Kingdom Animalia Clade Metatheria Higher classification Ameridelphia | Phylum Chordata Scientific name Paucituberculata Rank Order | |
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Infraclass Marsupialia
Ameghino, 1894 Lower classifications Caenolestes, Dusky caenolestid, Shrew opossum | ||
Paucituberculata is an order of South American marsupials. Currently represented only by shrew opossums, over the course of the Cenozoic it included a wide variety of mammal species, including the Glires-like argyrolagoideans.
Classification
It is one of two clades of Ameridelphia, a paraphyletic group; genetic studies have shown these animals to be a sister group to Australidelphia (i.e., Didelphimorphia branched off first).
The strange Polydolopiformes have historically been considered part of the clade, which would extend its range to the Paleocene. However, most modern researchers do not consider them to be closely related.
References
Paucituberculata Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA