Figure 2. Phylogenetic tree of marsupials derived from retroposon data.

The tree topology is based on a presence/absence retroposon matrix (Table 1) implemented in a heuristic parsimony analysis (Figure S3). The names of the seven marsupial orders are shown in red, and the icons are representative of each of the orders: Didelphimorphia, Virginia opossum; Paucituberculata, shrew opossum; Microbiotheria, monito del monte; Notoryctemorphia, marsupial mole; Dasyuromorphia, Tasmanian devil; Peramelemorphia, bilby; Diprotodontia, kangaroo. Phylogenetically informative retroposon insertions are shown as circles. Gray lines denote South American species distribution, and black lines Australasian marsupials. The cohort Australidelphia is indicated as well as the new name proposed for the four “true” Australasian orders (Euaustralidelphia).