Friday, February 5, 2010

What's the difference between ';Opossum'; and ';Possum';?

'Possum is the common nickname for an Opossum in the American south and midwest.





However, a Possum is also a completely different animal in Australia.





The American ';Opossum';, North America's only marsupial, is a ground-dwelling nocturnal creature about the size of cat with a rat-like tail and a nasty disposition.





The Australian/New Zealand ';Possum'; is a tree-dwelling nocturnal marsupial about the size of a squirrel with odourous musk glands.





The name ';opossum'; is Anglicized from the the Algonquin ';wapathemwa';. The English settlers, having never seen one before, just accepted what the Indians told them to call it. The Australian ';possum'; was named for the American ';opossum'; because they *faintly* resemble each other.





The two species are, in fact, related, but not closely. Opossums are of the order ';Didelphimorphia';, while Possums are of the order ';Diprotodontia';.What's the difference between ';Opossum'; and ';Possum';?
Possum is the more common name.What's the difference between ';Opossum'; and ';Possum';?
possum is spelt wrong- it should always be opossum. People are just too lazy to say that first o.





As for it being another animal- they are still marsupials in the didelphidae- therefore still opossums with a common name of possum in one species. All other didelphids are called opossums, whether you are in the US, Austraila or S. Amer (few if any species in other parts of the world)
A possum is a redneck opossum.
an ';o';.
They are the same animals, just two different ways of spelling.
an O.





Southern folks dropped the O to conserve energy.
Opossum is Oppressed


Possum is Possessed

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