Phascolarctidae is a family of marsupials in the order Diprotodontia, in the suborder Vombatiformes alongside the wombats, its closest living relatives. Only one species survives today, the koala, Phascolarctos cinereus, though the family also includes nine identified extinct genera known from fossils dating back to the Late Oligocene or Middle Miocene. The family scientific name comes from Greek words for pouch and bear, reflecting the koala status as a pouched marsupial rather than a true bear.
Facts
Taxonomic Rank Member Count Band Era First Appeared Classification
Living or Extinct In the Other Atlases
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Sources
1. Wikidata (taxon extant/extinct status)
Wikimedia Foundation / Wikidata contributorsQ431978, descriptionView the Source 2. Wikipedia: Phascolarctidae
WikipediaIntroductionQuote, Introduction
The Phascolarctidae (φάσκωλος (phaskolos) - pouch or bag, ἄρκτος (arktos) - bear, from the Greek phascolos + arctos meaning pouched bear) is a family of marsupials of the order Diprotodontia, consisting of only one extant species, the koala, and six well-known fossil species, with another six less well known fossil species, and two fossil species of the genus Koobor, whose taxonomy is debatable but are placed in this group.
3. Catalogue of Life (ChecklistBank): Taxon metrics for Phascolarctidae
Catalogue of Life (ChecklistBank)Taxon metrics, speciesExtantCountQuote, Taxon metrics, speciesExtantCount
"speciesExtantCount": 1
4. Paleobiology Database: Taxon record for Phascolarctidae
Paleobiology DatabaseTaxon record, first appearance (firstapp_max_ma, early_interval)Quote, Taxon record, first appearance (firstapp_max_ma, early_interval)
"taxon_name": "Phascolarctidae" ... "firstapp_max_ma": 33.9 ... "early_interval": "Rupelian"
Wikidata: Phascolarctidae
Wikidata Q431978, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
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