Marsupial Subgroups
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Subclass: Marsupilia
The diversity of marsupials is currently much greater than
that of the monotremes. There are two primary divisions of Marsupialia;
the Ameridelphia (those marsupials that live in South America),
and the Australidelphia (those that live in Australia).
Superorder Ameridelphia
- Order Didelphimorphia (63 species)
- Family Didelphidae - opossums
- Order Paucituberculata (6 species)
- Family Caenolestidae - shrew opossums
Superorder Australidphia
- Order Microbiotheria (1 species)
- Family Microbiotheriidae - Monito del Monte
- Order Dasyuromorphia (63 species)
- Family Thylacinidae - Thylacine (marsupial wolf) (generally
considered extinct)
- Family Dasyuridae: Antechinuses, quolls, dunnarts, Tasmanian
Devil, and relatives
- Family Myrmecobiidae - Numbat
- Order Peramelemorphia (21 species)
- Family Peroryctidae - Rainforest bandicoots
- Family Peramelidae - Bandicoots and bilbies
- Order Notoryctemorphia (2 species)
- Family Notoryctidae - Marsupial moles
- Order Diprotodontia (117 species)
- Family Phascolarctidae - the 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 Gilder, Mahogany Gilder and Squirel
Gilder
- Family Pseudocheiridae - Ringtailed possums and relatives
- Family Potoridae - Potoroos, rat kangaroos, bettongs
- Family Acrobatidae - Feathertail Glider
- Family Hyspiprymnodontidae - Musky Rate Kangaroo
- Family Macropodidae - kangaroos, wallabies and relatives
Images used, with permission, from Wikipedia
Author: Catrin Roberts
Last updated: 23.11.83
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