Diprotodont facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Diprotodontia Temporal range: Oligocene – Recent
A diprotodont, the agile wallaby (Macropus agilis)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Infraclass:	Marsupialia
Order:	Diprotodontia Owen, 1866
Suborders
Vombatiformes Phalangeriformes Macropodiformes

The Diprotodontia is a large order of about 120 Australasian marsupial mammals. It includes the kangaroos, wallabies, possums, koala, wombats, and many others.

Extinct members include the giant Diprotodon family, and Thylacoleo, the so-called "marsupial lion".

Classification

Order DIPROTODONTIA

• Family †Thylacoleonidae (marsupial lions)

• Suborder Vombatiformes
  • Family Phascolarctidae: Koala (1 species)
  • Family Vombatidae: wombats (3 species)
  • Family †Diprotodontidae
• Suborder Phalangeriformes
  • Superfamily Phalangeroidea
    • Family Phalangeridae: brushtail possums and cuscuses
    • Family Burramyidae: pygmy possums
  • Superfamily Petauroida
    • Family Tarsipedidae: Honey possum
    • Family Petauridae (Striped possum, Leadbeater's possum, Yellow-bellied Glider, Sugar glider, Mahogany glider, Squirrel glider)
    • Family Pseudocheiridae: ringtailed possums and allies
    • Family Acrobatidae: (Feathertail glider and Feather-tailed possum)
• Suborder Macropodiformes
  • Family Macropodidae: kangaroos, wallabies and allies
  • Family Potoroidae: bettongs, potaroos and rat-kangaroos
  • Family Hypsiprymnodontidae: Musky rat-kangaroo

† means extinct family, genus or species.

Images for kids

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  The prominent mandibular central incisors characteristic of the diprotodonts are evident in this Kangaroo Island western grey kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus)

See also

In Spanish: Diprotodontos para niños