Marsupials

MarsupialsGreater Bilby Koala Marsupial Mole Numbat Quokka Western Quoll Yellow-Footed Antechinus

MacropodidaeKangaroo, Wallaroo, Euro, Wallaby Kangaroos Black-footed Rock Wallaby Eastern Grey Kangaroo Red Kangaroo Wallaroo Western Grey Kangaroo

Marsupials are members of the mammalian infraclass Marsupialia.

For many people, when discussing marsupials, the first if not only animal to spring to mind are kangaroos. There are of course a number of popular animals that are marsupials including the iconic koala, a marsupial mole, wallaby, Tassie Devil and the wombat, just some of the creatures that fall under the subclass of Marsupialia.

One of the distinctive characteristics that are common to most of the species, is that the young are carried in a pouch. The word marsupial comes from marsupium, a pouch that protects eggs and offspring, or reproductive structures.

The superorder Australidelphia contains roughly three-quarters of all marsupials, including those native to Australasia and one species from South America.

There are three families of living marsupials, that are also commonly referred to as ‘macropods’. These include the families:

• Hypsiprymnodontidae
  — smaller, omnivorous Musky Rat-kangaroo.
• Macropodidae
  — herbivorous kangaroos, wallabies, tree kangaroos, pademelons and a number of others.
• Potoroidae
  — smaller, omnivorous macropods such as Rufous Rat-kangaroo, bettongs, and potoroos.

Check out our following information (more information to be added)

• Kangaroo, Wallaroo, Euro, Wallaby
  • Black-footed Rock Wallaby
  • Eastern Grey Kangaroo
  • Red Kangaroo
  • Wallaroo
  • Western Grey Kangaroo
• Marsupial Mole
• Numbat
• Western Quoll
• Yellow-Footed Antechinus

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• Scientific classification
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Mammalia
• Clade: Metatheria
• Infraclass: Marsupialia
• Superorder: Ameridelphia
• Orders:
  Didelphimorphia
  Paucituberculata
  

• Superorder: Australidelphia
• Orders:
  Dasyuromorphia
  Diprotodontia
  Microbiotheria
  Notoryctemorphia
  Peramelemorphia
  †Yalkaparidontia

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Footnote & References

1. Marsupial, Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marsupial (last visited Jan. 5, 2021).

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MarsupialsGreater Bilby Koala Marsupial Mole Numbat Quokka Western Quoll Yellow-Footed Antechinus

MacropodidaeKangaroo, Wallaroo, Euro, Wallaby Kangaroos Black-footed Rock Wallaby Eastern Grey Kangaroo Red Kangaroo Wallaroo Western Grey Kangaroo

MacropodidaeKangaroo, Wallaroo, Euro, Wallaby Kangaroos Black-footed Rock Wallaby Eastern Grey Kangaroo Red Kangaroo Wallaroo Western Grey Kangaroo