Opossums (colloquially possums) (Didelphimorphia, /daɪˌdɛlfᵻˈmɔːrfiə/) mak up the lairgest order o marsupials in the Wastren Hemisphere, includin 103 or mair species in 19 genera. Thay are an aa commonly cried possums, tho that term technically refers tae Australie fauna o the suborder Phalangeriformes. The Virginie opossum wis the first animal tae be named an opossum; uisage o the name wis published in 1610.[3] The wird opossum wis borrowed frae the Virginie Algonquian (Powhatan) leid in the furm aposoum an ultimately derives frae the Proto-Algonquian wird *wa˙p- aʔθemw, meanin "white dug" or "white beast/ainimal".[4]
Opossums (colloquially possums) (Didelphimorphia, /daɪˌdɛlfᵻˈmɔːrfiə/) mak up the lairgest order o marsupials in the Wastren Hemisphere, includin 103 or mair species in 19 genera. Thay are an aa commonly cried possums, tho that term technically refers tae Australie fauna o the suborder Phalangeriformes. The Virginie opossum wis the first animal tae be named an opossum; uisage o the name wis published in 1610. The wird opossum wis borrowed frae the Virginie Algonquian (Powhatan) leid in the furm aposoum an ultimately derives frae the Proto-Algonquian wird *wa˙p- aʔθemw, meanin "white dug" or "white beast/ainimal".