Monodelphis pinocchio


Monodelphis pinocchio, also known as the long-nosed short-tailed opossum is a species of mammal in the family Didelphidae. It is endemic to southeastern Brazil.

Taxonomy

The specific epithet refers to the fictional doll Pinocchio from The Adventures of Pinocchio, alluding to the enlarged rostrum of this opossum, which resembles Pinocchios's elongated nose.

Description

It is a small species of opossum. It is uniformly brown all over its body, with a pale gray belly.

Distribution and habitat

It is found in the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil, in the states of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and Esperito Santo. It is restricted to montane habitats.