The new opossum has reddish-brown fur and a total body length of only 25 centimeters (10 inches) \u2013 though the tail makes up most of that length, as the body only measures around 10 centimeters (4 inches) long. The little marsupial<\/a> also has some pretty impressive black eyeliner-style markings on its small face, almost as if it is wearing a mask.\u00a0<\/p>\n New species of opossum or tiny bandit?<\/p>\n Image credit: Pedro Peloso<\/p>\n The new species has been named Marmosa chachapoya after the Chachapoya culture, which lived in the region from around 800 CE. It was collected at 2,664 meters (8,740 feet) of elevation, higher than most other known species in this genus.\u00a0<\/p>\n The team only found one of the new marsupials, but by comparing the genetics and the morphology with other similar species kept in museums, they determined that it was indeed a new species. The new specimen is a young adult and the team think it’s possible that some of the features could develop further in an adult of this species.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe know very little about this species, including its natural history and distribution, and only one specimen has been collected so far,\u201d continued Pavan. However, the team expects based on other species within the subgenus that this new marsupial is an exclusively montane forest species. While only one specimen was discovered in one location, the team thought that its range could extend along the eastern Andean slopes between the Mara\u00f1\u00f3n and Huallaga rivers.\u00a0<\/p>\n This is one of several new species all discovered from Parque Nacional del R\u00edo Abiseo, which has a lot of very different mammal species, including a semi-aquatic rodent that is yet to be described. The team highlight how much they have yet to discover about the biodiversity of the region and how species need conservation<\/a> actions to be protected<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a reminder of the critical importance of scientific exploration and conservation in areas like R\u00edo Abiseo,\u201d Pavan says.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n