Monotremes and Marsupials Objectives

Monotremes and Marsupials
Objectives
• Describe the difference between monotremes
and marsupials.
• Name the two kinds of monotremes.
• Give three examples of marsupials.
• Explain why many marsupials are endangered or
extinct.
I. Monotremes
A. A monotreme is a mammal that
lays eggs. Monotremes have all the
traits of mammals, including
mammary glands, a diaphragm, and
hair. They are also endothermic.
B. A female monotreme lays eggs with
thick, leathery shells. She uses her
body energy to keep the eggs warm.
C. Monotremes do not have nipples.
Their young lick milk from the skin
and hair around the mother’s
mammary glands.
I. Monotremes
D. Echidnas: Their large claws and
long snouts help them dig ants and
termites out of insect nests.
E. The Platypus: The other living
monotreme species is the platypus
that lives in Australia.
F. Platypi are swimming mammals
that feed and live in rivers and
ponds. They use their webbed feet
and flat tails to move through the
water. Their flat, rubbery bill is
used to dig for food and dig
tunnels in riverbanks.
Echidna Video
II. Marsupials
A. A mammal that carries and nourishes its young in a pouch is a
marsupial.
B. Like all mammals, marsupials have mammary glands, hair, and
specialized teeth. They give birth to live young.
C. Marsupials development is unique because newborn marsupials
continue their development in a mother’s pouch.
II. Marsupials
D. The Pouch: Marsupials are born at an
early stage of development. They are
born just days or weeks after
fertilization.
E. Newborns drag themselves through
their mother’s fur to the pouch on
her belly where they continue to
develop. Inside the pouch, the
newborn latches onto a nipple, and
starts drinking milk.
F. Young kangaroos, called joeys, stay in
the mother’s pouch for several
months.
II. Marsupials
G. Kinds of Marsupials Familiar marsupials
include kangaroos, opossums, and koalas.
Most marsupials live in and around Australia.
Wombat
Wombat Facts
Tasmanian Devil
Tasmanian Devil Facts
II. Marsupials
H. Endangered and Extinct Marsupials
The number of living marsupial species
is decreasing. Several species of
marsupials have gone extinct in
Australia, and many more species are in
danger.
I. When Europeans came to Australia they
brought exotic species such as rabbits,
cats, and foxes. These exotic animals
compete with marsupials for food or
prey on marsupials.
J. Habitat destruction and hunting have
also threatened marsupials.
Eastern Pygmy Possum
Possums and Opossums
are different animal
groups. Possums are
native to Australia and
opossums live in the
western hemisphere.