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paired with bifid penis

choriovitilline placenta: yolk-sac placenta that is less developed and provide less nutrient exchange from mother to fetus, no villi

small vascularized area of sac for gas exchange with mom (unspecialized contact)

produce altricial young (as in monotremes)

well developed forelimbs and mouth to climb up the pouch to the teat (O2 transport through skin)

O. Didelpimorphia, O. Paucituberculata

cohort zoogeography: nearctic/neotropical, and neotropical (respective to orders)

paired (fused) sperm heads (2 tails, one head), subtle differences in ankle bone shape compared to other marsupials

F. Caenolestidae

arboreal and insectivorous, neotropical

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F. Didelphidae

Opossum

primative dental structure, simple tribosphenic molars, arboreal/omnivorous, neartic/neotropical

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• marsupial mice, cats (quolls), tasmanian devils
• terrestrial, semi arboreal, wide range of habitats (no specialized locomotive skeletons- plantigrade)

Marsupial mice: interesting life history strategy (genus: Antechinus), males more aggressive for competition for females. High testosterone--> high stress--> loss of all males after each mating season

Quolls: near threatened, endangered (eutherian competition, introduced species?) Cane toads also kill quolls (poisonous), prone to distemper

Tasmanian Devils: eat carcases, around 40% of their body weight consumed each day to compensate for massive traveling to find food. Double facial tumor disease: Facial cancer virus 100% mortality rate, extinction by 30 years

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O. Dasyuromorphia

Numbats 

mymecophagous and diurnal, homodont, lots of teeth, long tongue, strong forelimbs for digging to capture insects

endangered: predation, and increase in fires

O. Dasyuromorphia

Tasmanian Wolf

Was widespread in Australia and Paupa New Guinea

Protected in 1936, last survivor died 2 months later

marsupial mole

fused cervical vertebrae, eyes under skin, no pinnae, leathery nasal shield

endangered due to habitat loss

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bandicoots and bilbies

syndactylous, and polyprotodont (only one with both!)

terrestrial omnivores

F. Microbiotheriidae

polyprotodont, diactylous

neotropical

insectivorous, smaller species, most numerous group

synapamorphies: diprotodont and syndactylous, three or fewer upper incisors, selenodont molars

KOALAS

eat eucalyptus, slow moving but can run/climb quickly, large caecum, 

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wombats

terrestrial grazers, nocturnal, only marsupials with everygrowing teeth, 

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brush tail and scaly tail possums, cuscuses

prehensive tail, opposable hallux, folivores and omnivores

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wrist winged gliders, striped possum, sugar gliders

nocturnal, herbivorous/omnivorous, arboreal (prehensive tail and opposable hallux) 

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feather tailed possum, feather tailed glider

gliding membranes elbows to knees

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honey glider

nocturnal, dedicated nectivores, arboreal with long prehensive tails

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kangaroo, wallaroos, wallaby

grazers or browsers

ecological equivalents of ruminant arteriodactyls

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common in macropods