Philander mcilhennyi, Gardner & Patton, 1972

Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson, 2015, Didelphidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 5 Monotremes and Marsupials, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 129-186 : 166

61.

Mcllhenny’s Four-eyed Opossum

Philander mcilhennyi

French: Opossum de Mcllhenny / German: Mcilhennys Vieraugenbeutelratte / Spanish: Filandro de Mcllhenny

Taxonomy. Philander mcilhennyi Gardner & Patton, 1972 ,

“ Balta (10° 08’S, 17°13’W), Rio Curanja , ca. 300 meters, department de Loreta [now departamento de Ucayali], Peru.”

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. EC Peru (Loreto, Ucayali) and W Brazil (Amazonas, Acre), in the Amazon Basin.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 28.7-30.7 cm, tail 26.5-37.7 cm; weight 396 640 g. Mcllhenny’s Four-eyed Opossum has nearly black fur along mid-dorsum and lacks distinct mid-dorsal stripe. Although indistinct blackish stripe occurs in some specimens on the shoulder region, it becomes diffuse and indistinct toward rump. Dense, coarse guard hairs (c.18 mm long) are present on dorsum. Body sides are slightly grayer, with silver-tipped hairs. Head is colored as dorsum, with large, pale, supraocular spots. There is no mid-rostral stripe. Tail length is about the same as headbody length, and tail has black fur on more than 23% ofits length. Naked part oftail is black, without any spots, but generally paler on distal one-half. Ventral fur is black with gray-based and silver-tipped hairs, and sometimes there is a pale patch on chin and chest. Fur is long and coarse on dorsum. Feet are black. Females have a pouch, but number of mammae is unknown. Mcllhenny’s Four-eyed Opossum has a 2n = 22, FN = 20 karyotype, with all acrocentric autosomes, and with acrocentric X-chromosome and Y-chromosome. There is no sexual dimorphism in skull size and shape.

Habitat. Dry tropical forest (type locality), both undisturbed and disturbed. In the central Amazon of Brazil, Mcllhenny’s Four-eyed Opossums were trapped in undisturbed terra firma forest and second-growth forest.

Food and Feeding. Frogs, beetles, and ants were found in the stomach of a female Mcllhenny’s Four-eyed Opossum from Peru.

Breeding. Female Mcllhenny’s Four-eyed Opossums with pouch young were collected in April and June at the type locality and in February, March,July, August, and September in central Amazon, Brazil, suggesting that they breed throughout the year. Litter size varies from four to seven young, with a modal numberoffive young. Nevertheless, in Amazonian Peru, almost all breeding females were captured in the wet season when an average of 4-4 young/litter was recorded.

Activity patterns. There is no information available for this species.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no information available for this species.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Mcllhenny’s Four-eyed Opossum has a wide distribution and presumably a large overall population.

Bibliography. Astua (2010), Chemisquy & Flores (2012), Eisenberg & Redford (1999), Emmons & Feer (1997), Fleck & Harder (1995), Gardner (2005), Gardner & Patton (1972), Nunes et al. (2006), Patton & Costa (2003), Patton & da Silva (1997 2007), Patton et al. (2000), Reig et al. (1977), Svartman (2009).

Figures

65. Pygmy Opossum (Chacodelphys formosa), 66. Agricola’s Opossum (Cryptonanus agricola), 67. Chacoan Mouse Opossum (Cryptonanus chacoensis), 68. Guaiba Mouse Opossum (Cryptonanus guahybae), 69. Unduavi Mouse Opossum (Cryptonanus unduaviensis), 70. . Emilie’s. 9 Opossum.. Gracilinanus. (null), 71. Aceramarca Opossum (Gracilinanus aceramarcae), 72. Agile Opossum (Gracilinanus agilis), 73. Wood Sprite Opossum (Gracilinanus dryas), 74. Northern Gracile Opossum (Gracilinanus marica), 75. Brazilian Gracile Opossum (Gracilinanus microtarsus)

Distribution. EC Peru (Loreto, Ucayali) and W Brazil (Amazonas, Acre), in the Amazon Basin.