Diprotodontasi

Diprotodontasi is an extinct superorder of marsupials that lived in Australia and nearby islands. They were characterized by the presence of two prominent incisors in the upper jaw, as well as a diverse range of adaptations for different environments. Diprotodontasi were herbivores, with some species including koalas, wombats, and various extinct groups like Macropodiformes and Phascolomorphs.

Diprotodontasi first appeared during the Eocene epoch, around 56 million years ago, and survived until the genus Didelphodon is thought to have gone extinct around 45,000 years ago. During this time, they were one of the most diverse groups of marsupials on the continent, with many different lineages and adaptations that allowed them to occupy a wide range of ecological niches. Their skeletal and dental anatomy often included specialized features that enabled them to eat, run, and defend themselves to different degrees.

Diprotodontasi also played an important role in the evolution of modern marsupials. The modern genus Phascolarctos, which includes the common koala, falls within the diprotodontasi lineage, meaning that diprotodontasi are more closely related to modern koalas and other phascolomorphs than many other marsupial groups. However, by the time of the arrival of humans in Australia, many of the diprotodontasi lineages had undergone significant changes and many went extinct. The human settlement of Australia led to a decline in many of the populations that may have originally coexisted with humans, including species such as the Diprotodon, a large extinct marsupial the size of an elephant.