More Information
See Also
Additional Information
Mammaliamammals
Identification
Didelphis virginiana (Virginia opossum)
Caption
Virginia opossum tracks are unusual: their front feet are wider than they are long. They are also unique because the 'thumb' on the back feet is separated from the rest of the toes. They have claws, but their claws don't always show up on their tracks. When possums walk they bring their back left back foot up to their left front foot and then their right back foot up to their right front foot. So, when you see their tracks, there will be several groupings of a single front foot and back foot together.
- Type
- Photo
- Subject
- Sign
- Type
- Photo
- Subject
- Tracks
Contributors
ArtToday web site (copyright holder; media; identification)
Conditions of Use
This resource may not be downloaded and used without permission of the copyright holder except for educational fair use.
The Animal Diversity Web team is excited to announce ADW Pocket Guides!
Search
Navigation Links
Classification
- Kingdom Animalia animals
- Phylum Chordata chordates
- Subphylum Vertebrata vertebrates
- Class Sarcopterygii lobe-finned fishes and terrestrial vertebrates
- Class Mammalia mammals
Related Taxa
- Order Afrosoricida tenrecs and golden moles
- Family Bradypodidae three-toed sloths
- Order Carnivora carnivores
- Superorder Cetartiodactyla cetaceans and artiodactyls
- Order Chiroptera bats
- Order Cingulata armadillos
- Species Cyclopes didactylus silky anteater
- Order Dermoptera flying lemurs
- Family Erinaceidae gymnures and hedgehogs
- Order Hyracoidea hyraxes
- Order Lagomorpha hares, pikas, and rabbits
- Order Macroscelidea elephant-shrews
- Family Megalonychidae two-toed sloths
- Infraclass Metatheria marsupial mammals
- Family Myrmecophagidae anteaters
- Order Perissodactyla horses, rhinoceroses, and tapirs
- Order Pholidota pangolins
- Order Primates primates
- Order Proboscidea elephants
- Subclass Prototheria egg-laying mammals
- Order Rodentia rodents
- Order Scandentia tree shrews
- Order Sirenia dugongs, manatees, and sea cows
- Order Soricomorpha insectivores
- Order Tubulidentata aardvark
To cite this page: , .2005. "possumtracks.jpg" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed January 10, 2025 at https://animaldiversity.org/collections/contributors/arttoday/possumtracks/
Disclaimer: The Animal Diversity Web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students. ADW doesn't cover all species in the world, nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe. Though we edit our accounts for accuracy, we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts. While ADW staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable, we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control.
- U-M Gateway | U-M Museum of Zoology
- U-M Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
- © 2020 Regents of the University of Michigan
- Report Error / Comment
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Grants DRL 0089283, DRL 0628151, DUE 0633095, DRL 0918590, and DUE 1122742. Additional support has come from the Marisla Foundation, UM College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, Museum of Zoology, and Information and Technology Services.
The ADW Team gratefully acknowledges their support.