Full Classification of the koala
- Domain: Eukarya
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Infraclass: Marsupialia
- Order: Diprotodontia
- Suborder: Vombatiformes
- Family: Phascolarctidae
- