Osgood's short-tailed opossum

Osgood Kurzschwanzopossum ( Monodelphis osgoodi ) is a little -studied marsupial from the kind of shrew opossums ( Monodelphis ). The specific epithet honors the American zoologist Wilfred Hudson Osgood.

Features

The total length is 154-158 mm, the body length 94 to 96 mm, tail length 60 to 62 mm and the ear length of 9 mm. The back fur is cinnamon brown, the peritoneum lighter brown. The base of the abdominal hair is gray. The karyotype is 2n = 18, FN = 32

Dissemination

Osgood Kurzschwanzopossum occurs in eastern Peru and in central Bolivia.

Habitat and behavior

All evidence of Osgood Kurzschwanzopossum come from medium and high altitudes. The species lives in primary mountain forests. In secondary forests or outside the forest she has not been observed. Although Osgood Kurzschwanzopossum can climb well, it keeps usually on the ground. The diet consists of small rodents, insects, carrion, seeds and fruits.

System

James Kenneth Doutt (1905-1975) described Osgood Kurzschwanzopossum 1938 as a subspecies of Monodelphus peruvianus. Ángel Cabrera synonymisierte Monodelphus peruvianus in 1958 with the Marajo shrew opossum ( Monodelphis adusta ) and classified Osgood Kurzschwanzopossum one as its subspecies. Charles Handley Overtoil it classified in 1966 as an independent art