Caenolestidae - shrew opossums
There are five species in this family of small marsupials. They are all found in the Andes Mountains in western South America. They look like shrews, but they are marsupials. They are 4-5 inches in length and have grayish-brown fur; small, round eyes; long, pointed snouts; and long, non-prehensile tails. Unlike other species of marsupials, female shrews opossum do not have a pouch. Shrew opossums have poor eyesight. The use their hearing and whiskers to locate prey like insects and worms. They spend much of their time underground. Species in this family include: the
gray-bellied shrew opossum, the
blackish shrew opossum, the
silky shrew opossum, the
Incan shrew opossum, and the
Chilean shrew opossum.
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