Theria
Encyclopedia : T : TH : THE : Theria
- This article is about the subclass of mammals. For the use of the word "therian" as a synonym for "therianthrope", used predominantly in the context of modern subcultures, see "Therianthropy (subculture)".
Theria (
pronounced /ˈθɪ.ɹiː.ə/ from the
Greek θηρίον, wild beast) is a
subclass of
mammals that give birth to live young without using a shelled
egg, including both
placentals and
marsupials. They have external ears, can suckle on a
nipple, and have an
ankle specialized for power and range of motion. Therians are often classified by their specialized
dentition. Almost all currently extant mammals are therians. The only exceptions are the
platypus and the
echidnas (spiny anteater), both of which are
monotremes. Theria means
beasts.
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