Possum may refer to:

Animals

Didelphimorphia Opossums () are members of the marsupial order Didelphimorphia () endemic to the Americas. The largest order of marsupials in the Western Hemisphere, it comprises 126 species in 18 genera. Opossums originated in South America and entered North A ...

, or (o)possums, an order of marsupials native to the Americas **

Didelphis ''Didelphis'' is a genus of New World marsupials. The six species in the genus ''Didelphis'', commonly known as Large American opossums, are members of the ''opossum'' order (biology), order, Didelphimorphia. The genus ''Didelphis'' is composed ...

, a genus of marsupials within Didelphimorphia ***

Common opossum The common opossum (''Didelphis marsupialis''), also called the southern or black-eared opossum or gambá, and sometimes called a possum, is a marsupial species living from the northeast of Mexico to Bolivia (reaching the coast of the South Paci ...

, native to Central and South America ***

Virginia opossum The Virginia opossum (''Didelphis virginiana''), also known as the North American opossum, is a member of the opossum family found from southern Canada to northern Costa Rica, making it the northernmost marsupial in the world and the only marsup ...

, native to North America ***

White-eared opossum The white-eared opossum (''Didelphis albiventris''), known as the timbu and cassaco in northeast Brazil, saruê and sariguê in Bahia, micurê and mucura in northern Brazil and comadreja overa in Argentina, is an opossum species found in Argentin ...

, native to South America *

Phalangeriformes Phalangeriformes is a paraphyletic suborder of about 70 species of small to medium-sized arboreal locomotion, arboreal marsupials native to Australia, New Guinea, and Sulawesi. The species are commonly known as possums, opossums, gliders, and ...

, also called (o)possums, any of a number of arboreal marsupial species native to Australia, New Guinea, and Sulawesi **

Common brushtail possum The common brushtail possum (''Trichosurus vulpecula'', from the Ancient Greek, Greek for "furry tailed" and the Latin for "little fox", previously in the genus ''Phalangista'') is a nocturnal, semiarboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae ...

(''Trichosurus vulpecula''), a common possum in Australian urban areas, invasive in New Zealand **

Common ringtail possum The common ringtail possum (''Pseudocheirus peregrinus'', Greek for "false hand" and Latin for "pilgrim" or "alien") is an Australian marsupial. It lives in a variety of habitats and eats a variety of leaves of both native and introduced plants ...

(''Pseudocheirus peregrinus''), also common in Australian urban areas, absent from New Zealand **

Phalangeridae The Phalangeridae are a family of mostly nocturnal marsupials native to Australia, New Guinea, and Eastern Indonesia, including the cuscuses, brushtail possums, and their close relatives. Considered a type of possum, most species are arboreal, a ...

(possums and cuscuses), a family of marsupials native to Australia and New Guinea containing most of the species referred to as "possums" in Australia

People with the name

Possum Bourne Peter Raymond George "Possum" Bourne (13 April 1956 – 30 April 2003) was a champion New Zealand rally car driver. He died under non-competitive circumstances while driving on a public road that was to be the track for an upcoming race. Award ...

(1956–2003), New Zealand rally car driver *

George Jones George Glenn Jones (September 12, 1931 – April 26, 2013) was an American Country music, country musician, singer, and songwriter. He achieved international fame for a long list of hit records, and is well known for his distinctive voice an ...

(1931–2013), known as "The Possum", American country music singer * Possum Jones (1934–1997), American NASCAR driver *

Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri AO (1932 – 21 June 2002) was an Australian painter, considered to be one of the most collected and renowned Australian Aboriginal artists. His paintings are held in galleries and collections in Australia and ...

(1932–2002), Indigenous Australian painter *

Possum Whitted George Bostic "Possum" Whitted (February 4, 1890 – October 16, 1962) was an American professional baseball outfielder and third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1912 to 1922 for the St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Braves, Phi ...

(1890–1962), American baseball player

Arts and entertainment

Film and television

* ''Possum'' (film), a 2018 British psychological horror film * ''Possums'' (film), a 1998 sports comedy film * " The Possum", an episode of ''Parks and Recreation''

Music

* "Possum", a 1987 song written by Jeff Holdsworth on Trey Anastasio's 1987 album ''

The Man Who Stepped into Yesterday ''The Man Who Stepped into Yesterday'' (often abbreviated as TMWSIY) is a 1988 concept album written by Trey Anastasio, the guitarist and lead vocalist of the American rock band Phish, as his senior thesis while attending Goddard College. Complet ...

'' * "Possum", a 1989 song by Australian band feedtime from their fourth album, ''

Suction Suction is the day-to-day term for the movement of gases or liquids along a pressure gradient with the implication that the movement occurs because the lower pressure pulls the gas or liquid. However, the forces acting in this case do not orig ...

'' * "Possum", a 1995 song by

Juned Juned was an all female Seattle band which formed in 1993. It comprised Dale Balenseifen and Claudia Groom on guitars and vocals, Leslie Hardy on bass and Lenny Rennalls on drums. Nalini Cheriel ( Adickdid) was also a member at one point. The ...

* "The Possum", a 2015 song by Sun Kil Moon from ''

Universal Themes ''Universal Themes'' is the seventh studio album by American indie folk act Sun Kil Moon, released on June 2, 2015, on Caldo Verde Records. The album was preceded by the singles, "The Possum", "Garden of Lavender" and "Ali/Spinks 2", and featur ...

Other uses

POSSUM Possum may refer to: Animals * Didelphimorphia, or (o)possums, an order of marsupials native to the Americas ** Didelphis, a genus of marsupials within Didelphimorphia *** Common opossum, native to Central and South America *** Virginia opossum ...