Difference between revisions of "Aardvark" - New World Encyclopedia

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{{Taxobox_begin | color = pink | name = Aardvark}}<br />{{StatusConcern}}
 
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{{Taxobox_image | image = [[Image:Erdferkel-drawing.jpg|200px|Cape Aardvark]] | caption=}}
 
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{{Taxobox_begin_placement | color = pink}}
 
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{{Taxobox_regnum_entry | taxon = [[Animal]]ia}}
 
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{{Taxobox_phylum_entry | taxon = [[Chordate|Chordata]]}}
 
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{{Taxobox_classis_entry | taxon = [[Mammal]]ia}}
 
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{{Taxobox_ordo_entry | taxon = '''Tubulidentata'''}}<br/>{{Taxobox authority | author = [[Thomas Henry Huxley|Huxley]] | date = 1872}}
 
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{{Taxobox_familia_entry | taxon = '''Orycteropodidae'''}}<br/>{{Taxobox authority | author = [[John Edward Gray|Gray]] | date = 1821}}
 
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{{Taxobox_genus_entry | taxon = '''''Orycteropus'''''}}<br/>{{Taxobox authority | author = [[Georges Cuvier|G. Cuvier]] | date = 1798}}
 
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{{Taxobox_species_entry | taxon = '''''O. afer'''''}}
 
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{{Taxobox_end_placement}}
 
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{{Taxobox_section_binomial | color = pink | binomial_name = Orycteropus afer | author = [[Peter Simon Pallas|Pallas]] | date = [[1766]]}}
 
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{{Taxobox_end}}
 
  
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The '''Aardvark''' (''Orycteropus afer'') is a medium-sized [[mammal]] native to [[Africa]]. The name comes from the [[Afrikaans]]/[[Dutch language|Dutch]] for "earth pig" (''aarde'' earth, ''varken'' pig), because early settlers from [[Europe]] thought it resembled a [[pig]]. However, the Aardvark is not closely related to pigs.
+
{{Taxobox
 +
| color = pink
 +
| name = Aardvark
 +
| status = LC
 +
| trend = trendy
 +
| image = Orycteropus_afer_stuffed.jpg
 +
| image_width = 200px
 +
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
 +
| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
 +
| classis = [[Mammal]]ia
 +
| superordo = [[Afrotheria]]
 +
| ordo = '''Tubulidentata'''
 +
| ordo_authority = [[Thomas Henry Huxley|Huxley]], 1872
 +
| familia = '''Orycteropodidae'''
 +
| familia_authority = [[John Edward Gray|Gray]], 1821
 +
| genus = '''''Orycteropus'''''
 +
| genus_authority = [[Georges Cuvier|G. Cuvier]], 1798
 +
| species = '''''O. afer'''''
 +
| binomial = ''Orycteropus afer''
 +
| binomial_authority = ([[Peter Simon Pallas|Pallas]], 1766)
 +
| range_map = Leefgebied aardvarken.jpg
 +
| range_map_width = 200px
 +
| range_map_caption = Aardvark range map
 +
}}
 +
'''Aardvark''' ''(Orycteropus afer)'' is the common name for a species of burrowing, heavily built, insectivorous [[mammal]] found in [[Africa]]. Also known as '''antbear,''' the aardvark has a long slender nose, big [[rabbit]]-like ears, and a [[rat]]-like tail. It is the only extant species in the order Tubulidentata.
  
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==Classification==
+
The aardvark has an unusual appearance. Knöthig (2005) states that people who see an illustration of the animal for the first time often think it is a made up animal, like a jackalope, or perhaps a prehistoric creature. Particularly, this is true of the baby aardvark: "it resembles the alien creatures known from science fiction and people would believe it is a creation of the Hollywood film industry."
−
The '''Aardvark''' is the only surviving member of the [[Family (biology)|family]] '''Orycteropodidae''' and of the [[Order (biology)|order]] '''Tubulidentata'''. The Aardvark was originally placed in the same [[genus]] as the [[anteater|South American anteaters]] because of superficial similarities which, it is now known, are the result of [[convergent evolution]], not common ancestry. For the same reason, Aardvarks bear a striking first-glance resemblance to the [[marsupial]] [[Bilby|bilbies]] and [[Bandicoot]]s of [[Australasia]], which are not [[Eutheria|placental mammals]] at all. The Aardvark is now placed in its own genus, '''''Orycteropus'''''.
 
