White-bellied woolly mouse opossum
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The white-bellied woolly mouse opossum (Marmosa constantiae) is a small pouchless marsupial of the family Didelphidae.<ref name = MSW3>Template:MSW3 Didelphimorphia</ref> It was formerly assigned to the genus Micoureus, which was made a subgenus of Marmosa in 2009.<ref name = "Voss">Template:Cite journal</ref> The specific epithet was given in honour of Constance Sladen (née Anderson), wife of the naturalist Percy Sladen. She funded the 1902 expedition which collected the type specimen.<ref name=Smith2016/>
Description
This is one of the larger mouse opossums, with a head=body length of Template:Convert, a tail Template:Convert in length, and weighing from Template:Convert. The fur is thick and woolly, and is grey over most of the body, fading to buffy-yellow on the head and underparts. There are clear, but narrow, rings of black fur around the eyes. The tail is furred only at the base, and is near black for most of its length, but changes suddenly to pale pink along the last third or so.<ref name=Smith2016>Template:Cite journal</ref>
The feet are broad, with stout claws and ridges on the underside of the toes that aid in climbing trees. Females do not have a pouch, but have fifteen teats arranged in a circle - more than in any of this species' closest relatives.<ref name=Smith2016/>
Distribution and habitat
The opossum is found across northern Bolivia, in the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, and in northern Argentina as far south as Tucumán Province.<ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021" /> It has also recently been reported from Paraguay.<ref name=Smith2016/> Across this region, it inhabits moist tropical forests, often near the boundary with drier habitats,<ref name=Caceres2007>Template:Cite journal</ref> and has been found from near sea level to montane forests as high as Template:Convert elevation.<ref name=Caceres2011>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Biology and behaviour
The opossum is arboreal, solitary, and nocturnal, spending most of its time in the forest understory.<ref name=Hannibal2010>Template:Cite journal</ref> It is omnivorous, feeding on insects (especially bugs) and vegetable matter. Little is known of their reproductive biology, but they appear to breed throughout the year, and mothers have been captured with up to seven young attached to their teats.<ref name=Smith2016/>