Metachirus Burmeister 1854

Metachirus Burmeister 1854, Systematische Uebersicht der Thiere Brasiliens, Vol. 1: 135.

Type Species: Didelphis myosuros Temminck 1824

Synonyms: Cuica Liais 1872 .

Species and subspecies: 1 species with 5 subspecies:

Species Metachirus nudicaudatus (E. Geoffroy 1803)

Subspecies Metachirus nudicaudatus subsp. nudicaudatus E. Geoffroy 1803

Subspecies Metachirus nudicaudatus subsp. colombianus J. A. Allen 1900

Subspecies Metachirus nudicaudatus subsp. modestus Thomas 1923

Subspecies Metachirus nudicaudatus subsp. myosuros Temminck 1824

Subspecies Metachirus nudicaudatus subsp. tschudii J. A. Allen 1900

Discussion: Hall (1981) followed Pine (1973) in using the name Philander; see Hershkovitz (1976, 1981) who reaffirmed the use of Philander for the gray four-eyed opossums. Metacherius Sanderson, 1949, is an incorrect subsequent spelling of Metachirus Burmeister.