When threatened, this opossum feigns death. Because they are nocturnal, hearing is an important sense.
This particular species is occasionally found as stowaways in banana shipments. When bananas are shipped, they are kept at a relatively cool temperature. Mouse opossums fall into a hibernation-like state at low temperatures. Their respiration rate, metabolism, and need for food are decreased, allowing them to survive the cool temperature of the banana shipments.
Perception Channels: tactile ; chemical
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
These opossums are omnivores, feeding mainly on insects and soft fruits. They are nocturnal.
This opossum is found from eastern Brazil to eastern Peru and northern Argentina.
Biogeographic Regions: neotropical (Native )
This opossum lives in forest habitats.
Terrestrial Biomes: forest ; rainforest
Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 6.1 years.
Head-body length averages 110 mm while tail length averages 137 mm. Males and females are similar in size. Their tails are naked and prehensile. Mouse opossums have an opposable big toe on their hind feet, which allows them to rapidly climb thin vines. Their opposable toes lack claws. They have very mobile, membraneous ears.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Females produce two litters annually. A female's first estrus occurs at 265-75 days. Gestation lasts about 20 days. A female has 13 teats, but not all teats are functional. The maximum litter size is 11; average 7-9. The weight of each newbornis less than 250 mg, and the young are extremely altricial at birth. This species lacks a pouch. After the young are born, they crawl up the mother's belly and attach themselves to a nipple. Weaning occurs at 60-70 days. The young leave the mother a few days after they have been weaned.
Key Reproductive Features: gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual
The agile gracile opossum (Gracilinanus agilis), is an opossum species from South America.[1] It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
It is nocturnal, arboreal and frequents the forest understory, where they use slender branches and vines. Found in evergreen and gallery forests. It is a characteristic inhabitant of the gallery forest of southern South America but has broad habitat tolerance. It has been caught under fallen trunks, in tree holes, and in moist woodland. It is reported to be an adept climber, and nests made of vegetation have been found 1.6 m off the ground. One such nest contained seven individuals. In eastern Paraguay it has usually been captured in vegetation but sometimes has been caught on the ground. This marsupial is found throughout the Brazilian cerrado, usually associated with mesic areas such as gallery forests. This mouse opossum is reported to have up to twelve young. Females lack a true pouch, and the teats remain hidden when the female is not lactating. Gracilinanus agilis has a semelparous life cycle.[3]
The agile gracile opossum (Gracilinanus agilis), is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
Gracilinanus agilis in an acuri palm It is nocturnal, arboreal and frequents the forest understory, where they use slender branches and vines. Found in evergreen and gallery forests. It is a characteristic inhabitant of the gallery forest of southern South America but has broad habitat tolerance. It has been caught under fallen trunks, in tree holes, and in moist woodland. It is reported to be an adept climber, and nests made of vegetation have been found 1.6 m off the ground. One such nest contained seven individuals. In eastern Paraguay it has usually been captured in vegetation but sometimes has been caught on the ground. This marsupial is found throughout the Brazilian cerrado, usually associated with mesic areas such as gallery forests. This mouse opossum is reported to have up to twelve young. Females lack a true pouch, and the teats remain hidden when the female is not lactating. Gracilinanus agilis has a semelparous life cycle.