  
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The oldest known Tubulidentata fossils have been found in [[Kenya]] and date to the early [[Miocene]]. Although the relationships of Tubulidentata are unknown, they are probably [[ungulate]]s. They spread to Europe and [[southern Asia]] during the later Miocene and early [[Pliocene]] periods. Two other genera of the family Orycteropodidae are known besides the extant one: ''[[Leptorycteropus]]'' and ''[[Myorycteropus]]''. A genus from [[Madagascar]] may be related to them, called ''[[Plesiorycteropus]]''.
+
The aardvark's unique appearance and behavior adds to the human wonder of nature. Aardvarks also provide [[ecology|ecological]] values, being considered by many to be a keystone species in various [[ecosystem]]s. This is not simply because of their role in [[food chain]]s&mdash;converting ant and termite biomass into a form usable for top predators like [[lion]]s, [[leopard]]s, and [[python]]s&mdash;but also because their abandoned burrows are utilized by innumerable other animals.  
  
−
In the past, several individual species of Aardvark were named, however current knowledge indicates that there is only one species, ''Orycteropus afer'', with several subspecies; 18 have been listed but most are regarded as invalid.
+
Well-known in English-speaking countries due to its being the first animal in the alphabet, the aardvark otherwise is not well-known outside of areas in which it resides (Knöthig 2005). The name comes from the obsolete Afrikaans name for "earth pig" (''aarde'' earth, ''varken'' pig), because early settlers from [[Europe]] thought it resembled a [[pig]]. However, the Aardvark is not closely related to pigs, being placed in its own [[order (biology)|order]]. The common term antbear generally is also considered confusing, since the term generally refers to anteaters of the family Myrmecophagidae, but the aardvark is not closely related to [[anteater]]s, despite the common diet of ants and termites.  
  
 
==Description==
 
==Description==
−
The most distinctive charactristic of the Tubulidentata is (as the name implies) their teeth which, instead of having a pulp cavity, have lots of thin tubes of dentine, each containing pulp and held together by cementum. The teeth have no enamel coating and are worn away and regrow continuously. The Aardvark is born with conventional incisors and canines at the front of the jaw, but these fall out and are not replaced. In adults, the only teeth are the molars at the back of the jaw.
+
The most distinctive characteristic of the Tubulidentata is (as the name implies) their [[teeth]]. Instead of having a [[pulp (tooth)|pulp cavity]], Tubulidentata teeth have a number of thin tubes of [[dentine]], each containing pulp and held together by [[cementum]]. The teeth have no enamel coating and are worn away, regrowing continuously. The aardvark is born with conventional incisors and [[canines]] at the front of the jaw, but these fall out and are not replaced. Adult aardvarks have only molars at the back of the jaw.
  
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[[Image:Orycteropus afer01.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Aardvark]]
+
[[Image:Erdferkel-drawing.jpg|thumb|right|250px|An aardvark drawing]]
  
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The Aardvark is only vaguely pig-like; the body is stout with an arched back; the limbs are of moderate length. The front feet have lost the pollex (or 'thumb')&mdash;resulting in four toes&mdash;but the rear feet have all five toes. Each toe bears a large, robust nail which is somewhat flattened and shovel-like, and appears to be intermediate between a claw and a hoof. The ears are disproportionately long and the tail very thick at the base with a gradual taper. The greatly elongated head is set on a short, thick neck, and at the end of the snout is a disk in which the nostrils open. The mouth is typical of species that feed on termites: small and tubular. The Aardvark has a long, thin, protrusible tongue and elaborate structures supporting a keen [[olfaction|sense of smell]].
+
The aardvark is only vaguely pig-like. The body is almost hairless, with sparsely scattered coarse [[hair]]s, and it has a strongly arched back (AWF 2007). The legs are short, with the hind legs longer than the front legs (AWF 2007). The front feet lack the pollex (or "thumb")&mdash;resulting in four toes&mdash;but the rear feet have all five toes. Each toe bears a large, robust nail, which is somewhat flattened and shovel-like, and appears to be intermediate between a claw and a hoof.  
  
