Family Dasyuridae. Australia, Pleistocene and Recent. Pouched mice, native cats, Tasmanian devil.
Family Thylacinidae. Australia, Pleistocene, Recent. Tas manian wolf.
Family Borhyaenidae. Patagonia, Lower Miocene.
Family Myrmecobiidae. Australia, Recent. Banded anteater. Family Notoryctidae. Australia, Recent. Marsupial mole.
3. Superfamily Perameloidea. Australian Region. Terrestrial, with kangaroo-like hind limbs, longer than fore limbs, adapted for scratching, digging and leaping. Hallux reduced, fourth digit much enlarged, second and third syndactylous. Snout very long, projecting, pointed. Dentition insectivorous-omnivorous, poly protodont. Dental formula: - P4 MV X 2 = 48 or 46. Incisor teeth with flattened, not pointed, crowns. Upper molars more or less quadrangular, long-crowned, main outer cusps prob ably representing much enlarged marginal cusps of primitive dasyuroids. Auditory process of alisphenoid inflated. Jacobson's organ well developed. Nipples six to eight. Pouch present, open ing downward and somewhat backward. Median vaginal cul-de sac moderately developed, young at least occasionally delivered via lateral vaginal canals. Allantoic placenta well developed.
Family Peramelidae. Australia and New Guinea, Pleistocene, Recent. Bandicoots.
4. Superfamily Caenolestoidea. Andean South America, Mio cene to Recent. Terrestrial shrew-like forms with narrow non syndactylous hind feet with slender hallux. Snout elongate. In sectivorous, functionally more or less diprotodont but with poly protodont. Dental formula : or 4 P-R' Mt) X 2 = 46 or 48. First and second upper molars more or less quadrangular, short crowned; lower molars modified tuberculo-sectorial with large talonids. Last lower premolars sometimes compressed, grooved (Abderites). Auditory process of alisphenoid moderate. Jacob son's organ very well developed, essentially as in polyprotodonts. Teats four. Pouch absent in adults. Marsupial bones well de veloped. Median vaginal canal essentially as in Didelphiidae.
Family Caenolestidae. Patagonia, Miocene to Recent.
5. Superfamily Phalangeroidea. Australian region, Pliocene to Recent. Primarily arboreal, secondarily terrestrial and derived
forms; the primitive arboreal type with strongly grasping hind feet, the hallux large and divergent, second and third digits markedly syndactylous. Snout typically rather short and thick. Dentition primarily herbivorous, diprotodont ; dental formula reduced, typically (I4 A41) X 2 =36. Upper and lower molars typically bicrescentic or bilophodont. Last premolars com pressed, in primitive forms grooved. Auditory process of alis phenoid usually well inflated, typically bridging petrous bone be low and joining paroccipital process. Nipples usually four, rarely two. Pouch well developed, opening forward. Marsupial bones well developed. Median vaginal canal well developed, the young delivered through a temporary pseudo-vaginal opening. Allantois not forming a placenta.
Family Phalangeridae. Australian Region, Pliocene to Re cent. Phalangers, native bears.
Family Thylacoleontidae. Australia, Pleistocene.
Family Macropodidae. Australia, Pliocene to Recent. Kanga roos.
Family Diprotodontidae. Australia, Pliocene to Recent. Family Phascolomyidae. Australia, Pliocene to Recent. Wombats.