There are two subclasses of mammals - pervozveri and real animals.The former refers squad monotremes.They differ from the latter in that lay their eggs, but the young ones are hatched, feed milk.These animals are divided into two superorder - marsupials and placental mammals.
different from the first second that during pregnancy the female does not form the placenta - a temporary organ that bond between parent and subsidiary body.But these animals have a bag, which is designed for wearing out a baby that is born incapable of independent life.This superorder contains only one unit - marsupials.A placental belong to all the other groups, such as the even-toed ungulates, pinnipeds, predators, primates, bats and so on. D.
Classification
marsupial mammals in the taxonomy of animals occupy an ambiguous position.On some systems, this group of organisms is the squad, but on the other - infraclass.For example, take a koala.In one embodiment, its place in the classification is as follows:
- Domain - eukaryotes.
- kingdom - Animals.
- Type - Chordates.
- Subtype - Vertebrates.
- Class - Mammals.
- squad - marsupials.
- family - Vombatovye.
Alternatively - so:
- Domain - eukaryotes.
- kingdom - Animals.
- Type - Chordates.
- Subtype - Vertebrates.
- Class - Mammals.
- infraclass - marsupials.
- squad - diprotodontia.
- suborder - Vombatoobraznye.
- family - Koalovye.
Feature marsupial mammals
Most species of this order are endemic, ie found only in a particular locality.Most often it is Australia.Almost all marsupial mammals of the planet live on this continent.Most marsupials is listed in the Red Book.
Also, representatives of this group of animals inhabit New Guinea, and are found in North and South America.Marsupial mammals are divided into nine families: Opossumovye, marsupial anteaters, peramelidae, Carnivorous marsupials Tsenolestovye, Possumovye, kangaroo, Vombatovye, marsupial moles.The oldest and most primitive of the families of the squad are Opossumovye from them came all the other animals in the group.Let's look more each family and its representatives.
Marsupials outside Australia
The oldest family - Opossumovye.Animals belonging to this group - one of the few marsupials that live outside of Australia.
They are common in America.To this family belong to the marsupial mammals such as smoky, oriental, house, velvet, American opossums.These are small animals, about 10 cm long, with a long tail and thick hair.They are mostly nocturnal, feeding on insects and various fruits.These animals are good at pretending to be dead in an emergency.Also outside Australia, in South America, home to some species of kangaroos, for example, wallabies.
representatives squad marsupial living in Australia
These include a large part of this group of animals.The most famous of these are mammals kangaroo family.To him belong to such representatives as red kangaroo, kangaroo bear, kangaroo long-eared, western gray kangaroos and so on. D. It is a large animal, having a large tail that serves as additional support for them.These mammals underdeveloped forelegs, but a strong back, allowing them to move around, jumping over large distances.The basic diet consists of kangaroo plants.These young animals born small as three centimeters in length, gestational female is about 30 days (up to 40, depending on the species).In addition, this family includes kangaroo rat.No less common in Australia are wombats.This small animal muzzle which is a bit like a bear, but their teeth are almost the same as in rodents.
wombats feed on the roots of various plants, all kinds of fruits and seeds.Their front paws have large claws that allow them to more effectively dig the soil, because wombats - are among the animals that spend most of their lives in burrows underground.Similar behavior characterized and marsupial moles - are small animals eating beetle larvae and seeds.They also differ in that they do not have a constant body temperature.
Marsupials listed in the Red Book
The most famous of these - a koala.They are on the verge of extinction, as the only product on which they feed, are eucalyptus leaves, and not all - of the 800 species of this plant are eaten by koalas only 100. It is also listed in the Red Book ringtailed kangaroos, northern long-haired wombat, marsupial marten and others.
The biggest and the smallest animal unit Marsupials
biggest mammal of this group is a great gray kangaroos, and the smallest - Possum, honey badger, which is powered by pollen.The largest marsupial lives in South and Western Australia.Its weight can reach fifty kilos and height - a little more than a meter.
The smallest marsupial mammals - Acrobates pygmaeus - live only in Australia.His weight is rarely more than fifteen grams.This animal has a long tongue, it is necessary in order to make it easier to get pollen and nectar plants.It is also one of the smallest marsupials can be called the marsupial mouse, the weight of which is also about ten grams.
