---
title: "Water Opossum"
description: "Chironectes minimus — Mammiferi. The water opossum (Chironectes minimus), also locally known as the yapok (), is a marsupial of the family Didelphidae."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/it/animal/water-opossum
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Water Opossum

> Chironectes minimus — Mammiferi. The water opossum (Chironectes minimus), also locally known as the yapok (), is a marsupial of the family Didelphidae.

- Scientific name: *Chironectes minimus*
- Category: `mammals` (Mammiferi)
- Habitats: `freshwater` (Laghi e fiumi)
- iNaturalist observations: 143
- Wikidata: [Q660423](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q660423)
- iNaturalist taxon: [42700](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/42700)

## Names

- en: Water Opossum
- de: Schwimmbeutler
- es: Tlacuache acuático
- fr: Opossum aquatique
- nl: Wateropossum
- pt: Cuíca-d'água
- pl: Japok

## Countries with the most observations

CO (47), EC (15), BR (11), PE (9), PA (5), BZ (4), HN (4), CR (3), GF (3)

## Summary

The water opossum (Chironectes minimus), also locally known as the yapok (), is a marsupial of the family Didelphidae. It is the only monotypic species of its genus, Chironectes. 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 marsupial (the lutrine opossum also has semiaquatic habits). It is also the only extant marsupial species in which both sexes have a pouch. The now extinct thylacine, commonly referred to as the Tasmanian tiger, also exhibited this trait.
The local name for the water opossum…

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_opossum

## Photo

![Water Opossum](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/water-opossum/medium.jpg)

Photo: Alfredo F. Fuentes Claros · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/86806896

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/water-opossum?lang=it` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).