The sepia short-tailed opossum (''Monodelphis adusta'') is a species of

opossum 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 ...

in the family Didelphidae found in

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

Ecuador Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...

Panama Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

and

Venezuela Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...

Description

The species has dark brown fur and is distinct from other members of its genus by having no streaks on its trunk.

Taxonomic notes

The Peruvian short-tailed opossum ''(Monodelphis peruviana; Osgood, 1913)'' was at one point included under this species.

Ecology

Its habitat consists of different types of forests up to 2200 meters above sea level, as well as grasslands. These areas have about 5 m annual rainfall, so they find ways to remain above the water. The opossum hunts invertebrates on the ground, but remains of beetles and small frogs have also been seen. They are nocturnal and live in tree holes.Gardner, Alfred L. "Order Didelphimorphia: Family Didelphidae." Mammals of South America. Vol. 1. Chicago: University of Chicago, 2007. 85-86.

References

Short-tailed opossums Marsupials of Colombia Marsupials of Ecuador Vertebrates of Panama Marsupials of Peru Marsupials of Venezuela Mammals described in 1897 Taxa named by Oldfield Thomas Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{marsupial-stub