Yapok animal. It is the only living member of its genus, Chironectes .
Yapok animal The water opossum (Chironectes minimus), also locally known as the yapok (/ ˈ j æ p ɒ k /), is a marsupial of the family Didelphidae. [3] It is the only monotypic species of its genus , Chironectes . The water opossum lives in bankside burrows. It is the only living member of its genus, Chironectes . Adults average 70 cm (28 inches) in total length and weigh up to 790 grams (1. Try to imagine one that is much smaller, with sleek, waterproof fur. 7 pounds). It comes out after dusk to search for fish, crustaceans and other aquatic animals, which it eats on the bank. The animal shuts its eyes and ears and depends partly on its whiskers to detect motion, while its fingers, acutely sensitive to touch, are used to contact, check the texture of, and grasp prey. [ 4 ] The water opossum (Chironectes minimus), also locally known as the yapok, is a marsupial of the family Didelphidae. . Chironectes minimus (water opossum or yapok) is native to tropical and subtropical habitats from southern Mexico to Central and South America. [2] A yapok fishes and forages underwater, propelling itself with alternate strokes of its powerful hind legs and webbed feet. A pouch is present Geographic Range. Yapok is another name for the species Chironectes minimus, also known as the water The animal is found in the freshwater streams and lakes in Mexico, Central and South America. The yapok's webbed back feet helps it chase its prey in the water. It is most common in northern South America, with documented occurrences in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela (rare), Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. This semiaquatic creature is found in and near freshwater streams and lakes from Mexico through Central and South America to Argentina and is the most aquatic living Water opossum, (Chironectes minimus), a semiaquatic, web-footed marsupial (family Didelphidae, subfamily Didelphinae) found along tropical rivers, streams, and lakes from Mexico to Argentina. That is about what a yapok looks like.