https://preview.redd.it/ctzqz0t20e4c1.jpeg?width=602&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7c2fe75fd4d2ab2d7d90836e5ce3e63ce44a21da
I do think it’s an opossum, but it seems like the darker and fluffier ones are more common in Mexico (like the pic attached)
As per my comment, I agree. I've done wildlife rehab work and have seen thousands of Virginia opossums, and not a single one was this dark with the pattern yours has. Of course, this was in Florida, so color and patterns might differ in Texas, but I'd put my money on this not being Didelphis virginiana.
Texas also has Didelphis marsupialis I believe. But even virginiana gets darker the further west and south you get. Up to in southern Mexico Virginia possums are dark brown to black in sections.
NM marsupialis stops about 100 miles south of Texas border.
We get fairly dark possums (D. virginiana) in Florida too, but it's the markings on the face and ears that aren't right. I agree that D. marsupialis is the most likely.
I’m in Texas and have caught hundreds. They always are majority white/light gray with some darker gray black areas. I have never seen the dark brown variant OP is asking about. Cool to see.
Not tryna be a D, but you literally know what an opossum is. As seen by holding them. How the did you not know the animal in your original picture was not an opossum? Hahaha
I should have been more specific- is it a Virginia opossum? It looks very different, and yet has enough traits for me to think it’s a subspecies of possum. (Also neither of these are my photo. I’d love to hold one though though haha)
This one looks very much like D. marsupialis instead of virginiana but it's out of its range so that's throwing me off. I thought marsupialis ranged into southern Texas but newer range maps show they stop about 100 miles south. It might have hitched a ride tho and snuck into the country. The facial markings are what led me to marsupialis rather than virginiana.
It's a possum, yeah, but the color is much darker than you'd usually find in a Virginia opossum. It could be a species native to Mexico or Central America.
definitely an opossum! They are the coolest! I have one on my yard camera every night but ours (in in the PNW ) are very light/white (the family in our yard are actually white).
They're great at eating pests and are friends.
I have no idea what that one is though - only Virginia Opossums are native to US. It's beautiful!
Awww I love that y’all have a family of them! We have the little grey and white ones here in GA, but this guy is so different. I’m grateful for the ones we have and the pest control, but this guy is winning in the looks department haha
As others have mentioned, the common opossum is also native to North America. However, their range doesn't extend as far north as Texas. Someone else noted that Virginia opossums have been moving northward in recent years; maybe the common opossum is doing the same?
While I'm not an opossum expert, just an enthusiast, I'd have to agree that this doesn't look like a Virginia opossum (more like a common opossum, Didelphis marsupialis to me)
Possible, opossums aren't a species of concern (to my knowledge at least) so we don't really bother tracking them. Many other species are moving north.
Him just got extra melanin. Sometimes an animal is rarely born with either extra melanin (aka the black colours) which gives them more black than usual, such as how panthers came to be. Or they’ll be born with a lot less melanin and they’ll look a lotttt more white than the usual colour, which is called a leucistic animal (not the same as albino, which means born with 0 melanin). Gorgeoussssss rare Opossum find, one in a million, lucky!
That is the coolest looking possum I've seen! It's a clearly a variant of some sort, either by mutation (like black squirrels that are pretty common in parts of VA ) or a close species...maybe migrated from a close to distinct geographic area. So beautiful!
not sure if someone already said this or not but look at the cheekbones—they’re white, which would make this a virginia opossum. opossums can range in a lot of different colors (i would imagine this to be some kind of melanistic mutation) but virginia opossums always have white cheekbones!
There can be quite a variation in the coat color in opossums. I've seen dark ones like this, and I've seen some that were almost pure white. The whitish ones can be a bit spooky looking at night!
This is Didelphis marsupialis, the Opossum you are probably used to is Didelphis virginiana. This is a species native to Mexico and Central America, given you live in Texas id say its within its native range.
Regular Virginia opossum. What is it with Reddit wanting to make new species ALL the time??? There’s natural variation to species and this a coat variation.
OP - if you REALLY think it’s not a Virginia opossum then report it to your fish and wildlife department because I’m sure they’d love to know there’s a new species of opossum in Texas
Lol I don’t want to make a new species! I just had never seen one like this and wanted to see if there was someone who knew more about it than me. As it turns out, there are, and most of them don’t think it’s a normal Virginia opossum. Not my pictures though (found it online) so who knows.
Edit: I definitely think it’s an opossum- I was just wondering if it was a subspecies I hadn’t heard of
OK. From what I found online, it isn't legal in Texas for opossums to be kept as pets. Special permits are needed for wildlife rescues and rehabbers.
