Possum

For animals with names containing "opossum" which do not belong to the below groups, see Opossum (disambiguation).

The possums (sometimes opossums) are two groups of marsupials, which outside of the Virginia (o)possum display a characteristically Gondwanan distribution:

American possums

• Didelphimorphia , or (o)possums, an order of marsupials native to the Americas
  • Didelphis , a genus of marsupials within Didelphimorphia
    • Common opossum, native to Central and South America
    • Virginia opossum, native to North America
    • White-eared opossum, native to South America

Australasian possums

• Phalangeriformes , also called (o)possums, any of a number of arboreal marsupial species native to Australia, New Guinea, and Sulawesi
  • Common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), a common possum in Australian urban areas, invasive in New Zealand
  • Common ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus), also common in Australian urban areas, absent from New Zealand
  • Phalangeridae (possums and cuscuses), a family of marsupials native to Australia and New Guinea containing most of the species referred to as "possums" in Australia

Possum may also refer to:

People

• Possum Bourne (1956–2003), New Zealand rally car driver
• George Jones (1931–2013), known as "The Possum", American country music singer
• Possum Jones (1934–1997), American NASCAR driver
• Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri (1932–2002), Indigenous Australian painter
• Possum Whitted (1890–1962), American baseball player

Arts and entertainment

Film and television

• Possum (film), a 2018 British psychological horror film
• Possums (film), a 1998 sports comedy film
• "The Possum", an episode of Parks and Recreation

Music

• "Possum", a 1987 song written by Jeff Holdsworth on Trey Anastasio's 1987 album The Man Who Stepped into Yesterday
• "Possum", a 1989 song by Australian band feedtime from their fourth album, Suction
• "Possum", a 1995 song by Juned
• "The Possum", a 2015 song by Sun Kil Moon from Universal Themes
• “Possum Kingdom”, a 1994 song by American rock band Toadies

Other uses

• POSSUM, or Patient Operated Selector Mechanism, communications device for people with disabilities

See also

• Opossum (disambiguation)