Anderson s Shrew Mole vs common opossum

Uropsilus andersoni compared with Didelphis marsupialis

Key Differences

• Anderson s Shrew Mole is Data Deficient while common opossum is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Anderson s Shrew Mole	common opossum
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (Mammals)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Soricomorpha (Soricomorpha)	Didelphimorphia (Didelphimorphia)
Family	Talpidae	Didelphidae
Genus	Uropsilus	Didelphis
Species	Uropsilus andersoni	Didelphis marsupialis

Evolutionary Relationship

Anderson s Shrew Mole and common opossum share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (Mammals)

Conservation Status

Anderson s Shrew Mole

DD — Data Deficient

common opossum

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Anderson s Shrew Mole	common opossum
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Anderson s Shrew Mole

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

common opossum

Habitat

Inhabits tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests within the Neotropic biogeographic realm.

Range

Found across North America (Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia) and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela).

Anderson s Shrew Mole

The Anderson s Shrew Mole (Uropsilus andersoni) is a species in the genus Uropsilus. Its conservation status is listed as Data Deficient, indicating insufficient data for assessment. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

common opossum

<em>Didelphis marsupialis</em> is a medium-sized marsupial in the family Didelphidae, widely distributed across the Neotropical region, including Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Dominica, Grenada, and Saint Lucia. It inhabits tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, often occurring near human settlements, gardens, and agricultural edges across lowland and montane zones. As a generalist omnivore, this species typically consumes fruits, invertebrates, small vertebrates, carrion, and refuse, making it one of the most adaptable mammals in its range. The common opossum is nocturnal and arboreal, using a prehensile tail for balance and grip while foraging in trees and shrubs. Females give birth to highly altricial young that develop in the marsupium, a defining trait of marsupial reproduction. The IUCN currently classifies this species as Least Concern, reflecting its broad distribution, behavioral flexibility, and tolerance of disturbed habitats. Biological traits such as average lifespan, body length, and body weight are not consistently recorded across populations in standardized databases, and detailed dietary studies remain poorly documented at scale. Its ecological role includes seed dispersal and control of invertebrate populations.