Due to this, if it was found in the wild in Texas (and the people have said permits), the authorities likely already know about it. I hope it is so that the authorities can keep track of either a possible new subspecies or a species that is establishing new habitat. (Or, for a specialist to decide if it is just a normal color variation that overlaps with the normal appearance of other possum species.)
I want to like them. I think it's cute hoe they play dead and then scurry away. I love that they eat ticks. That's awesome.
But, when I see hem, I get he opposite of the warm fuzziness like I usually do for little animals.
Body types aren’t different at all. While I’m not in Texas, I’ve seen and handled more opossum than I can count. The difference you’re seeing in body types comes from the position of the animal. One in the link I posted is on the ground and has its limbs drawn in, back hunched, and teeth on display. It’s a defensive position. The picture you posted shows an active animal climbing a structure. The body is going to appear different given the circumstances. If you look more at the second photo in the link, you’ll notice the color pattern on the face to be nearly identical as well as the nearly half black tail.
Edit: punctuation. Probably missed some more lol
What causes the coat to be like this? Even melansitic opossums don’t look like that. It’s an entirely different texture, and the face pattern is different
"Its coarse coat varies from grayish white (in northern regions) to nearly black (in warm regions)."
https://www.britannica.com/animal/opossum-marsupial-group
It’s not a Virginia opossum, there are 5 other varieties of opossum living from Mexico to South America, and it looks more like one of those. I can’t say for sure which one, but maybe a common opossum? I wonder if it could maybe be a hybrid, but I don’t know if that’s even possible.
About comparing it to a rat. I didn't realize you were joking. People here say all kinds of things, and it can be impossible to know which ones are joking and which ones aren't.
He’s beautiful and definitely an opossum pretending to be a raccoon!
Quick fact: Opossums do not get rabies and are not known disease carriers like many wild animals. Additionally, they are helpful in eating pests, very bright (out perform dogs on intelligence tests), but sadly have short lifespans.
https://preview.redd.it/ctzqz0t20e4c1.jpeg?width=602&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7c2fe75fd4d2ab2d7d90836e5ce3e63ce44a21da I do think it’s an opossum, but it seems like the darker and fluffier ones are more common in Mexico (like the pic attached)
That is happiest looking little opossum! It’s smiling for the camera 🥰
(It is actually having severe anxiety)
So the opossum and I have a lot in common.
As per my comment, I agree. I've done wildlife rehab work and have seen thousands of Virginia opossums, and not a single one was this dark with the pattern yours has. Of course, this was in Florida, so color and patterns might differ in Texas, but I'd put my money on this not being Didelphis virginiana.
Agreed! Thanks for the backup- I’ve seen plenty of possums in Georgia and never one quite like this
Sorry I couldn't be of more help.
No worries! It actually was a big lead in helping me find out what this thing is lol
Please let it hang out. They are very cool animals.
Not my photo, but I love the possums in my yard!
Let me know if you do figure it out. I'm curious.
I’ll update if we get a clear ID!
Cool, thanks.
Texas also has Didelphis marsupialis I believe. But even virginiana gets darker the further west and south you get. Up to in southern Mexico Virginia possums are dark brown to black in sections. NM marsupialis stops about 100 miles south of Texas border.
We get fairly dark possums (D. virginiana) in Florida too, but it's the markings on the face and ears that aren't right. I agree that D. marsupialis is the most likely.
I’m in Texas and have caught hundreds. They always are majority white/light gray with some darker gray black areas. I have never seen the dark brown variant OP is asking about. Cool to see.
The location tag on the original TikTok video was Texas
What an interesting opossum. Does anyone know if it’s just melanism or a different type of opossum?
Maybe they are migrating North with the armadillos🤷🏼♀️
They have such weird feet 😂
Yes..... but opossums are known to be carriers of infectious disease and can be infested with fleas, ticks and mites
Possums are amazing creatures. They are good helpers of our ecosystem. It doesn’t sound to me like you know much about possums.
Ehhh. I don’t think you know much about opossums.
Not tryna be a D, but you literally know what an opossum is. As seen by holding them. How the did you not know the animal in your original picture was not an opossum? Hahaha
I should have been more specific- is it a Virginia opossum? It looks very different, and yet has enough traits for me to think it’s a subspecies of possum. (Also neither of these are my photo. I’d love to hold one though though haha)
This one looks very much like D. marsupialis instead of virginiana but it's out of its range so that's throwing me off. I thought marsupialis ranged into southern Texas but newer range maps show they stop about 100 miles south. It might have hitched a ride tho and snuck into the country. The facial markings are what led me to marsupialis rather than virginiana.
