Philander fossil map
Where fossils of Philander have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 0 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 0 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Early mammals |
|---|---|
| Lived | 8 million years ago to the present (Tortonian to Holocene) |
| Periods | Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Didelphidae |
| Named by | Brisson 1762 |
| Fossil records | 12 occurrences at 6 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Panama |
| Rock formations | txn:39945, Ituzaingo, La Huertita |
About Philander
The nine species in the genus Philander, commonly known as gray and black four-eyed opossums, are members of the order Didelphimorphia. Mature females have a well-developed marsupium. The tail appears to be hairless except for the proximal (closest to the body) 5 or 6 cm, which has a few long hairs. The tail is slightly longer than the head-and-body length, and it is black for the proximal one half to two thirds of its length. The genus is closely related to Didelphis but the species of Philander are smaller than those of Didelphis. The genus formerly included Metachirus nudicaudatus, but this species lacks a pouch and so is now considered a separate genus. The common name comes from the white spots above the eyes, which can appear from a distance to be another set of eyes.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Gray and black four-eyed opossum (revision 1286711220), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q1284059.