−
Weight is typically between 40 and 65 kg; length is usually between 1 and 1.3 m. The Aardvark is a pale yellowish gray in color, often stained reddish-brown by soil. The coat is thin and the animal's primary protection is its tough skin; the Aardvark has been known to sleep in a recently excavated ant nest, so well does it protect them.
+
The ears are disproportionately long, and are normally held upright, but can be folded and closed while tunneling and can be moved independently (AWF 2007; Knöthig 2005). The muscular tail is very thick at the base and gradually tapers. The greatly elongated head is set on a short, thick neck, and the end of the snout bears a disc, which house the nostrils, which can be closed. The mouth is concealed by the swollen upper lip and is small and tubular, typical of species that feed on [[termite]]s. The aardvark has a long, thin, protrudable tongue, and elaborate structures supporting a keen [[olfaction|sense of smell]].
  
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==Behavior==
+
An aardvark's weight is typically between 40 and 65 kilograms, but weights of 100 kilograms have been measured (Knöthig 2005). The total length without the tail is commonly between 1 meter and 1.6 meters, with a tail length of 45 to 80 centimeters (Knöthig 2005). The shoulder height is about 60 to 65 centimeters (Knöthig 2005).  
−
The Aardvark is [[nocturnal]] and a solitary creature that feeds almost exclusively on [[ant]]s and [[termite]]s; the only fruit eaten by aardvarks is the [[aardvark cucumber]]. An Aardvark emerges from its burrow in the late afternoon or shortly after sunset, and forages over a considerable home range, swinging its long nose from side to side to pick up the scent of food. When a concentration of ants or termites is found, the Aardvark digs into it with its powerful front legs, keeping its long ears upright to listen for predators, and takes up an astonishing number of insects with its long, sticky tongue&mdash;as many as 50,000 in one night has been recorded. It is an exceptionally fast digger, but otherwise moves rather slowly.  
 
  
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Aside from digging out ants and termites, the Aardvark also excavates burrows to live in: temporary sites scattered around the home range as refuges, and the main burrow which is used for breeding. Main burrows can be deep and extensive, have several entrances, and can be as much as 13 meters long. The Aardvark changes the layout of its home burrow regularly, and from time to time moves on and makes a new one. Only mothers and young share burrows.
+
The aardvark is a pale, yellowish gray in color, often stained reddish-brown by soil. The coat is thin and the animal's primary protection is its tough skin; the aardvark has been known to sleep in a recently excavated ant nest, so well does it protect them.
  
−
After a gestation period of 7 months, a single cub weighing around 2 kg is born, and is able to leave the burrow to accompany its mother after only two weeks. At six months of age it is digging its own burrows, but it will often remain with the mother until the next [[mating season]]. The Aardvarks can grow older than 20 years in captivity.
+
==Habitat and subspecies==
 +
Aardvarks live south of the [[Sahara Desert]], where there is suitable habitat for them to live. Aardvarks live in African savannas, grasslands, woodlands, and bush. They are not found in deserts but are found in places where there is an abundance of food supply (ants and termites). Aardvarks dig burrows (holes in the earth) as homes. They prefer sandy or clay [[soil]] and if the soil is too hard, they will move to areas with easier to dig soil (AWF 2007).  
  
−
==Habitat==
+
Some authorities recognize two species of ''Orycteropus:'' ''O. aethiopicus'' (in central and eastern Africa) and ''O. capensis'' (southern and western Africa), but generally these are seen as subspecies ''(O. afer aethiopicus'' and ''O. afer capensis)''. The number of subspecies is unsettled. Knöthig (2005) notes that as many as 15 to 18 subspecies have been described, but considers these to be invalid because they have been based on single individuals and because of the wide variability within populations in such aspects as snout proportions and angle.
−
The Aardvark is distributed across most of [[sub-Saharan Africa]], and although killed by humans both for its flesh and for its teeth (which are used as decorations), does not appear to be threatened.
 
  
 +
==Behavior and life cycle==
 +
The aardvark is [[nocturnal]], solitary creature that feeds almost exclusively on [[ant]]s and [[termite]]s (formicivore); the only [[fruit]] eaten by aardvarks is the [[aardvark cucumber]]. Because of its solitary, nocturnal nature, aardvarks are rarely seen, and few are kept in zoos worldwide (Knöthig 2005).
  
