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| ==Explanation== | |||
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| This is old page history that used to be at the title "opossum". ''']'''] 15:59, 20 December 2009 (UTC) | |||
| The word '''opossum''' (usually pronounced without the leading 'O', or with only a very slight ]) refers either to the ] in particular, or more generally to any of the other ] of ] ]. Opossums are the only marsupials in North America. | |||
| The name is from ] ''wapathemwa'', not ] or ], so the plural is ''opossums'', not ''opossa''. | |||
| Opossums have a rat-like hairless tail, 50 teeth, and opposable thumbs on their rear limbs. Though some humans are fond of them, many consider them to be rather ugly. | |||
| A wild opossum's diet includes bugs, snails, mice and rats, but, like raccoons, opposums can be found in urban environments, where they eat pet food, rotten fruit, and various human garbage. Opossums are nocturnal. | |||
| Opossums in captivity are known to engage in canibalism, though this is probably uncommon in the wild. | |||
| The ] is noted for its reaction to threat, which is to feign death. This is called "playing (o)possum". This should not be taken as an indication of docility. Under serious threat, a possum will behave ferociously. | |||
| Though ''opossum'' is often pronounced, and even spelled ''possum'', the latter word actually refers to various distantly related but broadly similar ]s of magnorder ], that are native to ] and are an introduced pest in ]. See ]. | |||
| See also: ] | |||
Latest revision as of 04:52, 21 August 2021
Explanation
This is old page history that used to be at the title "opossum". Graham87 15:59, 20 December 2009 (UTC)