Big-eared opossum vs Handley s Slender Opossum

Didelphis aurita compared with Marmosops handleyi

Key Differences

• Big-eared opossum is Least Concern while Handley s Slender Opossum is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Big-eared opossum	Handley s Slender Opossum
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (Mammals)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order same	Didelphimorphia (Didelphimorphia)	Didelphimorphia (Didelphimorphia)
Family same	Didelphidae	Didelphidae
Genus	Didelphis	Marmosops
Species	Didelphis aurita	Marmosops handleyi

Evolutionary Relationship

Big-eared opossum and Handley s Slender Opossum share a common ancestor at the Family level: Didelphidae.

Conservation Status

Big-eared opossum

LC — Least Concern

Handley s Slender Opossum

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Big-eared opossum	Handley s Slender Opossum
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Big-eared opossum

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Handley s Slender Opossum

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and montane grasslands and shrublands, among 4 distinct biome types spanning the Neotropic and Oceanian realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Colombia. Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Big-eared opossum

The Big-eared opossum (Didelphis aurita) is a species in the genus Didelphis. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.