# data[].attributes.body
A phylogenetic tree shows how evolution occurred over time and it shows the ancestors that present day animals come from. By learning information about the ancestors, more information can be learned about today's organisms.

# data[].attributes.body
The fossils show that there was a little bit of gradual change within marsupials, but most of the characteristics stayed the same. The skulls got smaller, but the eye sockets got larger. The tails lengthened. The molars/teeth go longer and stronger. This shows how the evolution occurred because it shows how marsupials have changed from their ancestors.

# data[].attributes.body
Age: About 23 million years ago (Tertiary)

# data[].attributes.body
Age: 15 million years ago (Tertiary)

# data[].attributes.body
A long time ago when the continents would frequently shift, the ancestors of today's marsupials did a lot of immigrating and emigrating. Some marsupials would go into south America while others were in north America. Eventually these organisms migrated to Australia and some to New Zealand. Throughout this migration process the organism were living in many different areas. This caused some to develop different traits than those that were living in a different area. This creates diversity within  super order marsupials.

# data[].attributes.body
The type of natural selection is stabilizing selection. This is because the organisms with the average trait have the highest fitness, meaning that they are the most adapted to the environment. An example of this is the pouch that most marsupials have. This is the average trait and allows the marsupials to be more fit to survive. Another example is the strong molars and sharp teeth found in marsupials. This is the average trait that most marsupials have and this allows that marsupials to live and survive better.

# data[].attributes.body
This is the theory that the traits that are the most favorable occur the most often. The large eye sockets in the fossils show that the eyes got larger as the species evolved because this allows for better eyesight which is a favorable trait because it helps see predators. Another example of this is the strong hind legs that marsupials developed. This is a structure that developed over time. These examples and the evidence provided earlier show that marsupials developed favorable traits that would allow them to survive in the environment. Most marsupials have a pouch which shows that it is a favorable trait that developed over time. Descent with modification applies to marsupials because marsupials exhibit that they have developed favorable traits over time and this is backed up with the evidence that was shown earlier.

# data[].attributes.body
Marsupials underwent adaptive radiation when they were isolated on the continent of Australia. The land that marsupials used to move was submerged in water so they had to stay within Australia. This allowed new traits to form and some species died out because they could not adapt to the environment. The ones that could adapt survived and passed on their traits, which is how evolution occurs.

# data[].attributes.body
The type of evolution for marsupials is convergent evolution .This is where they develop characteristics that are similar to each other over time. Marsupials show convergent evolution with placental mammals. They both have a gestation time. There are also burrowing forms and grazing forms of marsupials and placental mammals. Convergent evolution is also seen wishing the group of marsupials. The ancestors of marsupials did not have a pouch, but they have evolved to have a pouch over time.

# data[].attributes.body
The type of Speciation for marsupials is gradual. This means that a gradual change over time is what led to diversity in this group. Examples of this gradual change can be seen in the way that different traits were added. These traits include pouches and smaller skull and brain size. These were traits that gradually appeared over time.

# data[].attributes.body
The most common chromosome number is 2n=14. The koala has eight pairs of chromosomes. The red kangaroo has twelve pairs of chromosomes. The common brushtail possum has seven pairs of chromosomes. Most os the chromosomes are shorter in length.

Analysis: Most marsupials share the 2n=14 chromosome number which shows how they are very closely related. This has been the case for millions of years so that did not change much with evolution. This shows the relatedness to the ancestor species. Also theses organisms have a similar number of chromosomes. This shows that overtime some organisms may have developed more which is why they are different.

(Karyotype)

# data[].attributes.body
Red Kangaroo:
- The tail of the red kangaroo got longer and the feet got larger. This allows the kangaroo to jump higher and with further distance.
- Strong pouch to keep young in.
- Different types of teeth for chewing different foods. Sharp and dull teeth.
- Teeth located in a good position for chewing.

