Review Questions- Marsupials

1.  Why is the female's abdominal pouch       (marsupium) not the best marsupial       diagnostic characteristic?
2.  Describe how metatherians are      different from eutherians in terms      of :       a. length of intrauterine gestation       b. length of  lactation
3.  True or False- Total reproductive                             investment in a                             litter may be similar                             between marsupials                             and eutherians.
4.  In class, we discussed two ways      in which marupials and placentals      differ from each other in dental      characteristics.  What are these      two differences?
5. In class, you were given a table     summerizing several skeletal and     anatomical differences between     metatherians and eutherians.     List several of these differences.
6.  List 8 morphological characteristics      of marsupials.
7.  Give the marsupial primitive       dental formula.
8.  List the different mammalian      groups that are characterized      by the presence of epipubic      bones.
9.  About ______% of extant      marsupial species have a      marsupium or abdominal      folds.
10.  Describe the female marsupial        reproductive tract.
11.  In most marsupials the testes are        contained in a scrotum.        Where is the scrotum positioned         relative to the penis?
12.  Describe the marsupial penis?        Why does it have this particular         morphology?
13.  In marsupials, the gestation period        is short/long.        The gestation period varies from ___         to ____ days.
14. Describe the newborn marsupial.       How does the newborn individual       get to the marsupium?       What adaptations does the newborn        marsupial have that help it reach the        marsupium?        What does the newborn do once it         reaches the marsupium?
15.  Most marsupials have a        choriovitelline/chorioallantoic        placenta.
16.  What type of placenta do members         of the famlies Peramelidae and         Peroryctidae have?
17.  How does the marsupial placenta        differ form the eutherian placenta?
18.  One hypothesis argues that        metatherians arose in North        America.  If that is the case,        how did marsupials end up        isolated in Australia?        What evidence supports this         explanation?
19.  There were two major marsupial         radiations- one in _______ and         one in ________.  (i.e., what continents).         How do these radiations compare         with one another?
20.   About 2.5 mya, the land bridge         connecting North America and         South America was formed.         What effect, if any, did this          connection between N.A.          and S.A. have on metatherian          diversity in S.A.?          Does everyone agree with this           idea?
21.  Back when old man Lombrana        was taking mammalogy, all        marsupials were placed in a        single order, ______________.
22.  What is diprotodont dentition?         Which marsupial orders are          characterized by it?
23.  What is polyprotodont dentition?        Which marsupial orders are         characterized by it?
24. Distinguish between the       didactylous and syndacylous       conditions.
25. Which marsupial orders are        characterized by didactylous        digits?
26.  Which marsupial orders are        characterized by syndactylous        digits?
27. Wilson and Reeder (1993) recognize        ______ marsupial orders and _____        extant families.
28.  List the 7 marsupial orders recognized        by Wilson and Reeder (1993).        Idicate those orders that are New        World and monotypic.        Indicate those orders that are        Australian in distribution.
29.  Name the one family in the order        Didelphimorphia.
30.  How many genera and species        does the family Didelphidae        contain?
31. Where do members of the        family Didelphidae occur?
32. Name the one species of       didelphid that occurs in       North America.
33. Name the one family in the       order Paucituberculata.
34. How many genera and species       does the family Caenolestidae       contain?
35. Where do caenolestids occur?
36. Do caenolestids have a       marsupium?
37.  Name the one family in the        order Microbiotheria.
38. What is the common name of        the one representative of the        family Microbiotheriidae?
39.  Where does Dromiciops         gliroides occur?         What kind of lifestyle does it have?
40.  List the three families in the        order Dasyuromorphia.
41. Name the one species in the       family Myrmecobiidae.       What kind of diet does this        species have?       Does this species have a       marsupium?
42.  The recently extinct Tasmanian         "wolf" is placed in the         family ______________.
43.  The largest member of the         family Dasyuridae is the         ______________.
44.  How many genera and species does        the family Dasyuridae contain?
45.  The Tasmanian devil was once        widespread over Australia.        Now it is restricted to        ________________.
46.  The order Peramelemorphia         includes two familes.         Name them.         What is different about the          marsupium in members of this          family?
47.  How many genera and species does        the family Peroryctidae contain?
48.  List the 10 families in the order        Diprotodontia.
49.  The wombats are placed in the         family _____________.
50.  How many genera and species        does the family Vombatidae        contain?
51.  The burrows of wombats are         called _________.
52.  How many genera and species        does the family Phalangeridae        contain?        What kind of tail do members of this         family have?
53.  Potoroos and bettongs belong        to the family __________.
54.  How many genera and species        does the family Potoroidae        contain?
55.  Kangaroos and their relatives        belong to the family ________.
56.  Macropodids are the ecological        equivalents to ____________.
57.  What type of locomotion do         macropodids exhibit?
58.  How many genera and species        does the family Macropodidae        contain?
59.  What is the function of the tail         in macropodids?
60.  The pygmy possums belong to        the family ____________.
61.  How many genera and species does        the family Burramyidae contain?
62. What kind of tail do pygmy possums        have?       Are pygmy possums large animals?
63.  The feathertail glider and the        feathertail possum belong to        the family ____________.
64. _____________ are the smallest       gliding mammals.
65.  What do acrobatids feed on?
66.  How are petaurids similar to        North American flying squirrels?        What kind of lifestyle do they have?        How many genera and species does        the family Petauridae contain?
67.  Ringtail possums and the greater        glider are members of the        family ____________.        What kind of lifestyle do         pseudocheirids have?            How many genera and species does        this family contain?
68.  Name the one species in the        family Tarsipedidae.
69.  How is the honey possum        highly specialized?         What kind of  life style does the          honey possum have?
70.  Name the one family in the order        Notoryctemorphia.        Name the one species in the family        Notoryctidae.        List 4 adaptations that this species        has for fossorial life.        Does this species have a        marsupium?  If so, how is it        adapted for a fossorial way        of life?