There was not an information found on communication in D. albiventris. However, some vocalizations are known for D. virginiana including growls, hisses, skreeches, and lip clacking, which are expressed in a variety of social contexts. It is likely, that D. albiventris has similar vocalizations. As mammals, it is likely that they have some scent cues to one another. Mates as well as mothers and their offspring probably have some tactile communication. And, as they have eyes, there are probably visual signals which communicate hostility, fear, or friendly intentions which are used.
Communication Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Didelphis albiventris is not protected under CITES or IUCN.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
D. albiventris has been identified as a carrier of Sacrocystic species known to cause disease. Studies have shown that it is the carrier of at least three species: S. neurona, S. falcatula, S. speeri.
Negative Impacts: causes or carries domestic animal disease
D. albiventris helps to maintain insect population levels. They also prey on pitvipers, which are one of the deadliest snakes in South America.
Positive Impacts: controls pest population
D. albiventris is important in the dispersal of seeds. Studies have shown that D. albiventris ingests seeds, and that the seeds of pioneer plants were not affected when passing through the digestive tract of the species. To the extent that other species prey on these animals, and to the extent that they prey on other animals, they are also an important part of food webs.
Ecosystem Impact: disperses seeds
D. albiventris is an omnivorous species. During fecal analysis, scientists found invertebrates in their diet. The invertebrates consisted mainly of insects. Fruits, seeds, and vertebrates were also found to be a part of the diet of these animals.
One of the vertebrates consumed by D. albiventris is the pitviper Bothrops jararaca. One study showed how D. albiventris systematically attack these snakes. The opossum would kill the snake with a bite in the neck or head region.
Animal Foods: amphibians; reptiles; insects
Plant Foods: seeds, grains, and nuts; fruit
Primary Diet: omnivore
Didelphis albiventris is distributed throughout South America. They are found from the northern coast of Columbia south to the Patagonia mountain range in Argentina.
Biogeographic Regions: neotropical (Native )
Didelphis albiventris is a habitat generalist. Individuals maintain a large home range. These animals are adapted to fluctuating conditions of rainfall, humidity, water balance, and temperature. They are found in various habitat formations such as open areas, mountains, and deciduous forest, although they are most abundant in semi-deciduous forests.
Range elevation: 0 to 3500 m.
Habitat Regions: temperate ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: forest ; mountains
No information found on the lifespan of D. albiventris. However, within the genus. lifespan seems to fairly short. Females of the related species D. virginiana only reproduce for two seasons, and very few of that species reach more than three years of age. Although D. albiventris may live somewhat longer, it is not likely that they have a really long life.
D. albiventris is a small mammal with black fur covering the majority of the body. The face is covered with black and white guard hairs, predominately white. The rostrum is long with whiskers present. These animals have a long, tapering tail that has a leathery appearance. Sexual size dimorphism is present in D. albiventris, with males being larger than females. Males of this species average approximatley 800 g in mass with a body length 278 mm and a tail 315 mm long. The average body mass of a female is 540 g with measurements of 249 mm and 304 mm for body length and tail length, respectively. The females also have a pouch, which is used to carry the young.
Range mass: 400 to 1300 g.
Range length: 215 to 350 mm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: male larger
Nothing was found on predation of D. albiventris. However, larger carnivores probably feed on white-eared opossums.
Although not reported specifically for D. albiventris, other oppossums, including D. virginiana are known to "play 'possum" to avoid potential predation. In this behavior, the animals feign death, hoping that the predator will pass them by.
Information on mating systems is not known. However, males of this genus are thought to be intollerant of and aggressive to one another, suggesting that females might not have the opportunity to mate with more than one male.
Didelphis albiventris reproduction is seasonal, but varies according to rainfall patterns. Reproduction occurs from September through May. Offspring in this genus are born very small and undeveloped. The offspring develop in the pouch of females for approximately 46 days.
The average litter size of D. albiventris is six. The size of the litter is dependent upon the age of the mother and the stage of lactation. Females become sexually mature at nine months.
