Practical 5- BZ330 CSU

Fenestrated Palate

Having perforations, apertures, or transparent areas. Bones with holes in them.

Fusiform

Tapering at both ends; spindle shaped. Many mammals have fusiform bodies, especially for digging or swimming

Ricochetal Locomotion

Leaping locomotion (kangaroo)

Marsupium

pouch that protects eggs, offspring, or reproductive structures; especially the pouch of a female marsupial mammal

Patagium

Membrane of skin used for flying or gliding

Polydactylus

Separated toes

Syndactylus

Fused toes

Diprotodont

Two incisors

Polyprotodont

many incisors

Metatheria

• Marsupials

• Palate often fenestrated

• angular process is inflected medially

• Lacrimal canal is slightly anterior to the orbit

• Short gestation and long lactation

Order Didelpimorphia

• Range: North to South America( Nearctic)

• Common Name: American opossums and opossums

• Skull: I 5/4, Polyprotodont lower incisors, large canines, well developed sagittal crest

• Post cranial skeleton: 5 digits on each foot, polydactylus, prehensile tail

Order Paucituberculata

• Range: South America (neotropical)

• Common name: shrew opossums

• Skull: large rounded cranium, quadrate molars, diprotodont incisors

• Post cranial skeleton: polydactylus, lacks a pouch

Order Microbiotheria

• Range: South America (Neotropical)

• Common Name: Monito del monte

• Skull: no sagittal crest, short canines, elongated premaxilla, large and inflated auditory bullae, polyprotodont

• Post cranial skeleton: Ankle bone articulation, polydactylus, countershaded, moderately prehensile tail, well-developed pouch

Order Notoryctemorphia

• Range: Australia

• Common name: marsupial moles

• Skull: zalambdodont upper molors, I 4/3

• Postcranial skeleton: Modified foreclaws, last 5 cervical vertebrae are fused, third and fourth digits of forefeet are greatly enlarged, polydactylus

• Soft tissue: Pouch opens posteriorly, no external ears, small well-developed pouch

Order Peramelemorphia

• Range: Australia, New Guinea, one in Tasmania (Australasia)

• Common Name: Bandicoots and Bilbies

• Skull: elongated skull, well developed canines, I 5/3

• Post cranial skeleton: Syndactylus, short front limbs, pouch opens posteriorly

Order Dasyuromorphia

• Range: Australia, New Guinea, Tasmania (Australasia)

• Common Name: carnivorous marsupials

• Skull: Well-developed canines, polyprotodont I 4/3

• Post cranial skeleton: polydactylus

Thylacine

• Extinct due to overhunting

  • Dingos provide competition for food

• Backwards pouch (both sexes)

• Hunting:

  • Flexible front limbs for ambushing prey

  • Stiff back limbs for chasing prey

• Teeth are built for shearing (quadritubercular)