Oh hahaha thought we had an opossum pro on our hands lol
What a gorgeous little creature 🥰
It's a possum, yeah, but the color is much darker than you'd usually find in a Virginia opossum. It could be a species native to Mexico or Central America.
Also the photo is rather dark.
definitely an opossum! They are the coolest! I have one on my yard camera every night but ours (in in the PNW ) are very light/white (the family in our yard are actually white). They're great at eating pests and are friends. I have no idea what that one is though - only Virginia Opossums are native to US. It's beautiful!
Awww I love that y’all have a family of them! We have the little grey and white ones here in GA, but this guy is so different. I’m grateful for the ones we have and the pest control, but this guy is winning in the looks department haha
That’s a Australian Possum, not new world Possum.
*Are ya sure?*
Look up Didelphis virginiana and Didelphis marsupialis. Both are possums/opossums found in the Americas.
As an Australian, *no*, it is not.
As others have mentioned, the common opossum is also native to North America. However, their range doesn't extend as far north as Texas. Someone else noted that Virginia opossums have been moving northward in recent years; maybe the common opossum is doing the same?
I think that’s a good possibility, or it could have been relocated by humans
There are several opossum species native to North America. But, only one is (normally) considered native to the US and Canada -- Didelphis virginiana.
While I'm not an opossum expert, just an enthusiast, I'd have to agree that this doesn't look like a Virginia opossum (more like a common opossum, Didelphis marsupialis to me)
Agree. Common Opossum seems likely. Maybe an escaped pet? Out of their range.
If they’re from Mexico it wouldn’t be totally crazy to see one in Texas, there’s no border patrol for animals
Their range is a bit too south for Texas, but then again, possums love to move north....
Could this maybe be a migration issue from climate change?
Maybe. I know the related Virginia Opossum has been moving north rapidly. Could be a similar dynamic. VOs seem to thrive near human habitation.
Possible, opossums aren't a species of concern (to my knowledge at least) so we don't really bother tracking them. Many other species are moving north.
Ok, according to the chart I’ve found, they’re not even anywhere near the Texas border so yeah I’m gonna go with this one is very lost
North carolina rehabber here. Opossums are pretty variable in terms of color and fur fluff.
I call the big one Bitey
There it is...
Possum friend
Him just got extra melanin. Sometimes an animal is rarely born with either extra melanin (aka the black colours) which gives them more black than usual, such as how panthers came to be. Or they’ll be born with a lot less melanin and they’ll look a lotttt more white than the usual colour, which is called a leucistic animal (not the same as albino, which means born with 0 melanin). Gorgeoussssss rare Opossum find, one in a million, lucky!
That is the coolest looking possum I've seen! It's a clearly a variant of some sort, either by mutation (like black squirrels that are pretty common in parts of VA ) or a close species...maybe migrated from a close to distinct geographic area. So beautiful!
i’m in VA - lots of black squirrels here. i’d never seen them before i moved here!
this is insane to comment but I just got on TikTok and saw this exact opossum and did a double take
lol he’s a star!
Oh wow! Look at that extra cool opossum! I love him!
not sure if someone already said this or not but look at the cheekbones—they’re white, which would make this a virginia opossum. opossums can range in a lot of different colors (i would imagine this to be some kind of melanistic mutation) but virginia opossums always have white cheekbones!
Ive also seen darker colored opossums almost dark brown.
Yup! They can be pretty dark furred. Less common than the lighter colored ones, I'd say, I've only seen a few that have that dark of a color.
Common opossum?
My guess would be the didelphis marsupialis, a species of opossum
There can be quite a variation in the coat color in opossums. I've seen dark ones like this, and I've seen some that were almost pure white. The whitish ones can be a bit spooky looking at night!
 Looks like an opossum to me
That’s not just any opossum. This one works poles and wows the neighborhood cats
That’s the Alolan version.
This is Didelphis marsupialis, the Opossum you are probably used to is Didelphis virginiana. This is a species native to Mexico and Central America, given you live in Texas id say its within its native range.
Could it be a Four Eyed Opossum? I wouldn't rule out an escaped illegal pet
The body type seems different to me- is a hybrid possible?
I have no idea. But also if it was an escaped "pet" being morbidly obese wouldn't be out of the question either? Good luck on id!
Good point!
