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The diprotodonts, with ten families including 117 species, make up the largest order of marsupials. They can be distinguished from other metatheres because they are both syndactylous (digits two and three of the hind feet are fully fused except for the claws) and diprotodont (a single pair of incisors dominates the lower jaw, although sometimes an additional pair is present). Most diprotodonts have three pairs of incisors in their upper jaws, but this number is reduced to one pair in one family, the wombats. Diprotodonts lack lower canines. Upper canines are present, but they vary in shape from low and smooth to having many sharp, curved ridges (selenodont or lophodont).

Most diprotodonts are herbivores, but some have secondarily returned to being insectivorous, and others have become specialized for feeding on sap and nectar. A number of species of diprotodonts are important economically, as a source of meat and leather, or as competitors with domestic livestock.



Family Acrobatidae
Family Burramyidae
Family Macropodidae
Family Petauridae
Family Phalangeridae
Family Phascolarctidae
Family Potoroidae
Family Pseudocheiridae
Family Tarsipedidae
Family Vombatidae

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ARTIODACTYLA CARNIVORA CETACEA CHIROPTERA DASYUROMORPHIA DERMOPTERA DIDELPHIMORPHI DIPROTODONTIA HYRACOIDEA INSECTIVORA LAGOMORPHA MACROSCELIDEA MICROBIOTHERIA MONOTREMATA NOTORYCTEMORPHIA PAUCITUBERCULATA PERAMELEMORPHIA PERISSODACTYLA PHOLIDOTA PRIMATES PROBOSCIDEA RODENTIA SCANDENTIA SIRENIA TUBULIDENTATA XENARTHRA

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