Lutreolina

Lutreolina is a genus of opossum found in South America. Both extant species in this genus are known as lutrine opossums. They have an otter-like body plan and occasionally semiaquatic tendencies, hence the genus name Lutreolina, which is Latin for "otter-like".

Lutreolina Temporal range: Miocene - Recent
Big lutrine opossum (L. crassicaudata)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Infraclass:	Marsupialia
Order:	Didelphimorphia
Family:	Didelphidae
Tribe:	Didelphini
Genus:	Lutreolina Thomas, 1910
Type species
Didelphis crassicaudata Desmarest, 1804
Species
Lutreolina crassicaudata Lutreolina massoia †Lutreolina biforata †Lutreolina materdei

Formerly, only one species, the big lutrine opossum (previously known as just the lutrine opossum) was recognized, but a 2014 study described a second species, Lutreolina massoia, on genetic and morphological grounds.^[1]

There are also two fossil species recognized, Lutreolina biforata (formerly placed in Hyperdidelphys)^[2] and Lutreolina materdei.