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Meaning of Metatheria in English:

Metatheria

Pronunciation /ˌmɛtəˈθɪərɪə/

plural noun

Zoology

  • A group of mammals that comprises the marsupials.

    Compare with Eutheria

    Infraclass Metatheria, subclass Theria

    ‘Yet the teeth of deltatheroidans are of remarkably primitive construction; if they are related to marsupials, an extremely early divergence of Metatheria and Eutheria is implied.’
    • ‘These evolutionary ties between the South American Microbiotheriidae and the Australian marsupials help to illuminate the biogeographic history of the Metatheria.’
    • ‘The data presented here encompassed 5 Metatheria (order Didelphimorphia) and 62 Eutheria: 15 Xenarthra, 24 Euarchontoglires, as well as 23 Laurasiatheria (22 Chiroptera and 1 species from Perissodactyla).’
    • ‘In all cases, a representative of the mammalian infraclass Metatheria was designated as an outgroup.’

Origin

Modern Latin (plural), from meta- (expressing change) + Greek thēria, plural of thērion ‘wild animal’.