Monodelphis umbristriatus

Geographic Range

Red three-striped opossums ( Monodelphis umbristriatus ) are native to neotropical regions of South America. They are found in Brazil - more specifically in the states of Goiás and Minas Gerais, where they occupy a range of about 930,000 km^2. There is no information available on how their range has shifted throughout their history.

• Biogeographic Regions
• neotropical neotropical
  • native native

Habitat

Red three-striped opossums are found in savannahs, tropical rainforests, scrublands, and in areas with low vegetation.

• Habitat Regions
• temperate temperate
• tropical tropical
• terrestrial terrestrial

• Terrestrial Biomes
• savanna or grassland savanna or grassland
• forest forest
• rainforest rainforest

Physical Description

Red three-striped opossums are distinguished by their three longitudinal stripes on the dorsal side of their pelage. These stripes are faint, dark red, and most prominent on their backs. However, they also extend anteriorly onto the tops of their heads. The pelage surrounding these stripes is reddish brown in color and becomes darker posteriorly. The ears of red three-striped opossums are not heavily pigmented, and their tails are scarcely haired. The ventral side of their pelage is ashier gray in color, with hints of a yellowish beige. Red three-striped opossums have an average total length of 185 mm, with an average tail length of 60 mm. They weigh an average of 45 g. Close relatives of red three-striped opossums possess prehensile tails that assist them with balance and grasping when climbing or carrying nest material.

• Other Physical Features
• endothermic endothermic
• bilateral symmetry bilateral symmetry

Reproduction

Nothing is known about the mating system of red three-striped opossums.

There is little information available on the processes of reproduction in red three-striped opossums. However, the following are reproductive characteristics and behaviors of close relatives to red three-striped opossums:

When male and female short-tailed opossums meet, they first exchange signs of aggression in the form of hissing, teeth-baring, biting, and sniffling. Following this exchange, copulation ensues. Gestation of offspring lasts approximately 2 weeks. Short-tailed opossums give birth to 5 to 12 offspring at a time, each weighing about 0.1 g. After birth, newly born offspring climb to the pouches of their mothers, where they receive nourishment from milk for approximately 50 days. After about 70 days, young leave the pouch and either remain on the backs of their mothers or stay in their nests while mothers forage. Weaning begins shortly after young have left the pouch. Opossums become fully independent around 3 to 4 months old and are sexually mature about 2 to 3 months after that.

• Key Reproductive Features
• year-round breeding year-round breeding
• gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
• sexual sexual
• viviparous viviparous

Following gestation, offspring climb into the pouch of their mother and latch onto a nipple. They receive nutrition from the milk of their mother and warmth from the pouch. After leaving the pouch, they are weaned, and are independent shortly after.

• Parental Investment
• female parental care female parental care
• pre-hatching/birth
  • provisioning
  • protecting
    • female
• pre-weaning/fledging
  • provisioning
    • female
  • protecting
    • female
• pre-independence
  • provisioning
    • female

Lifespan/Longevity

There is little information available on the lifespan of red three-striped opossums. Gray short-tailed opossums ( Monodelphis domestica ), another species of short-tailed opossum in the same genus, are known to live up to 6 years in captivity, but only an average of 2 years in the wild. Gray short-tailed opossums occupy a similar geographic range and habitat as red three-striped opossums, os it is possible that these two species have similar lifespans in the wild.

Behavior

There is little information available on the general behaviors of red three-striped opossums. However, other short-tailed opossums are mainly terrestrial animals that prefer to forage at ground level. It is rarer to see short-tailed opossums climbing trees when compared to other opossum families. Red three-striped opossums are solitary animals who act aggressively towards conspecifics. They are also territorial around sources of food and shelter, but to a lesser extent than other animals. While they do broadcast their presence within an area by marking their surroundings with saliva, many species of opossum are shown to be locally nomadic, without defending any specific territory. Sizes of home territories tend to vary, but they often overlap with those of their conspecifics.

• Key Behaviors
• motile motile

Communication and Perception

There is little information available on methods of communication in red three-striped opossums. However, close relatives of red three-striped opossums hiss, chirp, or bark. Other species also let out distinctive, metallic voice clicks in the presence of threats or when approached by possible mates. Opossums also use scent for territorial marking or to assess the reproductive condition of females.

• Communication Channels
• acoustic acoustic
• chemical chemical

• Perception Channels
• tactile tactile
• chemical chemical

Food Habits

There is little information available on the food habits of red three-striped opossums. However, close relatives are omnivorous, feeding on fruit, small insects, worms, and rodents. Short-tailed opossums prefer to forage at ground level.

• Primary Diet
• carnivore carnivore
  • eats terrestrial vertebrates
  • insectivore insectivore
  • vermivore
• herbivore herbivore
  • frugivore frugivore
• omnivore omnivore

• Animal Foods
• mammals
• insects
• terrestrial worms

• Plant Foods
• fruit

Predation

There is little information available on natural predators of red three-striped opossums. However, larger mammals and birds are likely predators.

Ecosystem Roles

There is no published information on predatory and prey relationships of red three-striped opossums, meaning no direct conclusions can be made on their ecosystem role. Being omnivores, they are likely to have mixed effects on their ecosystem, since they feed on both producers and low-level consumers.

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive

Other closely-related short-tailed opossums are sometimes welcome into human dwellings, as they assist with pest control.

• Positive Impacts
• pet trade pet trade

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

Other closely related short-tailed opossums invade human settlements in search of food and are sometimes an annoyance to the inhabitants.

Conservation Status

Red three-striped opossums are categorized as vulnerable under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This could be attributed to habitat loss and/or pet trade.

Additional Links

Encyclopedia of Life

Contributors

Charlie Taing (author), University of Washington, Laura Prugh (editor), University of Washington, Galen Burrell (editor), Special Projects.

References

Gould, E., G. McKay. 1998. Opossums. Pp. 1521-1531 in Encyclopedia of Mammals , 2 Edition. San Diego, California: Academic Press.

Lemos, B., M. Weksler, C. Bonvicino. 2000. The taxonomic status of Monodelphis umbristriata (Didelphimorphia : Didelphidae). Mammalia , 64/3: 329-337.

Pavan, S. 2016. Phylogeny, Systematics and Biogeography of Short-Tailed Opossums (Didelphidae: Monodelphis). Accessed May 14, 2019 at https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/54ec/357797e6d5149139cb8b908fbfeaf0f3c6ce.pdf .

Pine, R. 1976. Monodelphis umbristriata (A. de Miranda-Ribeiro) Is a Distinct Species of Opossum. Journal of Mammalogy , 57/4: 785-787.

Smith, K., A. van Nievelt, T. Rowe. 1977. Comparative Rates of Development in Monodelphis and Didelphis. Science , 275/5300: 683-684.