The Order Marsupialia comprises mammals known as marsupials, which are distinguished by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young that continue developing in a pouch (marsupium). Marsupials are primarily found in Australia, New Guinea, and the Americas and include kangaroos, koalas, wombats, opossums, and bandicoots. They have diverse diets ranging from herbivorous to carnivorous and show adaptations for hopping, climbing, or burrowing depending on the species. Marsupials play important ecological roles in their habitats as herbivores, predators, and seed dispersers, and their reproductive strategy allows them to survive in environments where placental mammals might face greater reproductive challenges.

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