About Caluromys lanatus (Olfers, 1818)
The brown-eared woolly opossum, Caluromys lanatus, has a brown to reddish brown coat and similarly colored limbs, with a yellow to orange underbelly. Its ears are hairless, brown, and have a faint pink tint. Its tail is furred along up to half its length on the dorsal (back) side, and up to 20% of its length at the base; fur becomes less bushy toward the tip, leaving the final 30% of the tail length bare. This naked tail section is typically white with a yellowish tinge and spotted with brown. The coat may have a gray tinge, and develops an orange shade on the shoulders, limbs, and crown; young individuals are typically grayer overall. The fur is fairly long, soft, and thick. The species has a grayish white face with faint orange rings surrounding the eyes, and a dark stripe that runs up the nose, between the eyes, and extends to the back of the ears. Subspecies vary in coloration: C. l. circur is mostly grayish brown, while C. l. lanatus is pale brown and lacks spots on the tail. Head-and-body length ranges from 20 to 32 centimetres (7.9 to 12.6 in), and tail length ranges from 33 to 45 centimetres (13 to 18 in). Individuals weigh 31 to 52 grams (1.1 to 1.8 oz). Hindfeet measure 3 to 5 centimetres (1.2 to 2.0 in), and ears measure 3 to 4 centimetres (1.2 to 1.6 in). Its dental formula is 5.1.3.4 / 4.1.3.4, which is typical of didelphids. The brown-eared woolly opossum differs from the bare-tailed woolly opossum by having a bushier tail (the bare-tailed woolly opossum’s tail becomes bare abruptly after the first third of its length) and a pouch that opens toward the front rather than along the midline. It differs from Derby's woolly opossum by having brown rather than white limbs, and no gray fur between the shoulders. Compared to other opossums, it has a comparatively large braincase. This species inhabits humid tropical forests including primary, secondary, and gallery forests, as well as plantations, mangrove forests, xerophytic forests, and the more densely wooded areas of the cerrado and pantanal. It most commonly occurs up to 500 metres (1,600 ft) above sea level, though individuals have been recorded as high as 2,600 metres (8,500 ft). Its range lies east of the Andes, extending from Bolivia, central Colombia, eastern Ecuador, Peru, and western and southern Venezuela to northeastern Argentina, western, central, and southern Brazil, and eastern and southern Paraguay. The IUCN currently lists this opossum as least concern due to its wide distribution and presumed large population, though it is threatened by deforestation in some parts of its range. The brown-eared woolly opossum is nocturnal (active mainly at night) and generally solitary, though individuals have been observed foraging in pairs. It is omnivorous, feeding on fruits from plants such as Cecropia, Piper, and Solanaceae species, as well as nectar, small invertebrates, and small vertebrates. One study classifies it as a typical frugivore with a well-developed cecum. When feeding on nectar, it likely contributes to pollinating flowers of Pseudobombax tomentosum and Quararibea cordata. It is generally silent. Females have an estrus cycle 27 to 29 days long, and develop a pouch before carrying young. Litter size ranges from one to four, while the related bare-tailed woolly opossum can have litters of up to seven young.
