Caluromys lanatus - Western Wooly Opossum

Physical Description:

Caluromys lanatus have long pointed noses and large eyes that are adapted for a nocturnal lifestyle. They have hands and feet that grip well for climbing. They also have long tails that are used for grasping fruit and branches. The body length of Caluromys lanatus is approximately 180-290 mm, and the tail is 270-490 mm in length. Caluromys lanatus weighs about 100-500 grams (Welker et al. 2004). They usually have an ornate color pattern, including a stripe which extends between the ears and eyes to the nose (Welker et al. 2004).

The terminal portion of the tail is hairless with many color variations ranging from a light cream to pink (Welker et al. 2004). Their body fur extends onto the tail farther on the top region than on the bottom region. The underside of the tail has inflexible and hard scales. Caluromys lanatus has a distinct but small rostral process on their skull (Voss 2003). The life span of the Western Woolly Opossum is about 1-3 years (BBC 2004).

Distribution:

Caluromys lanatus is found from Columbia to northern Argentina and southern Brazil (Welker et al. 2004).

Ontogeny and Reproduction:

Caluromys lanatus reaches sexual maturity at 6 to 10 months of age. The gestation period of Caluromys lanatus is very short. Young are born premature and mainly develop in the mother’s marsupium for about 120 days. The young disperse once they are weaned (BBC 2004). The lateral pockets for the marsupium are joined posteriorly and open anteriorly (Voss 2003).

Ecology and Behavior:

Caluromys lanatus are more arboreal than other large opossums and inhabit semi-deciduous forests. They mainly inhabit forested regions and live in hollow trees. Most inhabit trees in moist areas near streams (Nowak 1999). They are generally nocturnal and are mostly active during the evening, night, or early morning (Talamani 1999).

They are generally solitary and nomadic animals, but they can be found with individuals around an abundant food source (BBC 2004). Their natural diet consists mainly of fruits, nectar, seeds, leaves, soft vegetables, insects, small vertebrates and sometimes carrion (Welker et al. 2004). Caluromys lanatus is a major pollinator of the Pseudobombax tomentosum deciduous tree in central Brazil while feeding on the nectar (Gribel 1988). They coil their tails to carry nesting material for their nests (Nowak 1999).

Literature Cited:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). 2004. Science and Nature: Animals. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/3013.shtml>. Accessed 20 October 2004.

Gribel, R. 1988. Visits of Caluromys lanatus to flowers of Pseudobombax tomentosum: A probable case of pollination by marsupials in Central Brazil. Biotropica 20: 344-347.

Nowak, R.M. 1999. Walkers Mammals of the World. 6th Edition, Volume 2. The John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland.

Talamani, S. A. and M.M. Dias. 1999. Population and community ecology of small mammals in Southeastern Brazil. Mammalia 63: 167.

Welker, W., Johnson, J.I., and A. Noe. 2004. Comparative Mammalian Brain Collections. University of Wisconsin and Michigan State Comparative Mammalian Brain Collections and the National Museum of Health and Medicine. <http://brainmuseum.org/Specimens/marsupalia/woollyopossum>. Accessed 20 October 2004.

Voss, R.S. and S.A. Jansa. 2003. Phylogenetic studies on didelphid marsupials, nonmolecular data and new IRBP Sequences: Seperate and combined analysis of didelphine relationships with denser taxon sampling.

Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. Number 276.

Reference written by Kevin Thielke, Biol 378 (Mammalogy), University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. Edited by Kim Moore. Page last updated December 13, 2004.