|The only living member of Microbiotheria|
And then after some time, around 60 to 50 million years ago, Marsupials made their way from South America, through Antarctica, to Australia. They diverged into many other Marsupial species, and created the wide variety of animals there that we have today.
Now eventually, North and South America rejoined, causing Placentals to move south and resulting in the extinction of many of the South American Marsupials. But there are still three orders left, including one whose sole living member we are (finally) going to talk about today, the Monito del Monte.
This creature is sometimes given the "living fossil" moniker because it is the only living species within Microbiotheria. Current science suggests that this order belongs to the same superorder (Australidelphia) that the Australian Marsupials do, as opposed to the superorder that encompasses the American Opossums.
|Monito del Monte|
The Monito del Monte is at risk because its habitat is becoming fragmented, and the population is on a decline.
habitats to better understand and protect the species.
IUCN Status : Near Threatened
Location : Chile and Argentina
Size : Body length up to 5in (13cm)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Infraclass : Marsupialia
Superorder : Australidelphia -- Order : Microbiotheria -- Family: Microbiotheriidae
Genus : Dromiciops -- Species : D. gliroides