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Possum vs. Opossum: What's The Real Difference? (www.bobvila.com)

submitted 2 weeks ago by FenrirIII@lemmy.world to c/mildlyinteresting@lemmy.world

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[–] gedaliyah@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I actually don't think this is totally accurate. Possum is an alternate pronunciation/spelling of opossum. According to this thinly sourced Wikipedia article:

The common name "possum" for various Phalangeriformes species derives from the creatures' resemblance to the opossums of the Americas... However, although opossums are also marsupials, Australasian possums are more closely related to other Australasian marsupials such as kangaroos.

Can anyone confirm this one way or the other?

[–] paranoid@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

It actually touches on that in the article.

Even Merriam-Webster notes that both names colloquially refer to the Virginia opossum present in North America and that the word “opossum” can be pronounced with its first syllable voiced or silent. Both possums and opossums have a flexible diet and eat various plants and animal matter scavenged from their surroundings. Despite these similarities, however, possums and opossums are, in fact, different animals.

[–] gedaliyah@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Yes, I know that's what it says in this article, but I don't think it's correct. Merriam Webster actually says not only that opossum can be pronounced without the O, but it can also be spelled without the O. The two words are interchangeable according to Merriam Webster.

[–] huppakee@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

Either way it'll leave you with two different animals. Why make it extra confusing and spell their names the same?