Didelphids

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A family of marsupials known as opossums, characterized by their distinctive pouch for carrying young; including multiple species typically found in the Americas; commonly recognized for their nocturnal habits and adaptability to various habitats
2. A group of mammals within the order Diprotodontia, noted for their unique reproductive system as marsupials with external pouches for young rearing; these creatures display varied diets often including fruits and insects; they are commonly associated with urban areas and rural environments
3. Members of the taxonomic family Didelphidae, which includes both the common opossum and related species distinguished by their opossum-like features; they possess a keen sense of smell and are often seen scavenging for food at night; known for their ability to play dead as a defense mechanism

Etymology: In 1758, Carl Linnaeus gave the genus name "Didelphis" to the Virginia opossum in his "Systema Naturae". It combines Greek "di-", meaning two, and "delphys", meaning womb, so the name roughly means "two wombs." It refers to the female's pouch, a feature Europeans of the time found puzzling. The group name comes from that genus. Zoologists form family names by adding the Latinized suffix "-idae" to a genus, and the English "-id" descends from the Greek "-idēs", "descendant of." The family Didelphidae contains the New World opossums, which belong to the order Didelphimorphia. The definition you supplied, which places them in Diprotodontia, is mistaken: that order contains Australian marsupials such as kangaroos and koalas.