List of adaptive radiated marsupials by form

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This is a list of adaptive radiated marsupials by form; they are adaptively radiated marsupial species equivalent to the many niche-types of non-marsupial mammals. Many of the surviving species are from Australia. There are unique types, for example the extinct genus Nototherium, a 'rhinoceros-type'.[1]

The new world has the common opossum, also a unique form.[2]

Even before the mid-19th century and Charles Darwin's time, biogeographers understood speciation and animal niches. A supreme example that became known to Darwin as sailing ships traveled the world is the New Zealand flightless, ground-dwelling, worm-eating kiwi, a bird, but a species in a mammal-niche.

Anteater-like

1 genus–(monotypic)
(2 subspecies)

Anteater-like marsupials
Taxa Presence Notes Images

Marsupial:
(anteater-like)

  1. M. fasciatus
    (2 subspecies)
 Western Australia
(2 subspecies)
Numbat, also called the banded anteater

Cat-like

1 genus–(6 species)

Cat-like marsupials
Taxa Presence Notes Images

Marsupial:
(cat-like)

  1. D. albopunctatus
  2. D. geoffroii
  3. D. hallucatus
  4. D. maculatus
  5. D. spartacus
  6. D. viverrinus
 Australia &
Papua and New Guineas
Tiger quoll

Groundhog-like

6 genera
2 surviving genera

Groundhog-like marsupials
Taxa Presence Notes Images

Marsupial:
(groundhog-like)

  1. 6 genera
Common wombat

Mole-like

1 genus–(2 species)

Mole-like marsupials
Taxa Presence Notes Images

Marsupial:
(mole-like)

  1. N. caurinus
  2. N. typhlops
Marsupial mole

Rhinoceros-like

1 genus

Rhinoceros-like marsupials
Taxa Presence Notes Images

Marsupial:
(rhinoceros-like)

Extinct
Nototherium

Panther-like

6 genera

Panther-like marsupials
Taxa Presence Notes Images

Marsupial:
(panther-like)

  1. †Priscileo pitikantensis (Upper Oligocene)
  2. †Priscileo roskellyae (Middle Miocene)
Subfamily Wakaleoninae
Genus †Wakaleo
  1. †Wakaleo alcootaensis (Upper Miocene)
  2. †Wakaleo oldfieldi (Lower—Upper Miocene)
  3. †Wakaleo vanderleueri (Middle—Upper Miocene)
Subfamily Thylacoleoninae
Genus †Thylacoleo
  1. †Thylacoleo carnifex (Pleistocene)
  2. †Thylacoleo crassidentatus (Pliocene)
  3. †Thylacoleo hilli (Pliocene)
 Extinct
Thylacoleo

Flying Squirrel-like

1 genus–(6 species)

Flying Squirrel-like marsupials
Taxa Presence Notes Images

Marsupial:
(flying squirrel-like)

  1. P. abidi
  2. P. australis
  3. P. biacensis
  4. P. breviceps
  5. P. gracilis
  6. P. norfolcensis
Sugar glider

Canine-like

1 genus–(1 species)

canine-like marsupials
Taxa Presence Notes Images

Marsupial:
(canine-like)

  1. T. cynocephlus
 Extinct
Thylacine, also called Tasmanian wolf or tiger

Hyena-like

1 genus–(1 species)

Hyena-like marsupials
Taxa Presence Notes Images

Marsupial:
(hyena-like)

  1. S. harrisii
 Extirpated
from mainland
(Tasmania only)
Tasmanian devil

Deer-like

Unique: opossum-like

? species

Unique—Opossum-like marsupials
Taxa Presence Notes Images

Marsupial:
(opossum-like)

  1. Many genera
Virginia opossum

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Marsupialia.
  1. ^ Wilson, Eisner, Briggs, Dickerson, Metzenberg, O'Brien, Susman, & Boggs. Life on Earth, Chapter: Biogeography, Graphic: Adaptive Radiation of Marsupials, p. 854-855.
  2. ^ Wilson, Eisner, Briggs, Dickerson, Metzenberg, O'Brien, Susman, & Boggs. Life on Earth, Chapter: Biogeography, Graphic: Adaptive Radiation of Marsupials, p. 854-855.
  • Wilson, Eisner, Briggs, Dickerson, Metzenberg, O'Brien, Susman, & Boggs. Life on Earth, Edward O. Wilson, Thomas Eisner, Winslow R. Briggs, Richard E. Dickerson, Robert L. Metzenberg, Richard D. O'Brien, Millard Susman, William E. Boggs, c 1973, Sinauer Associates, Inc., Publisher, Stamford, Connecticut. 1033 pp, 19 p Index & Back Page (hardcover, ISBN 0-87893-934-2)
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