Marsupial
Marsupial
A Marsupial is a type of mammal characterized by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young. They are part of the Infraclass Marsupialia, which is further divided into seven orders.
Characteristics[edit | edit source]
Marsupials have a unique reproductive system in which the female has two uteruses, unlike placental mammals which have one. The young, often called a joey, is born at a very early stage of development and crawls out of the uterus and into the mother's pouch. There, it latches onto a nipple and continues to develop.
Distribution and Diversity[edit | edit source]
Marsupials are found primarily in Australia and New Guinea, but also in America, particularly South America. They range in size from tiny shrew-like species to the large kangaroos and wallabies. The most well-known marsupials include the koala, wombat, and Tasmanian devil.
Evolution[edit | edit source]
The exact evolutionary history of marsupials is still a subject of debate among scientists. However, it is generally agreed that marsupials originated in South America and then spread to other parts of the world.
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
External links[edit | edit source]
| Marsupial Resources | |
|---|---|
|
 |
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