 +
Aardvarks are excellent burrowers, using their thick claws on their forefeet. They may dig new burrows almost nightly, particularly when it rains (AWF 2007). The aardvark may have temporary sites scattered around the home range as refuges, and a main burrow used for breeding. Main burrows can be deep and extensive, have several entrances, and can be as long as 13 meters. Only mothers and young share burrows. When attacked, an aardvark may quickly dig a hole; if attacked in the tunnel, it will seal the tunnel off behind itself or turn around and attack with its claws. When attacked in the open, it may roll on its back to defend itself with its large claws or it may somersault away using its large tail (AWF 2007).
  
−
==Trivia==
+
One of the reasons the aardvark is considered a keystone species in the [[ecosystem]] is because abandoned aardvark burrows are used by many mammals, birds, and lizards.  
−
*''Aardvark'' is always [[Aardvark (word)|the first noun]] in the English dictionary.
 
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*[[Arthur Read]] is a fictional aardvark (despite looking more like a [[mouse]]) with  human-like traits. He is a book and television character created by [[Marc Brown]].
 
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*[[Cerebus]] the Aardvark is a comic aardvark created by [[Canadian]] artist [[Dave Sim]].
 
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*[[Jason Webley]], the musician, has a song about an aardvark.
 
  
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==Similar animals==
+
Although aardvarks will sometimes exit their burrow during the day to sun themselves, they typically sleep during the day, blocking the entrance to their burrow, leaving only a small opening (AWF 2007). When one exits a burrow in the evening or late afternoon, it typically is very cautious, first standing at the entrance motionless for several minutes and then suddenly leaping out in powerful jumps (AWF 2007).  
−
{{Wikisource1911Enc|Aard-vark}}
 
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*The [[anteater]]s of South America.
 
−
*[[Pangolin]]s are also called "scaly anteaters".
 
−
*The [[Numbat]] (''Myrmecobius fasciatus''), a [[marsupial]].
 
−
*[[Echidna]]s, a family of [[monotreme]]s, are still sometimes called "spiny anteaters".
 
−
*[[Armadillo]]s are omnivorous but ants form a large part of their diet.
 
  
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in the "Pink Panther" cartoon there was a character named the "Blue Aardvark". The Pink Panther represented innocence and un-fortune, The Blue Aardvark was unkind and ill-polite...
+
When a concentration of ants or termites is detected, the aardvark digs into it with its powerful front legs, keeping its long ears upright to listen for predators, and takes up an astonishing number of [[insects]] with its long, sticky tongue&mdash;as many as 50,000 in one night have been recorded.  
  
−
==External links==
+
Aardvarks pair only during the breeding seasons. They give birth to one offspring at a time, which is pink, hairless, and stays inside the burrow for about two weeks (AWF 2007). The young aardvark travels with the mother after two weeks, is suckled until four months old, and eats its first solid food at three months of age (AWF 2007). Young female aardvarks will stay with the mother until the next baby is born, and even then may dig its own burrow only a few yards away, whereas the young male is independent at the age of about six months (AWF 2007).
−
*[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Image:Aardvark.pdf '''The Biology of the Aardvark''' (''Orycteropus afer'')]
 
  
−
==References==
+
The aardvark's main predators are humans, [[lion]]s, [[leopard]]s, [[hyena]]s, and [[python]]s. Aardvarks can dig fast or run in zigzag fashion to elude enemies, but if all else fails, they will strike with their claws, tail, and shoulders, sometimes characteristically flipping onto their backs or somersaulting away, as noted above. Their thick skin also protects them to some extent.
−
* {{IUCN2006|assessors=P. Lindsey ''et al''|year=2006|id=41504|title=Orycteropus afer|downloaded=11 May 2006}} Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
+
 
−
*[http://www.awf.org/wildlives/60 Aardvarks: Wildlife summary from the African Wildlife Foundation]
+
==References ==
 +
 
 +
* African Wildlife Foundation. 2007. [http://www.awf.org/content/wildlife/detail/aardvark Aardvark]. ''African Wildlife Foundation.'' Retrieved September 14, 2007.
 +
* Knöthig, J. 2005. [https://docplayer.net/20884935-Biology-of-the-aardvark-orycteropus-afer.html Biology of the Aardvark ''(Orycteropus afer)'']. ''Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg'' (Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg. Retrieved December 16.
 +
* Lindsey, P. et al. 2006. ''Orycteropus afer.'' ''IUCN.'' Retrieved May 11, 2006.
  
