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What are three classes of mammals
- Eutheria : eutherians
- Prototheria: monotremes
- Metatheria: marsupials
Australia has all three
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Describe monotremes
- In monotremes we have echidnas and platypus.
- These are in Oz and PNG
- they have some reptilian characteristics in that they lay some soft shelled eggs
- they however feed their young through lactating pores that secrete milk
- Platypus : detect weak electronic field through specialized sensors in their bills
- Echidna: short beaked/long beaked, produce milk , lay eggs and have no tete has electroreception eat ants.
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Describe marsupials
- Females have young in pouch
- Distributed in S.A ,NZ,PNG,AUS
- Can be polyprodont or diprodont
- Polyprodont more than one pair of incisors :carnivores/omnivores bilbies
- Diprodont: herbivores/omnivores wombats,koalas,kangaroos and possums
- Macropods: tree kangaroo,musky rat kangaroo, tammar wallaby
- Possum and gliders : mountain pygmy possum
- marsupial mole: lives underground, blind,very successful
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Describe Eutherians
- Rodents, mice and bats
- marine : whales, dolphins,seals and duegongs
- Introduced mammals: cats, fo dingoes , horses all pets
- Dingoes:
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