The Vombatiformes are one of the three

suborder Order () is one of the eight major hierarchical taxonomic ranks in Linnaean taxonomy. It is classified between family and class. In biological classification, the order is a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms and recognized ...

s of the large

marsupial Marsupials are a diverse group of mammals belonging to the infraclass Marsupialia. They are natively found in Australasia, Wallacea, and the Americas. One of marsupials' unique features is their reproductive strategy: the young are born in a r ...

order

Diprotodontia Diprotodontia (, from Greek language, Greek "two forward teeth") is the largest extant order (biology), order of marsupials, with about 155 species, including the kangaroos, Wallaby, wallabies, Phalangeriformes, possums, koala, wombats, and many ...

. Seven of the nine known

families Family (from ) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictability, structure, and safety as ...

within this suborder are extinct; only the families

Phascolarctidae 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 ...

, with the

koala The koala (''Phascolarctos cinereus''), sometimes inaccurately called the koala bear, is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia. It is the only Extant taxon, extant representative of the Family (biology), family ''Phascolar ...

, and Vombatidae, with three extant species of

wombat Wombats are short-legged, muscular quadrupedal marsupials of the family Vombatidae that are native to Australia. Living species are about in length with small, stubby tails and weigh between . They are adaptable and habitat tolerant, and are ...

, survive. Among the extinct families are the

Diprotodontidae Diprotodontidae is an extinct family of large herbivorous marsupials, endemic to Australia and New Guinea during the Oligocene through Pleistocene periods from 28.4 million to 40,000 years ago. Description The family primarily consisted of lar ...

, which includes the rhinoceros sized ''

Diprotodon ''Diprotodon'' (Ancient Greek: "two protruding front teeth") is an extinct genus of marsupial from the Pleistocene of Australia containing one species, ''D. optatum''. The earliest finds date to 1.77 million to 780,000 years ago but most speci ...

'', believed to be the largest marsupials ever, as well as the "marsupial lions" Thylacoleonidae and "marsupial tapirs" Palorchestidae.

Classification

After Suborder Vombatiformes * Family † Thylacoleonidae: ( marsupial lions) ** Genus '' Microleo'' ** Genus '' Priscileo'' ** Genus '' Thylacoleo'' ** Genus '' Wakaleo'' *Infraorder Phascolarctomorphia ** Family

*** Genus '' Phascolarctos'' (one

living Living or The Living may refer to: Common meanings *Life, a condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects and dead organisms ** Living species, one that is not extinct *Personal life, the course of an individual human's life * ...

species) *** Genus †'' Koobor'' *** Genus †'' Litokoala'' *** Genus †'' Madakoala'' *** Genus †'' Nimiokoala'' *** Genus †'' Perikoala'' * Infraorder Vombatomorphia ** Family †

Ilariidae Ilariidae is a family of extinct vombatiform marsupials. Most ilariids are found in the middle Tertiary faunal assemblages of South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in t ...

*** Genus '' Ilaria'' *** Genus '' Koalemas'' *** Genus '' Kuterintja'' ** Family †

Wynyardiidae Wynyardiidae is an extinct family of possum-like marsupials from the early Miocene of Wynyard in Tasmania, long been considered to display skeletal features that are intermediate between the primitive polyprotodont and the advanced diprotodont ...

*** Genus '' Muramura'' *** Genus '' Namilamadeta'' *** Genus '' Wynyardia'' ** Superfamily Vombatoidea *** Family Vombatidae:

s (two living genera) **** Genus '' Lasiorhinus'' **** Genus '' Vombatus'' **** Genus †'' Rhizophascolonus'' **** Genus †''

Phascolonus ''Phascolonus'' is an extinct genus of giant wombat known from the Pliocene and Pleistocene of Australia. There is only a single known species, ''Phascolonus gigas'', the largest wombat ever known to have existed, estimated to weigh as much as 20 ...

'' **** Genus †''

Warendja ''Warendja'' is an extinct genus of wombat. It is known from two species, ''W. encorensis'' from the Late Miocene Riversleigh site in Queensland,Brewer, P., M. Archer, S. Hand, and H. Godthelp. 2007. A new species of the wombat ''Warendja'' from ...

'' **** Genus †'' Ramsayia'' **** Genus †''

Sedophascolomys ''Sedophascolomys'' is an extinct genus of wombat known from the Pliocene and Pleistocene of Australia. There is a single recognised species, ''S. medius,'' which was formerly placed in the invalid genus ''Phascolomys.'' It was found in the north ...

'' *** Family †Maradidae **** Genus '' Marada'' BLACK, K., March 2007. Maradidae: a new family of vombatomorphian marsupial from the late Oligocene of Riversleigh, northwestern Queensland. Alcheringa 31, 17-32.
*** Genus '' Nimbavombatus'' (either considered the most basal vombatid or just outside Vombatidae) *** Family †Mukupirnidae **** Genus '' Mukupirna'' ** Superfamily †Diprotodontoidea *** Genus †'' Silvabestius'' *** Genus †'' Ngapakaldia'' *** Genus †''

Nimbadon ''Nimbadon'' is an extinct genus of marsupial, that lived from the Oligocene to the Miocene. Many fossils have been found in the Riversleigh World Heritage property in north-western Queensland. It is thought to have an arboreal lifestyle. In 1 ...

'' *** Genus †''

Neohelos ''Neohelos'' is an extinct diprotodontid marsupial, that lived from the early to middle-Miocene. There are four species assigned to this genus, ''Neohelos tirarensis'', the type species, ''N. stirtoni'', ''N. solus'' and ''N. davidridei''. ''N. d ...

'' *** Family †

: **** Genus '' Alkwertatherium'' **** Genus '' Bematherium'' **** Genus ''

'' **** Genus ''

Euowenia ''Euowenia'' is an extinct genus of Diprotodontia which existed from the Pliocene to the upper Pleistocene. Weighing around 500 kg, ''Euowenia'' is only known from three locations on mainland Australia, Chinchilla in Queensland, Menindee in ...

'' **** Genus '' Euryzygoma'' **** Genus '' Meniscolophus'' **** Genus '' Nototherium'' **** Genus '' Pyramios'' **** Genus '' Sthenomerus'' **** Subfamily †

Zygomaturinae Diprotodontidae is an extinct family of large herbivorous marsupials, endemic to Australia and New Guinea during the Oligocene through Pleistocene periods from 28.4 million to 40,000 years ago. Description The family primarily consisted of lar ...

***** Genus ''

Hulitherium ''Hulitherium tomasetti'' (meaning "Huli beast", after the Huli people) is an extinct zygomaturine marsupial that lived in New Guinea during the Pleistocene. The species name honours Berard Tomasetti, a Catholic priest in Papua New Guinea, who ...

'' ***** Genus '' Kolopsis'' ***** Genus '' Kolopsoides'' ***** Genus '' Maokopia'' ***** Genus ''

'' ***** Genus '' Plaisiodon'' ***** Genus '' Raemeotherium'' ***** Genus ''

Zygomaturus ''Zygomaturus'' is an extinct genus of giant marsupial belonging to the family Diprotodontidae which inhabited Australia from the Late Miocene to Late Pleistocene. Description It was a large animal, weighing 500 kg (1100 lbs) or o ...

'' *** Family † Palorchestidae: ( marsupial tapirs) **** Genus '' Palorchestes'' **** Genus '' Pitikantia'' **** Genus '' Propalorchestes''

References

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q1067017 Chattian first appearances