What Everyone Is Saying About possum vs opossum
A possum is a type of marsupial, native to Australasia. The official name for this species of marsupial is Phalangeriformes, but the common name possums has entered into modern usage. An opossum is also a type of marsupial, but one that is native to the Americas, from the order Didelphimorphia. Use possum or possums when referring to the marsupials, Phalangeriformes. These animals can be found in Australia and other Oceanic countries and are usually tree-dwelling.There are around 70 different species of possum, most of which will be found in Australia and other parts of Oceania. They are mainly arboreal (tree-dwelling) creatures. Common varieties of possum include the brushtail possum and ringtail possum. Possums are nocturnal creatures, which are often characterized by their prehensile tails. This means their tails act like a fifth limb, allowing possums to use their tails to grasp and hang from tree branches.
Use opossum or opossums when referring to the marsupial native to the Americas. Most commonly, this will refer to the Virginia opossum, the only species of opossum found in the USA and Canada. Opossums , perhaps unjustly, are regarded as fierce creatures, probably due to the sharp teeth that characterize the Virginia opossum. That species is often referred to as possum, which can lead to some confusion. The Virginia opossum will usually have a white face, coarse gray fur and black ears, and are around the same size as a domestic cat. Opossums are as comfortable in the trees as they are on the ground, although they do not have the prehensile tail like the possums of Australia.
There are lots of words beginning with opp in English, writers can often confuse the spelling of opossum. Common errors might include: Opposum, Oppossum Opussum, Oposum. These are all incorrect and have no meaning in English. The correct word is opossum; and remember not to confuse it with the tree-dwelling Australian possum. It’s true that both the opossum and possum are marsupials, but the similarities stop there for the most part.
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