (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8547)

Didelphis karkinophaga caucae

J. A. Allen, 1900

Family

Didelphidae

Root name

caucae

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

AMNH M-14192

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://portal.vertnet.org/o/amnh/mammals?id=urn-catalog-amnh-mammals-m-14192

Authority page

192

Authority publication

Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History

Didelphis karkinophaga colombica

J. A. Allen, 1900

Family

Didelphidae

Root name

colombica

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

AMNH M-15453

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://portal.vertnet.org/o/amnh/mammals?id=urn-catalog-amnh-mammals-m-15453

Authority page

193

Authority publication

Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History

Name usages

Gardner (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8547)

Sarigua karkinophaga

(Rehn, 1900)

Family

Didelphidae

Root name

karkinophaga

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

577

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40737661

Authority publication

The American Naturalist

Name usages

Rehn (1900:577, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40737661) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/44348)

Didelphis richmondi

J. A. Allen, 1901

Family

Didelphidae

Root name

richmondi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

USNM:MAMM:33136 (= USNM:MAMM:A45140)

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/32f5585ce-61ff-43c1-a900-50bd2507f235

Authority page

175

Authority publication

Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History

Name usages

  1. Bangs (1902:19, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/4199048) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/20608)
  2. Gardner (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8547)

Didelphis marsupialis tabascensis

J. A. Allen, 1901

Family

Didelphidae

Root name

tabascensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

USNM:MAMM:100512

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/3959f4a63-baaa-4b5b-9419-f3fcf6f7efbe

Authority page

173

Authority publication

Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History

Name usages

Gardner (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8547)

Didelphis austro-americana

J. A. Allen, 1902

Family

Didelphidae

Root name

austroamericana

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

251

Authority publication

Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History

Name usages

Gardner (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8547)

Didelphis marsupialis etensis

J. A. Allen, 1902

Family

Didelphidae

Root name

etensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

AMNH M-18986

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://portal.vertnet.org/o/amnh/mammals?id=urn-catalog-amnh-mammals-m-18986

Authority page

262

Authority publication

Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History

Name usages

  1. Osgood (1914:148, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2646789) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/20586)
  2. Goldman (1920:45, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/30263157) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9520)
  3. Gardner (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8547)

Didelphis marsupialis insularis

J. A. Allen, 1902

Family

Didelphidae

Root name

insularis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

AMNH MO-6124, AMNH MS-7740

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://portal.vertnet.org/o/amnh/mammals?id=urn-catalog-amnh-mammals-mo-6124 http://portal.vertnet.org/o/amnh/mammals?id=urn-catalog-amnh-mammals-ms-7740

Authority page

259

Authority publication

Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History

Name usages

  1. Allen (1911:193, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2815277) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67867)
  2. Gardner (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8547)

Didelphis mes-americana

J. A. Allen, 1902

Family

Didelphidae

Root name

mesamericana

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

251

Authority publication

Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History

Name usages

  1. Gardner (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8547)
  2. Gardner (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8547)

Didelphis marsupialis battyi

O. Thomas, 1902

Family

Didelphidae

Root name

battyi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1902.3.5.30

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/246bbce9-adf7-400e-b8da-b6dac3c4cce0

Authority page

137

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/3268808

Authority publication

Novitates Zoologicae

Name usages

  1. Goldman (1920:48, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/30263160) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9520)
  2. Gardner (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8547)

Didelphis marsupialis particeps

E. A. Goldman, 1917

Family

Didelphidae

Root name

particeps

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

MCZ:Mamm:BANGS-8439

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://mczbase.mcz.harvard.edu/guid/MCZ:Mamm:BANGS-8439

Authority page

107

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/3334837

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington

Name usages

  1. Goldman (1920:47, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/30263159) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9520)
  2. Gardner (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8547)

Didelphis marsupialis marsupialis

Tate, 1939

Family

Didelphidae

Root name

marsupialis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

160

Authority publication

Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History

Name usages

  1. Tate (1939:160) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9796)
  2. Husson (1978:30) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35225)
  3. Anderson (1997:145) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/5773)
  4. Gardner (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8547)

Didelphis marsupialis caucae

A. L. Gardner, 2005

Family

Didelphidae

Root name

caucae

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Gardner (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8547)

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