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Virginia opossum (skull)

Didelphis virginiana

Photo by KarenL
Published on Project Noah
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35.6867, -87.2195

Field Notes

Description:

The Virginia opossum is the original animal named "opossum". The word comes from Algonquian 'wapathemwa' meaning "white animal", not from Greek or Latin, so the plural is opossums. Colloquially, the Virginia opossum is frequently called simply possum. The name is applied more generally to any of the other marsupials of the Didelphimorphia and Paucituberculata orders, which includes a number of opossum species in South America.

Habitat:

Open woodland.

Reference Links:

Virginia opossum

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (10)
EmilyMarino
Hi Karen, would you please consider adding this to the "Identifying Animals Through Osteology" Mission: http://www.projectnoah.org/missions/8475425 Thanks! ;)
HemaShah
lol i am amazed at the simplicity of arrangement considering the fact that they are a total of 50. i remember reading somewhere that they get to replace their teeth. Cannot find the link. BTW , i hope that people are not killing these for a mere 3 dollars.
KarenL
Emma, I think this little guys teeth are beyond even Dr Atul's restorative skills!
KarenL
Hi Emma! I think this was a long deceased possum! I found the skull in the undergrowth but no other bones, not even the jaw! One of the canine fell out when I moved it & I had to pop it back in for the photo! Maybe I need to order a bag of possum teeth for him! (how bizarre is that?)
HemaShah
I can see the 4 molars,3 pre molars and 1 canine very well. Do you know where the inscisors are? i am assuming in the very front. BTW,Karen thank you for your feedback.
HemaShah
Bag of opossum teeth- $3 each http://www.flickr.com/photos/41598561@N07/6109114724/
HemaShah
Opossums have 50 teeth: 1/2 of upper jaw: 5 incisors, 1 canine, 3 premolars, and 4 molars. 1/2 of bottom jaw: 4 incisors, 1 canine, 3 premolars, 4 molars.
KarenL
Thanks Francis! I don't usually post bones but I though it was interesting to see the dentation.

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Signs of Wildlife
Mission
Identifying Animals Through Osteology
Photographed
PublishedMarch 22, 2012

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