Breeding interval: These animals probably breed once or twice annually.
Breeding season: Breeding occurs in the rainy season.
Average number of offspring: 6.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 9 months.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; year-round breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; viviparous
Average gestation period: 12 days.
Average number of offspring: 5.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
Sex: male: 365 days.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
Sex: female: 365 days.
Information on the parental care of this species is not available. However, it is known that within the genus, young are born incredibly undeveloped--looking more like the embryos of placental mammals than like full term infants. These young make their way into their mother's pouch, where they attach to nipples. The young complete their development in the pouch. Male parental care has not been reported.
Parental Investment: no parental involvement; altricial ; pre-fertilization (Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-independence (Protecting: Female)
The white-eared opossum (Didelphis albiventris), known as the timbu and cassaco in northeast Brazil, saruê and sariguê in Bahia, amicurê and mucura in northern Brazil[3] and comadreja overa in Argentina,[4] is an opossum species found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.[5] It is a terrestrial and, sometimes, arboreal animal, and a habitat generalist, living in a wide range of different habitats.[5]
For some time, this species was incorrectly known by the name D. azarae, correctly applied to the big-eared opossum. This led to azarae's discontinuation as a species name.[1] From 1993 until 2002, this species also included the Guianan white-eared opossum (D. imperfecta) and the Andean white-eared opossum (D. pernigra) as subspecies.[1]
It is the team mascot of Clube Náutico Capibaribe, a Brazilian football team from Recife, Pernambuco.[6]
The white-eared opossum is about one to three pounds in weight and has black and grey fur, with white hair covering their ears and face, and dark hair on their long tails. They are omnivorous, feeding on invertebrates, small vertebrates, and fruits.[7]
White-eared opossums inhabit open areas, mountains, and deciduous forests and are commonly found in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia, Brazil, the Andes, and humid forests of Guyana, Suriname, and southern Venezuela.[8] These areas have disparate environmental characteristics such as rainfall, humidity, water balance and temperature.[9]
The white-eared opossum often changes its habitat depending on its breeding season. Usually populations are higher in the wetter seasons when the young are weaned and begin venturing out for food.[10] Though normally solitary and nomadic, some will group together in burrows, holes, empty garbage or even under houses.
South American opossums mainly consume invertebrates such as beetles, diplopods, and opiliones, together with fruit and vertebrates like small birds, mammals, fossorial snakes, and fish.[11] The composition of the diet changes with the seasons and as the animal ages. During the dry season, older opossums prefer to consume vertebrates.[11] On the other hand, the younger opossums consume more invertebrates and fruits during the wet season.[11] These relatively small differences in diet can favour the survival of younger opossums during the wet season because they avoid competition with older animals.[11]
The diet of white-eared opossums also makes them effective seed dispersers.[11] Younger opossums consume smaller fruits than older opossums, so usually the adult opossums disperse larger seeds. However, proportionally, smaller seeds have more chance to pass through the gut without damage.[11] Seeds that have commonly been associated in the diet amongst white-eared opossums are from the fruits of Morus nigra, Vassobia breviflora, Rubus rosifolius, Solanum sanctaecatharinae, and Passiflora actinia. Fecal analysis reveals that these seeds are viable for germination after the passage through the digestive tract, making the white-eared opossum an adequate vector for seed dispersal.[12]
The white-eared opossum (Didelphis albiventris), known as the timbu and cassaco in northeast Brazil, saruê and sariguê in Bahia, amicurê and mucura in northern Brazil and comadreja overa in Argentina, is an opossum species found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. It is a terrestrial and, sometimes, arboreal animal, and a habitat generalist, living in a wide range of different habitats.
For some time, this species was incorrectly known by the name D. azarae, correctly applied to the big-eared opossum. This led to azarae's discontinuation as a species name. From 1993 until 2002, this species also included the Guianan white-eared opossum (D. imperfecta) and the Andean white-eared opossum (D. pernigra) as subspecies.
It is the team mascot of Clube Náutico Capibaribe, a Brazilian football team from Recife, Pernambuco.
