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Marsupials live in forests, plains, and
deserts. They are found in the Americas, Australia, New Guinea, and some
neighboring islands.There are about 260 different species of marsupials.
Most can be classified into one of six groups. Two marsupial groups are
found only in the Americas: (1) didelphids that include opossums and (2)
caenolestids, the rat opossums of western South America. The other four
marsupial groups are found in Australasia. The (3) macropods are kangaroos
and wallabies. Phalangers (4) are called possums, but should not be confused
with Americas' Opossums. Most (5) dasyurids are small, insect-eating mammals,
but this group also includes a few carnivore marsupials. The (6) peramelids
are bandicoots. That still leaves koalas and wombats, two other species.
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