 
*{{MSW3 Schlitter|pages=86}}
 
*{{MSW3 Schlitter|pages=86}}
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[[Category:Life sciences]]
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[[Category:Life sciences]][[Category:Animals]][[Category:Mammals]]

Latest revision as of 00:41, 17 December 2022


Aardvark
Orycteropus afer stuffed.jpg
Conservation status
Status iucn3.1 LC.svg
Least Concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Superorder: Afrotheria
Order: Tubulidentata
Huxley, 1872
Family: Orycteropodidae
Gray, 1821
Genus: Orycteropus
G. Cuvier, 1798
Species: O. afer
Binomial name
Orycteropus afer
(Pallas, 1766)
Aardvark range map
Aardvark range map

Aardvark (Orycteropus afer) is the common name for a species of burrowing, heavily built, insectivorous mammal found in Africa. Also known as antbear, the aardvark has a long slender nose, big rabbit-like ears, and a rat-like tail. It is the only extant species in the order Tubulidentata.

The aardvark has an unusual appearance. Knöthig (2005) states that people who see an illustration of the animal for the first time often think it is a made up animal, like a jackalope, or perhaps a prehistoric creature. Particularly, this is true of the baby aardvark: "it resembles the alien creatures known from science fiction and people would believe it is a creation of the Hollywood film industry."

The aardvark's unique appearance and behavior adds to the human wonder of nature. Aardvarks also provide ecological values, being considered by many to be a keystone species in various ecosystems. This is not simply because of their role in food chains—converting ant and termite biomass into a form usable for top predators like lions, leopards, and pythons—but also because their abandoned burrows are utilized by innumerable other animals.

Well-known in English-speaking countries due to its being the first animal in the alphabet, the aardvark otherwise is not well-known outside of areas in which it resides (Knöthig 2005). The name comes from the obsolete Afrikaans name for "earth pig" (aarde earth, varken pig), because early settlers from Europe thought it resembled a pig. However, the Aardvark is not closely related to pigs, being placed in its own order. The common term antbear generally is also considered confusing, since the term generally refers to anteaters of the family Myrmecophagidae, but the aardvark is not closely related to anteaters, despite the common diet of ants and termites.

Description

The most distinctive characteristic of the Tubulidentata is (as the name implies) their teeth. Instead of having a pulp cavity, Tubulidentata teeth have a number of thin tubes of dentine, each containing pulp and held together by cementum. The teeth have no enamel coating and are worn away, regrowing continuously. The aardvark is born with conventional incisors and canines at the front of the jaw, but these fall out and are not replaced. Adult aardvarks have only molars at the back of the jaw.

An aardvark drawing

The aardvark is only vaguely pig-like. The body is almost hairless, with sparsely scattered coarse hairs, and it has a strongly arched back (AWF 2007). The legs are short, with the hind legs longer than the front legs (AWF 2007). The front feet lack the pollex (or "thumb")—resulting in four toes—but the rear feet have all five toes. Each toe bears a large, robust nail, which is somewhat flattened and shovel-like, and appears to be intermediate between a claw and a hoof.

The ears are disproportionately long, and are normally held upright, but can be folded and closed while tunneling and can be moved independently (AWF 2007; Knöthig 2005). The muscular tail is very thick at the base and gradually tapers. The greatly elongated head is set on a short, thick neck, and the end of the snout bears a disc, which house the nostrils, which can be closed. The mouth is concealed by the swollen upper lip and is small and tubular, typical of species that feed on termites. The aardvark has a long, thin, protrudable tongue, and elaborate structures supporting a keen sense of smell.

An aardvark's weight is typically between 40 and 65 kilograms, but weights of 100 kilograms have been measured (Knöthig 2005). The total length without the tail is commonly between 1 meter and 1.6 meters, with a tail length of 45 to 80 centimeters (Knöthig 2005). The shoulder height is about 60 to 65 centimeters (Knöthig 2005).

The aardvark is a pale, yellowish gray in color, often stained reddish-brown by soil. The coat is thin and the animal's primary protection is its tough skin; the aardvark has been known to sleep in a recently excavated ant nest, so well does it protect them.

Habitat and subspecies

Aardvarks live south of the Sahara Desert, where there is suitable habitat for them to live. Aardvarks live in African savannas, grasslands, woodlands, and bush. They are not found in deserts but are found in places where there is an abundance of food supply (ants and termites). Aardvarks dig burrows (holes in the earth) as homes. They prefer sandy or clay soil and if the soil is too hard, they will move to areas with easier to dig soil (AWF 2007).

