Marsupials comprise 6% of mammalian diversity with 272 species classified into 6 families. Although marsupials appear to have evolved in North America, most of the current diversity is found in the Australian region (Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands) and the Neotropics (southern Mexico, Central America, and most of South America). The marsupial lineage has evolved separate from placental mammals for at least 100 milllion years, and maybe longer. Marsupials are best known for their marsupium or pouch (although not all species have this structure). Marsupials also share a number of other distinct morphological features. Such features include, but are not limited to, a very small, narrow braincase, housing small cerbral hemispheres with simple convolutions, large openings in the palate and modified auditory bulla.. Marsupials typically have greater numbers of teeth than do placental mammals. The Virginia opossum is the only marsupial found in North America north of Mexico.
Images of some marsupials can be found below:
Any comments or suggestions? If so, please send them to Buzz Hoagland (bhoagland@wsc.ma.edu)
Last updated 6.10.97
