Marsupials
Mammaculture
Pensacola Jr College
Classification
w Class Mammalia
w Subclass Theria
w Infraclass Metatheria
w Order Marsupialia
Order Marsupialia
w Family Didelphidae
• opossums
w Family Phalangeridae
• possums, cuscuses
w
Family Dasyuridae
•
marsupial carnivores
Marsupialia (cont’d)
w Family Macropodidae
• kangaroos, wallabies
w Family Vombatidae
• wombats
w Family Phascolarctidae
• koalas
Marsupial
characteristics
w Most limited to Australia,
Tasmania, New Guinea (2 families in the Americas)
w Australian forms diversified
to all niches
w All bear embryonic young
w Only around half have
pouches or folds in females
Family Didelphidae
Didelphidae
w Range: N & S America
w physical characteristics:
• rat-shaped, unkempt fur
• long hairless tail, usually
prehensile
• some have pouch, some don’t
w Most forest living,
terrestrial
w Omnivores
w Large litter sizes
Virginia Opossum:
w North American species
w 10-12 lb opportunistic
scavenger
w Adapted to human society
w “plays possum”
w 2-3 litters of up to 18
young each per year (low survival)
Virginia opossum
Water Opossum
Mouse opossum
Family
Phalangeridae
Phalangeridae
w Range: Australia, Tasmania,
New Guinea, Sulawesi
w physical characteristics:
• domestic cat sized
• furred prehensile tail
• females have pouches
w Arboreal, nocturnal
w Omnivores
Brush-tailed
possum
w Australia and New Guinea
(introduced in New Zealand)
w adapted to human society
w opportunistic scavenger
w single young 1-2 times per
year (5 months in pouch)
Brush-tailed
possum
Spotted Cuscus
Family Dasyuridae
Dasyuridae
w Range: Australia, Tasmania,
New Guinea
w physical characteristics:
• wide variety of body types
• poorly developed pouch,
carry young underneath
w Wide variety of habitats
w
CARNIVORES
Tasmanian Devil
w
Range: Tasmania
w Powerful jaws
w Nocturnal scavenger (some
hunting now)
w 1 litter of 4 young per
year, wean at 20 weeks
w lifespan 8 years
Tasmanian Devil
Thylacine (extinct-
1936?)
Quoll
Long-tailed
Dunnart
Family
Macropodidae
Macropodidae
w Range: Australia, Tasmania,
New Guinea
w Physical characteristics:
• 4 digit large hind feet
(hopping)
• large tail (balance)
• 5 digit small forelimbs
(food handling)
• teeth similar to cow
(grazing)
Macropodidae
(cont’d)
w Size variations
w live from desert to tropical
rainforest, terrestrial to arboreal, but body plan same
w can eject young from pouch
w 1 young born at a time, 2
nipples with differing milk types, facultative diapause
Red Kangaroo
Wallaroo
Rock Wallaby
Lumholtz’s Tree
Kangaroo
Pademelon
Brush-tailed rat
kangaroo
Hare wallaby
Family Vombatidae
Vombatidae
w Range: Southeastern
Australia and Tasmania
w Physical characteristics:
• 2-4 feet long, stocky
• short legs, long claws
• vestigial tail
• backward-opening pouch
Vombatidae
(cont’d)
w Feed on roots, tubers, grass
w Burrowers
w May be gregarious below
ground
w One young per year, weans at
3 months but stays with mom
w 20 year lifespan
Common wombat
Family
Phascolarctidae
Phascolarctidae
w Range: Southeastern
Australia
w arboreal
w only eats leaves of a few
species of Eucalyptus trees (over 2 lbs per day)
w live in single male harems
Phascolarctidae
(cont’d)
w 1 young per year max
w backwards-facing pouch
w 5-6 month lactation in pouch
w rides on mother’s back for 6
months, fed semidigested leaves
w susceptible to
cryptococcosis
Koala
Koala hind foot