Order
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The Marsupialia, or pouched mammals, differ from most other mammals in lacking a placenta, possessing epipubic bones, and having a larger number of teeth. The young are extremely underdeveloped at birth, but have disproportionately well-developed forelimbs. The well-developed forelimbs enable the newborn young to crawl to the female's teat area, where they each attach themselves to a nipple and remain during a period of continued development. In many species, the teat area is enclosed in a pouch or 'marsupium' (hence the ordinal name). The order is represented in California by a single species, which is readily recognized by its prehensile tail, well-developed pouch, and full complement of 50 teeth:
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| Family Didelphidae (New World opossums) | |||
| Genus Didelphis L. | |||
| Didelphis virginiana (Virginia Opposum) | |||