Lutreolina

Lutreolina is a genus of opossum found in South America. Both extant species in this genus are known as lutrine opossums. They have an otter-like body plan and occasionally semiaquatic tendencies, hence the genus name Lutreolina, which is Latin for "otter-like".

Lutreolina
Temporal range: Miocene - Recent
Big lutrine opossum (L. crassicaudata)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Didelphimorphia
Family: Didelphidae
Tribe: Didelphini
Genus: Lutreolina
Thomas, 1910
Type species
Didelphis crassicaudata
Desmarest, 1804
Species

Formerly, only one species, the big lutrine opossum (previously known as just the lutrine opossum) was recognized, but a 2014 study described a second species, Lutreolina massoia, on genetic and morphological grounds.[1]

There are also two fossil species recognized, Lutreolina biforata (formerly placed in Hyperdidelphys)[2] and Lutreolina materdei.

References
  1. Juan A. Martínez-Lanfranco , David Flores , J. Pablo Jayat , and Guillermo D'Elía, A new species of lutrine opossum, genus Lutreolina Thomas (Didelphidae), from the South American Yungas, Source: Journal of Mammalogy, 95(2):225-240. 2014.
  2. Goin, F.J.; Pardiñas, U. (1996). "Revision de las especies del genero Hyperdidelphys Ameghino, 1904 (Mammalia, Marsupialia, Didelphidae). Su significacion filogenetica, estratigrafica y adaptativa en el neogeno del Cono Sur Sudamericano". Estudios Geológicos. 52 (5–6). doi:10.3989/egeol.96525-6275.


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