🐙 Cell & Organismal Biology
Long-nosed Shrew Opossum
The long-nosed shrew opossum (Rhyncholestes raphanurus) is a small marsupial of the temperate rainforests of southern Chile. It has the longest snout among the shrew opossums.
The long-nosed shrew opossum (Rhyncholestes raphanurus) is a small marsupial of the temperate rainforests of southern Chile. It has the longest snout among the shrew opossums.
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A Valdivian Forest Species
The animal lives in the cool, wet forests of south-central Chile and Chiloé Island. It forages on the forest floor for earthworms, insects and fungi.
Threats
The forest is cleared for farming and timber, and the species is considered to be at risk. See Deforestation.
A Living Relic
Shrew opossums are remnants of a once-diverse order. See Silky Shrew Opossum.
Long-nosed Shrew Opossum at a Glance
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Rhyncholestes raphanurus |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Paucituberculata |
| Family | Caenolestidae |
| Field Guide group | Mammals: Marsupialia (Metatherians) |
| Diagnostic feature (Field Guide) | Tiny dark-furred marsupial of Chilean rainforests with an extra-long snout and a short tail that swells with stored fat before winter. |
| IUCN Red List status | Near Threatened (NT), assessed 2017 |
| Order | Paucituberculata |
| Habitat | Valdivian temperate rainforest |
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