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Mammalogy 4764 Fall 2009 1 Mammalogy 4764 Fall 2009 Monotremata - Ornithorhynchidae Monotremata - Tachyglossidae Duck-billed platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) Long-beaked echidna (Zaglossus bruijni) Males 50 cm long, 1.7 kg body mass Neonates have 12 molariform teeth Range restricted to New Guinea Resorbed so no teeth as adults Tasmania Endangered due primarily to hunting Nocturnal, solitary Larger than short-beaked spiny anteater (7-13 kg) Broad environmental tolerance - coastal to alpine areas. Hibernate in cold areas New Guinea Short-beaked echidna Marsupials Monotremata - Tachyglossidae Short-beaked spiny anteater (Echidna) Widespread in Australian region Patagonian opossum Euryzygoma 3-6 kg Lestodelphys halli Stout forelimbs to dig for ants and termites Diprotodon Whiptail wallaby Macropus parryi Long tongue, mucus helps capture prey Tasmanian wolf Thylacinus cynocephalus Bill is electroreceptor Guard hairs modified into spines Hibernate during cold periods Formerly Marsupialia Marsupials Included Herbivore and Carnivore Megafauna Didelphids Now 7 orders 75-15 mya Didelphids ~270 species in Australian (200) 50-25 mya Giant short-faced Kangaroo and Neotropical (70) regions Rhino 3 m tall -sized Didelphid reinvasion Pectoral girdle 2.7 mya Diprotodon 40 mya 40 mya Thylacosmilus atrox Savage and Long Thylacoleo 1 Mammalogy 4764 Fall 2009 South American marsupials -- Didelphidae: Marmosa robinsoni Marmosa murina 3 orders in New World: 1. Didelphimorphia 2. Paucituberculata 3. Microbiotheria 4 Orders in Australia: 1. Dasyuromorphia 2. Peramelemorphia 3. Diprotodontia 4. Notoryctemorphia Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) Water opossum (Chironectes minimus) Order: Microbiotheria Australian marsupials: Order Dasyuromorphia Microbiotheriidae: Dromicops gliroides) Paucituberculata Monito del monte Dasyuridae -- 15 genera, 61 species 1 Family Shrew opossums 1 Genus Single family, 3 genera, 5 species 1 Species Thylacinidae -- 1 modern species -- Tasmanian wolf Myrmecobiidae -- 1 modern species -- Numbat Australian marsupials: Order Dasyuromorphia Long-legged jumping mouse (Dasyuridae: Antechinomys laniger) Tasmanian devil -- Also a Dasyurid (Dasyuridae: Sarcophilus harisii) Heteromyidae Pygmy marsupial mouse (Dasyuridae: Planigale maculata) Tasmanian devil Current news 2 Mammalogy 4764 Fall 2009 Order Diprotodontidia Koala (Phascolarctidae: Phascolarctos cinereus) Order Diprotodontidia -- 10 families, 116 species Phascolarctidae -- Koala, monotypic Vombatidae -- Wombat Phalangeridae Potoroidae Macropodidae -- Kangaroos, Wallabies Burramyidae -- Pygmy-possums Acrobatidae Pseudocheiridae Petauridae Tarsipedidae -- Honey-possum, monotypic Order Diprotodontidia Order Diprotodontidia Coarse-haired wombat Macropodidae -- 11 genera, 54 species (Vombatidae: Vombatus ursinus) Kangaroo Sheep Order Diprotodontidia Order Diprotodontidia Petauridae -- 9 species Tarsipedidae Honey possum Tarsipes rostratus Leadbeaters possum Gymnobelideus leadbeateri Sugar glider Petaurus brevicep Diprotodon May not be monophyletic -- consequences? Order: Notoryctemorpha -- Monotypic 3 of 9 species threatened/endangered Marsupial “mole” (Notorhyctedae: Notorhyctes typhlops) Nocturnal, herbivorous or insectivorous 3 Mammalogy 4764 Fall 2009 ORDER INSECTIVORA Hedgehogs, moles, tenrecs, golden moles, solenodons, shrews Retain primitive characteristics Catchall for hard-to-fit taxa, e.g., Scandentia, Macroscelidea originally Old families -- 70 mya 4.
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