About Marsupials
Marsupials are fascinating animals. There are currently less than 300 species left in the world, primarily in Australia and South America. This section will eventually describe each marsupial plus information about them in general, including biology, history, a glossary and "fun facts".
Marsupial Fun Facts
Fewest teeth: Honey Possum (Tarsipes rostratus) with 22
Most teeth: Numbat with 52
Fewest nipples: Koalas and wombats with 2
Most nipples: A short-tailed opossums from the genus Monodelphis has 27
Shortest gestation period: Marsupial cat (Dasyurus viverrinus) with 8 days
Longest gestation period: Red-necked wallaby (Wallabia rufogrisea) with 40 days.
Largest living marsupial: Kangaroo (Macropus rufus) - males measure up to 4.6 feet tall and weigh up to 150 pounds.
Smallest living marsupial: Planigale ingrami at 4.7" in total length and only 4 grams.
Smallest gliding mammal: Honey Possum (Tarsipes rostratus)
Biggest living marsupial carnivore: Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) Source: National Geographic Wild
Only alpine marsupial: Mountain pygmy possum (Burramys parvus) Source: Victoria Park Web
Only hibernating marsupial: Mountain pygmy possum (Burramys parvus) - while other marsupials may enter brief periods of torpor, the mountain pygmy possum can actually hibernate for 6 or more months. Source: World Wildlife
Only marsupial living north of Mexico: Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) Source: 50 bazillion websites
Only living marsupial with a rudimentary placenta: Bandicoots
Only living marsupial with two rootless incisors in each jaw: Common wombat (Vombatidae ursinus)
Only marsupial endemic to Victoria: Leadbeater's possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri) Source: London Zoo News
Only marsupial feeding solely on insects: Numbat
Only marsupial feeding solely on nectar and pollen: Honey possum (Tarsipes rostratus) It's not only special as a marsupial; according to Encarta encyclopedia, it's also one of the only mammals aside from bats that can do so.
Only marsupial to cache food: Mountain pygmy possum (Burramys parvus) Source: Menkhorst, 1995
Only semiaquatic marsupial: Yapok/water opossum (Chironectes minimus) Source: Encyclopedia Britannica, Article Opossum
Only marsupial with the luteal phase of estrus induced by mating: Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) This type of induced-estrus is common in rabbits, but unusual in marsupials. Source: Johnston, 2000 Journal of Reproduction and Fertility
Only marsupial with a gestation period longer than its estrus cycle: Swamp Wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) - This allows for successful mating to occur while the swamp wallaby is already pregnant. Source: 2001 Queensland Term Wildlife Field Guide
Only marsupial with a trophectodermic syncytium: Gray Short-tailed opossum (Monodelphis domestica) Source: Zeller & Freyer, 2001, Early ontogeny and placentation of the grey short-tailed opossum
Only marsupial arboreal folivore fermenting their browse in the foregut: Tree Kangaroos. Source: Tree Kangaroo Net
Only marsupial with continually erupting molars: Pygmy rock wallaby (Petrogale concinna) Source: Animal Diversity Web
Only marsupial with marginal temperature regulation: Marsupial mole (Notoryctes caurinus) Sourse: Withers et al, 2000 Metabolic physiology of the north-western mole, Notoryctes caurinus (Marsupialia: Notoryctidae). Australian Journal of Zoology 48: 241-258
Only caecotrophic marsupial: Ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) Source: Chilcott, 1985 Coprophagy and Selective Retention of Fluid Digesta: Their Role in the Nutrition of the Common Ringtail Possum, Pseudocheirus Peregrinus
Largest brain compared to size: Striped possum Source: Alan's Wildlife Tours, December Newsletter
Only marsupial endemic to Cape York Peninsula, North Queensland, Australia: Cinnamon antechinus (Antechinus leo). Source: Luke, 1999. Antechinus leo Ecology of Australian tropical rainforest mammals
Only mammal to breathe through its skin: Julia Creek dunnart (Sminthopsis douglasi). The newborn dunnarts are approximately the size of a grain of rice, and can breathe through their skin. This is common in amphibians like frogs or salamanders, but not mammals. The test for the dunnarts involved tiny tubes and sealed chambers. Source: Rivera, Article Science World, 05/10/1999
Marsupial Overview
Marsupials are characterized by premature birth and the development of the young while attached to nipples on the mother. The pouch (called a "marsupium") is not actually found in all marsupials. The most well-known marsupials are kangaroos, koalas, wallabies and wombats. They are found in Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea and South America. Most marsupials are the size between a squirrel and medium-sized dog. About 175 species are found in natively in Australasia. Some have been introduced to New Zealand. In quantity, there are more vegetarian marsupials than carnivorous.
There are two South American families remaining; Didelphidae (about 65 species) and Caenolestidae (7 species). They were the first known marsupials from the Cretaceous Period (136-65 million years ago). The oldest remains are from North America. They are thought to have traveled through land connection towards Australia. After Australia separated from the other continents in the Tertiary Period (65 million years ago), the marsupials there evolved without much competition from placental mammals and spread widely throughout this period.
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