Australian Mammals: Monotremes, Marsupials, and Unique Orders

Subclass Prototheria

Order Monotremata

Family Ornithorhynchidae

Platypus

Subclass Prototheria

Order Monotremata

Family Tachyglossidae

Echidna

Subclass Theria

Infraclass Metatheria

Marsupials

Order Didelphimorphia, Family Didelphidae “two wombs”

(Didelphis virginiana)

Virginia opossum

Order Microbiotheria, Family Microbiotheridae

Monito del monte

Order Paucituberculata

Family Caenolestidae “new robber”

shrew opossums

Order Dasyuromorphia

Family Dasyuridae

Marsupial carnivores

Family Myrmecobiidae

Numbat

Order Peramelemorphia

Family Peramelidae

Bandicoots

Order Diprotodontia

Family Phascolarctidae

“Pouch bear”

Koala

Order Diprotodontia, Family Vombatidae

Wombat

Order Diprotodontia,

Family Macropodidae

“big foot”

Kangaroos, wallabies, padymelons, etc.

Order Diprotodontia, Family Phalangeridae

Brush-tailed possums

Order Diprotodontia, Family Petauridae “perch, springboard”

Gliders

Order Diprotodontia

Family Tarsipedidae – “tarsier-foot”

Honey possums

Order Notoryctemorphia, “southern digger”

Family Notoryctidae

Marsupial moles