Common four-eyed opossum
{{Short description|Species of marsupial}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Common four-eyed opossum
| image = Common Four-eyed Opossum imported from iNaturalist photo 284956116 on 14 October 2024.jpg
| status =
| status_system =
| status_ref =
| genus = Philander
| species = canus
| authority = (Osgood, 1913)
| synonyms = {{collapsable list|
- Metachirus canus Osgood, 1913
- Didelphis (Metachirus) canus (Osgood, 1913)
- Holothylax grisescens canus (Osgood, 1913)
- Metachirus opossum crucialis Thomas, 1923
- Metachirops opossum canus (Osgood, 1913)
- Metachirops opossum crucialis (O. Thomas, 1923)
- Philander opossum canus (Osgood, 1913)}}
}}
The common four-eyed opossum (Philander canus) is a species of opossum from South America.{{cite journal |last1=Voss |first1=Robert S. |last2=Díaz-Nieto |first2=Juan F. |last3=Jansa |first3=Sharon A. |title=A Revision of Philander (Marsupialia: Didelphidae), Part 1: P. quica, P. canus, and a New Species from Amazonia |journal=American Museum Novitates |date=January 31, 2018 |issue=3891 |pages=1–70 |doi=10.1206/3891.1 |url=https://digitallibrary.amnh.org/items/17927dc9-f41d-4c5c-8d3a-8944f790d4f9 |access-date=14 October 2024}}
Taxonomy
Although this species was initially described as a valid species, it was considered a subspecies of the gray four-eyed opossum until 2018. Some sources, such as the American Society of Mammalogists, consider Philander mondolfii and Philander olrogi to be junior synonyms of this species.{{cite mdd|id=1000027|title=Philander canus (Osgood, 1913)|access-date=2024-10-14}} It is not recognized by the IUCN.
Etymology
The common name "four-eyed opossum" comes from the spots above the eyes of this species looking like another set of eyes. The specific name "canus" comes from Latin and means "white" or "hoary",{{cite book |last1=Jaeger |first1=Edmund C. |title=A Source-Book of Biological Names and Terms |date=1959 |publisher=Charles C. Thomas |location=301-327 East Lawrence Avenue Springfield Illinois |page=44 |edition=3 |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89043220607&seq=85&q1=canus |access-date=14 October 2024}} in reference to the lighter color of this species.
Description
File:Gray Four-eyed Opossum (Philander opossum) - Flickr - berniedup (1).jpg, Brazil]]
This species has grayish upperparts and buff-colored underparts. The upper parts are silver- and brownish-tipped but grayish overall, and the head is very dark brown. It has two patches of buff above either eye. The underparts are buff-colored near the stomach but whiter near the sides. The tail is bicolored, with the final third being lighter than the basal two-thirds. The toes are white, and the rest of the feet are dark-colored.{{cite journal |last1=Osgood |first1=Wilfred H. |title=New Peruvian Mammals |journal=Field Museum of Natural History, Zoological Series |date=May 31, 1913 |volume=10 |issue=9 |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.32044107348567&seq=5|access-date=2024-10-14|pages=96–97}} The species ranges from {{cvt|500|mm}} to {{cvt|582|mm}}, and is on average {{cvt|526|mm}}. The tail averages {{cvt|288|mm}}.{{cite journal |last1=Flores |first1=David A. |last2=Barquez |first2=Rubén Marcos |last3=Diaz |first3=María Mónica |title=A new species of Philander Brisson, 1762 (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae) |journal=Mammalian Biology |date=20 April 2007 |volume=73 |issue=1|pages=14–24 |doi=10.1016/j.mambio.2007.04.002}}
Range
Habitat
This species occurs across a wide variety of habitats. It has been recorded from the Cerrado, Chaco, Pantanal, Llanos, and Amazonia ecoregions. It is likely restricted to gallery forests across the southern part of its range, but has also been recorded from savannas and dry grasslands.{{cite journal |last1=Alho |first1=C. J. R. |last2=Pereira |first2=L. A. |last3=Paula |first3=A. C. |title=Patterns of habitat utilization by small mammal populations in cerrado biome of central Brazil |journal=Mammalia |date=1986 |volume=50 |issue=4 |pages=447–460 |doi=10.1515/mamm.1986.50.4.447}} In the central and northern parts of its range it can withstand a variety of forest habitats.{{cite journal |last1=Lew |first1=Daniel |last2=Pérez-Hernández |first2=Roger |last3=Ventura |first3=Jacint |title=Two New Species of Philander (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae) from Northern South America |journal=Journal of Mammalogy |date=April 2006 |volume=87 |issue=2 |pages=224–237 |doi=10.1644/05-MAMM-A-065R2.1 |url=https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article/87/2/224/866968 |access-date=14 October 2024}} Where this species is sympatric with other members of the genus Philander, it is unknown if this species occupies the same habitat or is more restricted.
References
{{reflist}}
{{Didelphimorphia|D.1}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q130533447}}
Category:Marsupials of Argentina
Category:Marsupials of Bolivia
Category:Marsupials of Colombia
Category:Marsupials of Venezuela