marsupial - Taxonomy

A mammal, native to Australasia and the New World; young often develop in a pouch which opens forwards (climbing species) or backwards (burrowing species); vagina is branched; penis usually forked; second and third toes of foot often small and joined, forming a comb for grooming. (Order: Marsupialia, 266 species.)

For the frogs, see marsupial frog.

iMarsupials Fossil range: Middle Cretaceous - Recent
Female Eastern Grey Kangaroo with a joey in her pouch
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Subclass: Theria Infraclass: Marsupialia Illiger, 1811
Orders
Didelphimorphia Paucituberculata Microbiotheria Dasyuromorphia Peramelemorphia Notoryctemorphia Diprotodontia

Marsupials are mammals in which the female typically has a pouch (called the marsupium, from which the name 'Marsupial' derives) in which it rears its young through early infancy.

The early birth of marsupials removes the developing young much sooner than in placental mammals, and marsupials have not needed to develop a complex placenta to protect the young from its mother's immune system.

There are about 334 species of marsupials, over 200 of them native to Australia and nearby islands to the north.

Taxonomy

There are two primary divisions of Marsupialia: American marsupials and the Australian marsupials. The Order Microbiotheria (which has only one species, the Monito del Monte) is found in South America but is believed to be more closely related to the Australian marsupials.

Order Didelphimorphia (93 species) Family Didelphidae: opossums Order Paucituberculata (6 species) Family Caenolestidae: shrew opossums Order Microbiotheria (1 species) Family Microbiotheriidae: Monito del Monte Order Dasyuromorphia (71 species) Family Thylacinidae: Thylacine (a.k.a. Generally considered extinct Family Dasyuridae: antechinuses, quolls, dunnarts, Tasmanian Devil, and relatives Family Myrmecobiidae: Numbat Order Peramelemorphia (24 species) Family Thylacomyidae: bilbies Family Chaeropodidae: Pig-footed Bandicoot Family Peramelidae: bandicoots and allies Order Notoryctemorphia (2 species) Family Notoryctidae: marsupial moles Order Diprotodontia (137 species) Family Phascolarctidae: Koala Family Vombatidae: wombats Family Phalangeridae: brushtail possums and cuscuses Family Burramyidae: pygmy possums Family Tarsipedidae: Honey Possum Family Petauridae: Striped Possum, Leadbeater's Possum, Yellow-bellied Glider, Sugar Glider, Mahogany Glider, Squirrel Glider Family Pseudocheiridae: ringtailed possums and relatives Family Potoridae: potoroos, rat kangaroos, bettongs Family Acrobatidae: Feathertail Glider Family Hypsiprymnodontidae: Musky Rat Kangaroo Family Macropodidae: kangaroos, wallabies, and relatives