Didelphimorphia

__**//Characteristics of Didelphimorphia//**:__ The order Didelphimorphia contains the common opossums of the western hemisphere. Opossums probably diverged from the basic South American Ameridelphian stock in the latest Cretaceous or early Paleocene. A sister group is the Paucituberculata, or shrew opossums. Didelphimorphs are small to medium-sized marsupials, about the size of a large house cat. They tend to be semi-arboreal omnivores, although there are many exceptions. Most members of this taxon have long snouts, a narrow braincase, and a prominent sagittal crest. The dental structure for one side of one jaw includes 5 incisors (four on the lower jaw), 1 canine, 3 premolars and 4 tricuspid molars. The incisors are very small, the canines large. Adult oppossums do not hang from trees by their tails, though babies may dangle temporarily. Their prehensile tails are not strong enough to support a mature adult's weight, though they often serve as a brace and a fifth limb when climbing. There are also confirmed accounts of the tail being used as a grip to carry bunches of leaves or bedding materials to the nest.
 * Didelphimorphia** cat-sized, arboreal, insectivorous and carnivorous marsupial with dense, black through every shade to white, fur with a pointed snout, bare prehensile tail and a noted ability to play dead when in danger—hence playing 'possum. Also called the American or Virginian opossum, //Didelphis virginiana//.

__**Animals in the family**__(biggest to smallest): Raccoon, Porcupine, and Opposume.

__**World wide, family**__: there are many different kinds of Opossum across the world. there are 11 different types of Opossums total. (there are many different types of them for each catagory. I am giving you one example of each.) -**//Genus Caluromys//**:Caluromys derbianus, Centeral American wolly Opossum -**//Genus Cryptonanus//**: Cryptonanus agricolai, Agricola's Gracile Oppum -**//Genus Didelphis://** Didelphis aurita, big eared Opposum or Brazilian -**//Genus Gracilinanus//**: -**//Genus Marmosa//**: -**//Genus Marmosops//**: -**//Genus Micoureus//**: -**//Genus Monodelphis: -//****//Genus Philander: -//****//Genus Thylamys: -//****//Other Genii://**