Common Brushtail Possum:
- Sharp fore claws and the foot has a clawless first toe that is opposable which gives it a good grasp.
- A naked underside to help it grip to branches.
- Sharper and duller teeth for chewing.
-Strong pouch to keep young in.

Koala:
- Padded paws for gripping and climbing.
-Strong pouch to keep young in.

An example of a homologous structure in the kingdom Animalia are the arms and the hands. This feature in mammals all developed to perform a very similar function. Marsupials show these features.

Analysis:
These three organisms have a lot of similar traits, just like a lot of marsupials do. These organisms all have a pouch and the young goes in that pouch. They also have strong teeth. The koala and common brush tail possum have a good structure for gripping to trees because that is where they live. These similarities show that the organisms are closely related and there are only slight differences that occurred because of evolution.

(Teeth of the Red Kangaroo)

# data[].attributes.body
Age: 125 million years ago (Mesozoic)

# data[].attributes.body
http://panique.com.au/trishansoz/animals/marsupials.html

http://www.arkive.org/red-kangaroo/macropus-rufus/

http://www.defenders.org/kangaroo/basic-facts

http://www.arkive.org/
http://fossilworks.org/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=177400
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/12/071219-kangaroo-fossil.html

http://www.conservapedia.com/images/thumb/2/22/Geologic_time_scale.jpg/300px-Geologic_time_scale.jpg
http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/blogs/austropalaeo/2015/12/fossil-factfile-procoptodon

http://www.ozanimals.com/image/albums/australia/Mammal/normal_Nickolay_Tilcheff-BrushTail_04.jpg
http://www.slate.com/content/dam/slate/articles/health_and_science/pandemics/2012/12/121204_PAN_Koalas.jpg.CROP.rectangle3-large.jpg
https://puxccbo05z-flywheel.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/red-kangaroo-2.jpg
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/12/1215_031215_oldestmarsupial.html
http://www.palaeontologyonline.com/articles/2012/fossil-focus-marsupials/
https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/Koala_Development
https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/Possum_Development
https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/Kangaroo_Development
https://www.ck12.org/book/CK-12-Biology-Advanced-Concepts/section/10.6/
http://palaeos.com/evolution/glossary.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4405477/
http://planet.uwc.ac.za/nisl/biodiversity/loe/page_192.htm
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/mammal/marsupial/marsupial.html
http://www.nhc.ed.ac.uk/index.php?page=493.168.256
http://www.palaeontologyonline.com/articles/2012/fossil-focus-marsupials/

# data[].attributes.body
Red Kangaroo
- Long tail and large head become visible during embryonic development.
- Legs and arms also become visible.
- The kangaroo embryo goes into the pouch of the mother kangaroo where it attaches to the nipple and continues to develop.

Common Brushtail Possum
- When the possum goes into the pouch of the mother it has a well developed respiratory system, digestive system, and well developed legs.

Koala
- Hairless, blind, and earless before entering the mother's pouch.
-Well developed digestive system.
-The embryo develops legs early in its development.

Analysis:
By evaluating these pieces it is very clear that the kangaroo, the possum, and the koala are very similar. This is because they all experience premature birth followed by the young crawling into the mothers pouch. Also, the embryos develop legs early in their development. They also have strongly developed respiratory and digestive systems before they go into the pouch. This shows that marsupials are closely related. It also gives evidence that evolution occurred because it shows that changes happened and caused new species to form.

(Kangaroo Embryo)

# data[].attributes.body
Age: 1 million years ago (Quaternary)

# data[].attributes.body
Age: 25 million years ago (Tertiary)

# data[].attributes.body
Age: 99 million years ago (Tertiary)

# data[].attributes.headline
How does the taxonomy show the relatedness of the organisms

# data[].attributes.subject
How does the taxonomy show the relatedness of the organisms

# data[].attributes.body
The red kangaroo, the common brushtail possum, and the koala are very similar because they in the same kingdom, phylum, class, and order. This shows that these species have many common traits because they are classified in many of the same groups. They only have a few differences which is why they branch out into different families.

