Are Marsupials Mammals (And Why)? Marsupials Vs Placental Mammals
Are Marsupials Mammals?
Marsupials are mammals and, like all other mammals, belong to the class Mammalia. Marsupials are known as “pouched mammals” because, after being born, their young continue to develop in a special pouch in the mother’s abdomen.
Marsupials belong to the infraclass Metatheria, which is one of the three main mammal groups, the others being the egg-laying monotremes and the placental mammals.
Well-known marsupial species include the red kangaroo, red-necked wallaby, koala, Tasmanian devil, and Virginia opossum (the only marsupial found in the wild in the USA).
You can see more examples of marsupials on this page: List of Marsupials with Pictures & Facts
The 335 living marsupial species are found only in Australasia and the Americas (with most New World species being found …