Some authorities recognize two species of Orycteropus: O. aethiopicus (in central and eastern Africa) and O. capensis (southern and western Africa), but generally these are seen as subspecies (O. afer aethiopicus and O. afer capensis). The number of subspecies is unsettled. Knöthig (2005) notes that as many as 15 to 18 subspecies have been described, but considers these to be invalid because they have been based on single individuals and because of the wide variability within populations in such aspects as snout proportions and angle.

Behavior and life cycle

The aardvark is nocturnal, solitary creature that feeds almost exclusively on ants and termites (formicivore); the only fruit eaten by aardvarks is the aardvark cucumber. Because of its solitary, nocturnal nature, aardvarks are rarely seen, and few are kept in zoos worldwide (Knöthig 2005).

Aardvarks are excellent burrowers, using their thick claws on their forefeet. They may dig new burrows almost nightly, particularly when it rains (AWF 2007). The aardvark may have temporary sites scattered around the home range as refuges, and a main burrow used for breeding. Main burrows can be deep and extensive, have several entrances, and can be as long as 13 meters. Only mothers and young share burrows. When attacked, an aardvark may quickly dig a hole; if attacked in the tunnel, it will seal the tunnel off behind itself or turn around and attack with its claws. When attacked in the open, it may roll on its back to defend itself with its large claws or it may somersault away using its large tail (AWF 2007).

One of the reasons the aardvark is considered a keystone species in the ecosystem is because abandoned aardvark burrows are used by many mammals, birds, and lizards.

Although aardvarks will sometimes exit their burrow during the day to sun themselves, they typically sleep during the day, blocking the entrance to their burrow, leaving only a small opening (AWF 2007). When one exits a burrow in the evening or late afternoon, it typically is very cautious, first standing at the entrance motionless for several minutes and then suddenly leaping out in powerful jumps (AWF 2007).

When a concentration of ants or termites is detected, the aardvark digs into it with its powerful front legs, keeping its long ears upright to listen for predators, and takes up an astonishing number of insects with its long, sticky tongue—as many as 50,000 in one night have been recorded.

Aardvarks pair only during the breeding seasons. They give birth to one offspring at a time, which is pink, hairless, and stays inside the burrow for about two weeks (AWF 2007). The young aardvark travels with the mother after two weeks, is suckled until four months old, and eats its first solid food at three months of age (AWF 2007). Young female aardvarks will stay with the mother until the next baby is born, and even then may dig its own burrow only a few yards away, whereas the young male is independent at the age of about six months (AWF 2007).

The aardvark's main predators are humans, lions, leopards, hyenas, and pythons. Aardvarks can dig fast or run in zigzag fashion to elude enemies, but if all else fails, they will strike with their claws, tail, and shoulders, sometimes characteristically flipping onto their backs or somersaulting away, as noted above. Their thick skin also protects them to some extent.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • African Wildlife Foundation. 2007. Aardvark. African Wildlife Foundation. Retrieved September 14, 2007.
  • Knöthig, J. 2005. Biology of the Aardvark (Orycteropus afer). Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg (Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg. Retrieved December 16.
  • Lindsey, P. et al. 2006. Orycteropus afer. IUCN. Retrieved May 11, 2006.
  • Schlitter, D. A. 2005. In D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder, eds. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, 3rd edition. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0801882214.
Mammals
Monotremata (platypus, echidnas)

Marsupialia: | Paucituberculata (shrew opossums) | Didelphimorphia (opossums) | Microbiotheria | Notoryctemorphia (marsupial moles) | Dasyuromorphia (quolls and dunnarts) | Peramelemorphia (bilbies, bandicoots) | Diprotodontia (kangaroos and relatives)

Placentalia: Cingulata (armadillos) | Pilosa (anteaters, sloths) | Afrosoricida (tenrecs, golden moles) | Macroscelidea (elephant shrews) | Tubulidentata (aardvark) | Hyracoidea (hyraxes) | Proboscidea (elephants) | Sirenia (dugongs, manatees) | Soricomorpha (shrews, moles) | Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and relatives) Chiroptera (bats) | Pholidota (pangolins)| Carnivora | Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates) | Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates) | Cetacea (whales, dolphins) | Rodentia (rodents) | Lagomorpha (rabbits and relatives) | Scandentia (treeshrews) | Dermoptera (colugos) | Primates |


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