pouched mammal
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: A type of mammal where the female has a specialized external abdominal pouch, called a marsupium, which contains the mammary teats and is used to carry and nourish the underdeveloped young after birth.
Usage
The term "pouched mammal" is a descriptive biological classification. It is used in scientific, educational, and general contexts to refer to animals belonging to the infraclass Marsupialia. - The kangaroo is a well-known pouched mammal. - Unlike placental mammals, a pouched mammal gives birth to very undeveloped offspring.
Advanced Usage
- The term is often synonymous with "marsupial" in modern biological taxonomy.
- It can be used descriptively to highlight the defining anatomical feature (the pouch) when comparing different mammalian reproductive strategies.
Variants and Related Words
- Marsupial (noun): The more common and technically precise synonym for a pouched mammal.
- Opossums are marsupials found in the Americas.
Synonyms
- Marsupial
Antonyms
- Placental mammal (eutherian)
- Monotreme (egg-laying mammal)
Related Phrases/Compounds
- Marsupial pouch: The specific pouch itself.
- The joey stays in the marsupial pouch for several months.
Noun
- mammals of which the females have a pouch (the marsupium) containing the teats where the young are fed and carried