on planet Earth there are about two hundred species of marsupials.Of these, two-thirds say their homeland Australia.On this continent, because of its isolation from the other continents preserved its unique fauna.The most well-known Australian marsupials - kangaroos and koala is.But there are other animals that have on the belly skin fold.The family of possums also belongs to such.But not all so simple.Bag is not at all kinds.Moreover, not all opossums live in Australia.Most of these species live only in the Americas.In this article you will find out what kind of animal pygmy possum.Picture this cute crumbs soften even the heart is not sentimental people, especially when the baby sleeps confidence in human hands.
Why Bag
Despite the different structures of the body size, diet and lifestyle, most of the animals of Australia have a common anatomical feature.This bag, which is a skin fold on the belly of the female.It can be very deep and barely visible, open forward or backward.Many endemic species of Australia combines the anatomical feature, which disappeared in the species of animals living on other continents.At the same time, the marsupial opossum is found not only on the green continent and New Guinea, but also in South and North America.Why this nabryushnaya cavity?The fact that Young marsupials are born underdeveloped.After a short gestation period - 8-40 days.This is actually the embryos.For example, a kangaroo newborn reaches only three centimeters long.But they are very hardy.Newborn climb the belly mother in search of the bag.There they find the nipple and pripadaet to it for weeks.Even reaching maturity, the young in danger seeking shelter in the mother's pouch.But possums and then showed its uniqueness.Not all have the bag.Some of them are equipped with rudimentary fold, and in some it is not in sight.For example, pygmy possum does not have a brood pouch.
Brief description of the family
family of possums has about eighty species.The majority of them lives in the equatorial forests of Central and South America.Externally, these small animals magnitude 7-50 centimeters resemble mice or rats.Especially since some species have naked, hairless tail.However, unlike rodents, the appendage of the plays in the life of an animal is very large role.Tailed opossum clinging to tree branches, they also "they rule" when jumping.Sometimes it is thickened at the base of fat deposits.Opossums often live in the trees, but there are species, terrestrial or semi-aquatic leading lifestyle.Mainly eat insects, but there are some food which is the nectar of flowers.Pygmy possum (Marmosa murina), has still the name Eneev mouse, lives in trees in tropical forests between the rivers Amazon and Orinoco.These animals are active at dusk.
pygmy possum
Despite its name, this is not the smallest member of the family.Its length can reach up to 31 centimeters, of which more than half falls on a naked prehensile tail.Animal fur coat on top of a yellowish-gray, and the belly a lighter color.Bags, as already indicated, at this species have possums.Animal lives in the trees - in the hollows, hollows under the bark.Eneev mouse truly omnivorous.Do not hesitate and bird eggs.But most of all she loves fruits and a variety of crickets and other insects.Life expectancy of this mouse for up to eight years.The female brings to the dung 10-12 pups.In the absence of kids just hanging bags on her breasts.And when the young grow up a little bit, they get over to his mother on his back.
Other Pygmy possums
this tiny animal can be called an elf.It feeds exclusively floral and fruit nectar as a moth.Meet the eastern pygmy possum, or Sonia.Its length is 12 centimeters, and eight of them - the tail.Sony active summer and winter inactive, for which he received his second nickname.When the opossum eats well, he puts the fat at the base of the tail.It dwarfs true living in Brazil, Argentina and Peru golohvosty opossum.He had no bag and body length is 15 centimeters.A record is considered to be among the Lilliputians Chaco opossum.The length of his body - only 68 millimeters.
Australian pygmy possum
In fact, these little animals are a very different family - Burramyidae.And they called Possum.This is the name given to animals James Cook, who described the species representative at the opening of Queensland.Far from biology compared the new captain of the animal with his famous American opossum.But in his memoirs he did blot: missed the initial letter "o".And was assigned to the Australian beast called "possum".Now scientists are five species of Burramyidae.They are found in eastern Australia and New Guinea.Of these, only one species - mountain pygmy possum - hibernate.Australian pygmy possum is well-defined, which opens the bag forward.This animal big eyes, small rounded ears and a long prehensile tail.
