Pygmy short-tailed opossum

Monodelphis kunsi is a relatively small opossum with short, warm-brown hair on its dorsal side.[4] The ventral side of this pygmy opossum is a lighter color with pale, ivory patches of fur mixed throughout.[4] In addition to fur, vibrissae can be found in three locations on the face, including the nose, above the eyes and near the ears, and under the chin.[4] M. kunsi lacks a mid-sagittal crest; however, it does have a throat gland present.[4] Compared to other opossums, the rostrum of M. kunsi is less protruded than some other opossums, but it is still recognizable as a character of the genera Monodelphis and Didelphis.[4] M. kunsi has an approximate body mass of 19 grams, with a body length ranging from 71–94 mm long, and a relatively short tail from 41–42 mm in length.[3] The tail is, to at least some degree, prehensile, and it is covered with very small hairs.[3] The tail is hairless at the tip, which is seen in many members of the Short-tailed opossum genus. It is also thought to be used for tactile purposes.[6]

Monodelphis kunsi is a terrestrial marsupial that inhabits a wide range of habitats within South America.[7] It has been documented in southern and eastern parts of Bolivia, eastern Paraguay, western, central and southeastern Brazil, and in the northern parts of Argentina.[3][8][9] It is thought that due to the species wide and fragmented distribution that the specimens documented as M. kunsi may actually be a complex of species.[7] A study conducted by Caceres et al. from the year 2000 to 2008 documented M. kunsi at all altitudes of two designated localities in the Urucum Mountains of western Brazil.[8] The study monitored altitudes ranging from 150 meters to over 1000 meters. The findings suggested that while the opossum was found at all altitudes, it is a grassland specialist in that region.[8] M. kunsi is also found in the Rio Lipeo department of Tarija, Bolivia, which is between 200 m and 640 m in elevation.[6] They are generally encountered in shrub forests of 6–12 m in height in Paraguay.[10] M. kunsi is found in a variety of habitats ranging from forested or wooded areas, to dry Cerrado savannahs, and even Amazonian rain forest.[7]

Monodelphis kunsi is still a relatively unknown species with few publications on its behavior and ecology. The species is thought to be insectivorous due to their occlusal dentition, general skull shape, and skull size.[4] M. kunsi lacks enlarged canines,[4] and their posterior incisors are bigger than their first upper pair of incisors.[7] When it comes to being preyed upon, one study documented M. kunsi as a lesser choice of prey by the maned wolf - Chrysocyon brachyurus, the barn owl - Tyto alba, and the burrowing owl - Athene cunicularia in a savannah preserve located in southeastern Brazil.[9] Little is known about the reproductive behaviors in M. kunsi; however, other Monodelphis species are known to be semelparous breeders, so it possible that this species is as well.[11] More research is needed to understand the basic reproductive behavior of M. kunsi before any assumptions can be made.

• Infonatura
• Olivia the Opossum