# data[].attributes.body
Common Name | Koala
Kingdom | Animalia
Phylum | Chordata
Class | Mammalia
Order | Diprotodontia
Family | Phascolarctidae
Genus | Phascolarctos
Species | Phascolarctos cinereus

# data[].attributes.body
Common Name | Common Brushtail Possum
Kingdom | Animalia
Phylum | Chordata
Class | Mammalia
Order | Diprotodontia
Family | Phalangeridae
Genus | Trichosurus
Species | Trichosurus vulpecula

# data[].attributes.body
Common Name | Red Kangaroo
Kingdom | Animalia
Phylum | Chordata
Class | Mammalia
Order | Diprotodontia
Family | Macropodidae
Genus | Macropus
Species | Macropus rufus

# data[].attributes.headline
Koala (the "koala bear" is not actually a bear)

# data[].attributes.subject
Koala (the "koala bear" is not actually a bear)

# data[].attributes.body
Location/habitat information - Koalas can live in a range from cool to tropical areas and they live in eucalypt forests and woodlands. They are located in eastern and southeastern Australia.

Internal Characteristics - A curved spine, small brain, and eleven pairs of ribs

External Characteristics - A thick grey coat. Round and fuzzy ears. About ten to thirty pounds.

Behavioral Characteristics - Koalas are nocturnal, however they sleep for part of the night as well because they sleep very long. Koalas do not live in groups because they prefer to live alone. They sleep most of the day in trees. They usually mate between September and March. Males attract females by displaying sounds and scents that will attract the female.

# data[].attributes.body
Location/habitat information - Most of them live in a forest habitat where they will sleep in some sort of den. This den could be a log, a cave, a hollow tree, or an animal burrow. They can also live in rainforests, woodlands, and dry eucalypt forests. They can be found throughout Australia and some of them are located in Tasmania, Barrow Island, and New Zealand.

Internal Characteristics - strong teeth. Bones developed for gripping the branches.

External Characteristics - A thick fur coat with dark patches. Bushy tail. Naked patch on underside.

Behavioral Characteristics - This animal is nocturnal and will rest in a hollow or cave during the day. They can live in groups or alone. They breed in the fall and sometimes in the spring. The male will attract a female and they will mate if the female is satisfied.

# data[].attributes.body
Location/habitat information - The red kangaroo tends to live in open and grassy areas with a few trees for shade and protection. The can be found in scrubland, grassland, woodland, and desert. They do not live in areas with a lot of rainfall. The rad Kangaroo lives throughout mainland Australia, mostly in the western and central areas.

Internal Characteristics - Strong molars for chewing and a chambered stomach similar to cows.

External Characteristics - Long back legs with short front arms. large feet that are strong as well as a strong tail. Large eyes and ears. five to six feet tall.

Behavioral Characteristics - The red kangaroo is nocturnal, meaning that most of the kangaroo’s activity occurs at night. They live in groups called mobs. They will look for grasses and various plants in groups, but sometimes they will look for food on their own. The female red kangaroo looks for the strongest and most dominant male. The male will approach the female and sniff her, tail, neck, or chest. The female will step forward if she is interested and then they will mate.

# data[].attributes.body
Internal -  Two reproductive parts. Continued development while attached to the mothers's lower belly. Premature birth. A cloaca which is an opening for intestinal and urinary tracts.

External - They have a pouch and they are covered with fur because they are all mammals.

Behavioral - One of the main similarities shared by all marsupials is premature birth. This premature birth is followed by the young attaching to the mother’s lower belly where it will continue to develop. Marsupials can be herbivores, omnivores, or carnivores depending on the species. They do not require as much food for energy or water as other animals do.

Habitat Specific - Marsupials live in a wide range of environments, but most of them live in hot dry climates. More specifically marsupials can live in trees, on the forest floor, on the shrub drylands, and underground. There are no aquatic marsupials so marsupials do not live in water.