Prototheria
Prototheria
(Gr., protos-first + theria- beast)
Primitive, reptile like , oviparous (Eg. Echina ‘spiny anteater’)
General feartures :-
- Marsupials brood pouch on the ventral side
- occupy a wide variety of niches and varied in diets
- Viviparous
- warm blooded
- Body covered by hair
- Pinna well developed
- Mammary glands have tits
- All digits are clawed
- Skull dicondylic
- Mandible is a single bone called is Dentary
- Orbital and temporal fossa and are congruent
- Seven cervical vertebrae is Y shaped bones in caudal vertebrae
- 4 th toe is largest in hind limb, serves as axis of foot
- Clavicle is well developed. Inter- clavicle is absent
- Penis is present in some animal it is bifurcated
- Fertilisation and initial development is internal
- Young ones are born in an immature state
Affinity with prototheria :-
- Cloaca presents
- Play vehicle present.
- Corpus callosum absent.
- Placenta is not found.
Affinity with eutheria :-
- Vagina is present
- Cochlea is coiled
- Viviparous
- Pinna is present
- Heterodont