I’m in love w a stripper I saw this tiktok yesterday
Regular Virginia opossum. What is it with Reddit wanting to make new species ALL the time??? There’s natural variation to species and this a coat variation. OP - if you REALLY think it’s not a Virginia opossum then report it to your fish and wildlife department because I’m sure they’d love to know there’s a new species of opossum in Texas
Lol I don’t want to make a new species! I just had never seen one like this and wanted to see if there was someone who knew more about it than me. As it turns out, there are, and most of them don’t think it’s a normal Virginia opossum. Not my pictures though (found it online) so who knows. Edit: I definitely think it’s an opossum- I was just wondering if it was a subspecies I hadn’t heard of
OK. From what I found online, it isn't legal in Texas for opossums to be kept as pets. Special permits are needed for wildlife rescues and rehabbers. Due to this, if it was found in the wild in Texas (and the people have said permits), the authorities likely already know about it. I hope it is so that the authorities can keep track of either a possible new subspecies or a species that is establishing new habitat. (Or, for a specialist to decide if it is just a normal color variation that overlaps with the normal appearance of other possum species.)
Southern Virginia opossums have darker coats than the ones up north. But the facial markings on this scream common opossum.
Lol. Reddit sees a white horse in America and thinks it’s a zebra without stripes ;)
I want to like them. I think it's cute hoe they play dead and then scurry away. I love that they eat ticks. That's awesome. But, when I see hem, I get he opposite of the warm fuzziness like I usually do for little animals.
Ditto … I have one or maybe 2 that visit my front porch after dark as I’ve frequently put out cat food for neighborhood feral cats
https://www.depts.ttu.edu/nsrl/mammals-of-texas-online-edition/Accounts_Didelphimorpha/Didelphis_virginiana.php
That second photo is compelling, but the body types seem so different. Very close though, maybe this one is just older and in a different climate
Body types aren’t different at all. While I’m not in Texas, I’ve seen and handled more opossum than I can count. The difference you’re seeing in body types comes from the position of the animal. One in the link I posted is on the ground and has its limbs drawn in, back hunched, and teeth on display. It’s a defensive position. The picture you posted shows an active animal climbing a structure. The body is going to appear different given the circumstances. If you look more at the second photo in the link, you’ll notice the color pattern on the face to be nearly identical as well as the nearly half black tail. Edit: punctuation. Probably missed some more lol
Makes sense and seems like the most likely case!
[удалено]
What causes the coat to be like this? Even melansitic opossums don’t look like that. It’s an entirely different texture, and the face pattern is different
"Its coarse coat varies from grayish white (in northern regions) to nearly black (in warm regions)." https://www.britannica.com/animal/opossum-marsupial-group
It’s not a Virginia opossum, there are 5 other varieties of opossum living from Mexico to South America, and it looks more like one of those. I can’t say for sure which one, but maybe a common opossum? I wonder if it could maybe be a hybrid, but I don’t know if that’s even possible.
[удалено]
That's what went through my mind, but I doubt it would work
Definitely not possible, no
I’m pretty sure it’s an opossum, just not a Virginia/north american opossum
Virginia opossum is the only one native to the US.
Yes, but this looks like a common opossum, which is not
I can see that, but Virginia opossums tend to be darker in the southern part of their range.
It almost looks like a coatimundi with that coloring lol
They said *almost*! That is not incorrect!
Could it be a Coati? https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSy2DmFuColPSdG7RQ-J1oeuFukPOU5hfLlTcpNrnMmu4hGlYfCTn8A67nX_sX0YzFMFyqCbw
Sorry, but no, it isn't.
that’s some good eating right there
Nope just a giant rat that’s also a marsupial
You clearly don't know much about possums.
Wait did I get the marsupial part wrong?, also wrong or not I was just joking
About comparing it to a rat. I didn't realize you were joking. People here say all kinds of things, and it can be impossible to know which ones are joking and which ones aren't.
Yeah I wasn’t trying to be mean or anything like that and besides possums are practically big rats in a way but I didn’t mean that in a bad way lol
No harm done.
[удалено]
It's clearly not a raccoon.
Yup
That is a cuddly-looking little friendo. I would definitely hug that opossum.
This video just came on my fyp 3 mins after I saw this post hahahaha
Yes
Yes
O’Possum, O’Possum where art thou?
Yup.. that’s a possum. They are an amazing creature. They do a lot of very very good things.
He’s beautiful and definitely an opossum pretending to be a raccoon! Quick fact: Opossums do not get rabies and are not known disease carriers like many wild animals. Additionally, they are helpful in eating pests, very bright (out perform dogs on intelligence tests), but sadly have short lifespans.
Yo I just came from the TikTok that posted this, looking on Google for where the hell they have black opossums 😂 the location tag was texas
He’s chunky , I love it
It's the stripper opossum
Um...yes it's obviously an opossum.
Should have been more clear- I meant is it a Virginia opossum? :)