Род густошерстных опоссумов = Caluromys J. Allen, 1900  
     Средних размеров опоссумы. Длина тела 22—30 см. Длина хвоста равна или больше длины тела и составляет 22—40 см. Хвост хватательный, в основании или до половины покрытый мехом.
    Волосяной покров на теле плотный и мягкий, в большинстве случаев одноцветный, серый, красный или бурый. На морде могут быть темные-полосы. У полосатого густошерстного опоссума на спине проходят две Х-образно пересекающиеся черные полосы. Выводковая сумка отсутствует: имеются лишь боковые кожные складки. Сосков 7. Диплоидный набор хромосом у густошерстного опоссума 14.
    Ведут преимущественно древесный образ жизни. Активны вечером, ночью и ранним утром. Днем обычно прячутся в дуплах деревьев. По характеру питания склонны к всеядности. Поедают сочные плоды, семена, насекомых, мелких позвоночных и т. д. Самки приносят по 3—4 детеныша в помете. В прошлом густошерстных опоссумов добывали из-за меха.
    Распространены от южной Мексики до северной Аргентины.
      Caluromys derbianus (Waterhouse, 1841)
    Names: English: Central American Woolly Opossum; Russian: ПУШИСТЫЙ ОПОССУМ
    These opossums are found in Belize, Colombia (West), Costa Rica, Ecuador (West), Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama. They are uncommon but not rare in the wild, and while not currently endangered they may be vulnerable. They are nocturnal and omnivorous, hunting for insects, fruit and rodents in the evening. They reach sexual maturity at 7-9 months and were reported to have litter sizes of 2-4 in Nicaragua and 3-4 in Panama.
    These opossums are compared to primates in Primate Adaptation and Evolution:
    "Thus, Rasmussen (1990) conducted a field study of the neotropical marsupial Caluromys derbianus, a didelphid that shows striking anatomical similarities to primates in having a relatively large brain, a nearly complete postorbital bar, a relatively short snout, and primate-like proportions in its (clawed) digits. Similarly, in a study of the hand morphology and grasping abilities of marsupials and prosimian primates, Lemelin (1995) found that Caluromys was strikingly similar to small prosimians such as Cheirogaleus and Microcebus in details of digital proportions and grasping and manipulation."
     Caluromys lanatus (Illiger, 1815)
    Names: English: Western Woolly Opossum; Brown-Eared Woolly Opossum; Russian: ГУСТОШЕРСТНЫЙ ОПОССУМ
    These opossums are found in Argentina (North - Misiones Province), Bolivia (East), Brazil (Southeast, Southwest and West), Colombia (North and Central), Ecuador (East), Guyana, Peru (East), Paraguay (East and South, Caazapá) and Venezuela (Northwest and South). They are uncommon but not rare in the wild, and while not endangered they may be near threatened.
     Caluromys philander (Linnaeus, 1758)
    Names: English: Bare-Tailed Woolly Opossum; Russian: ЖЕЛТЫЙ ОПОССУМ
    These opossums are found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela. They are uncommon but not rare in the wild, and while not endangered they may be near threatened. Their body size is about 170 grams. (Olifers, 2004). The longest recorded lifespan in captivity is 6.3 years (Carey & Judge, 2001). They can have at least 3 litters a year of 1-7 young. Their 25 day gestational period may be the longest of all opossums. Nursing lasts 3 months and weaning occurs around 4 months.