Marsupials probably originated in North America in the late Cretaceous or early Paleogene, and spread to South America, Antarctica and Australia while the supercontinent Gondwana was still united. Currently about 30% of the extant species of marsupials are native to the Americas.
The opossum on the other hand probably originated in what is now the Amazon rainforest, there are still several species of Didelphidae in South and Central America, but I think the best known is the North American Opossum.
WikitomiC t1_ix288mp wrote
Reply to comment by Conscious_Bend_7308 in TIL: raccoons are native to North America, having been introduced elsewhere only in the 20th century. by acequark
Marsupials probably originated in North America in the late Cretaceous or early Paleogene, and spread to South America, Antarctica and Australia while the supercontinent Gondwana was still united. Currently about 30% of the extant species of marsupials are native to the Americas.
The opossum on the other hand probably originated in what is now the Amazon rainforest, there are still several species of Didelphidae in South and Central America, but I think the best known is the North American Opossum.