Ameridelphia

Superorder of marsupials

Ameridelphia
A Virginia opossum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Superorder: Ameridelphia
Subgroups
  • Didelphimorphia
  • Paucituberculata

Ameridelphia is traditionally a superorder that includes all marsupials living in the Americas except for the Monito del monte (Dromiciops). It is now regarded as a paraphyletic group.[1][2]

Orders

The orders within this group are listed below:

  • Order Didelphimorphia (108 species)
    • Family Didelphidae: opossums
  • Order Paucituberculata (7 species)
    • Family Caenolestidae: shrew opossums

Evolution and phylogenetics

Modern marsupials are now understood to be an originally South American lineage that later reached Australia and diversified there in a massive adaptive radiation.[1][2] Molecular data, including analysis of retrotransposon insertion sites in the nuclear DNA of a variety of marsupials, and the fossil evidence indicate that Ameridelphia might best be understood as an evolutionary grade. Since Didelphimorphia appears to be the basal marsupial group, it and Paucituberculata do not seem to be closest relatives.[1][2] Meanwhile, the unranked clade Euaustralidelphia has been proposed as the name for the Australian marsupials (Australidelphia minus Microbiotheria, of which Dromiciops is the only survivor), which in all probability derive from a single colonization out of South America via Antarctica.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ a b c Schiewe, Jessie (2010-07-28). "Australia's marsupials originated in what is now South America, study says". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 1 August 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-01.
  2. ^ a b c Nilsson, M. A.; Churakov, G.; Sommer, M.; Van Tran, N.; Zemann, A.; Brosius, J.; Schmitz, J. (2010-07-27). "Tracking Marsupial Evolution Using Archaic Genomic Retroposon Insertions". PLOS Biology. 8 (7). Public Library of Science: e1000436. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1000436. PMC 2910653. PMID 20668664.
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    • see Synapsida
Cynodontia
    • see Cynodontia
Mammalia
    • see Mammalia
Metatheria
    • see below↓
Deltatheroida
Deltatheridiidae
Sparassodonta
    • see below↓
Asiatheriidae
Archimetatheria
  • Iqualadelphis
Stagodontidae
Pediomyoidea
Peradectidae
Alphadontidae
Herpetotheriidae
Anatoliadelphyidae
Polydolopimorphia
    • see below↓
Marsupialia
Didelphodon vorax

Alphadon sp.

Herpetotherium fugax
  • Allqokirus
  • Argyrolestes
  • Hondadelphys
  • Nemolestes
  • Patene
  • Procladosictis
  • Stylocynus
Hathliacynidae
  • Acyon
  • Australogale
  • Borhyaenidium
  • Chasicostylus
  • Cladosictis
  • Notictis
  • Notocynus
  • Notogale
  • Perathereutes
  • Pseudonotictis
  • Sallacyon
  • Sipalocyon
Borhyaenoidea
Borhyaenidae
Proborhyaenidae
Thylacosmilidae
Thylacosmilus atrox
  • Apeirodon?
  • Bobbschaefferia
  • Caroloameghinia
  • Carolocoutoia
  • Guggenheimia
  • Gashternia
  • Hatcheritherium
  • Palangania
  • Procaroloameghinia
  • Protodidelphis
  • Pujatodon?
  • Reigia
  • Robertbutleria
  • Wamradolops
  • Zeusdelphys
Bonapartheriiformes
Bonapartheriidae
Argyrolagidae
Chulpasiinae
Prepidolopidae
  • Incadolops
  • Perrodelphys
  • Prepidolops
  • Punadolops
  • Seumandia
Rosendolopidae
Polydolopiformes
Polydolopidae
  • Amphidolops
  • Antarctodolops
  • Eudolops
  • Eurydolops
  • Hypodolops
  • Kramadolops
  • Parabderites
  • Polydolops
  • Pseudolops
Sillustaniidae
  • Roberthoffstetteria
  • Sillustania
  • v
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  • e
Extant mammal orders
Yinotheria
Australosphenida
  • Monotremata (Platypus and echidnas)
Theria
Metatheria
(Marsupial inclusive)
Ameridelphia
  • Paucituberculata (Shrew opossums)
  • Didelphimorphia (Opossums)
Australidelphia
  • Microbiotheria (Monito del monte)
  • Notoryctemorphia (Marsupial moles)
  • Dasyuromorphia (Quolls and dunnarts)
  • Peramelemorphia (Bilbies and bandicoots)
  • Diprotodontia (Kangaroos and relatives)
Eutheria
(Placental inclusive)
Xenarthra
  • Cingulata (Armadillos)
  • Pilosa (Anteaters and sloths)
Afrotheria
  • Afrosoricida (Tenrecs and golden moles)
  • Macroscelidea (Elephant shrews)
  • Tubulidentata (Aardvark)
  • Hyracoidea (Hyraxes)
  • Proboscidea (Elephants)
  • Sirenia (Dugongs and manatees)
Boreoeutheria
Laurasiatheria
  • Eulipotyphla (Hedgehogs, shrews, moles and relatives)
  • Chiroptera (Bats)
  • Pholidota (Pangolins)
  • Carnivora (Dogs, cats and relatives)
  • Perissodactyla (Horses, rhinoceroses and tapirs)
  • Artiodactyla (Pigs, camels, hippos, deer, buffalo, gazelles, giraffes, whales and dolphins)
Euarchontoglires
  • Rodentia (Rats, guinea pigs, squirrels, beavers, chinchillas, porcupines, capybaras and relatives)
  • Lagomorpha (Rabbits, hares and pikas)
  • Scandentia (Treeshrews)
  • Dermoptera (Colugos)
  • Primates (lorises, lemurs, tarsiers, monkeys, apes, humans)
Taxon identifiers
Ameridelphia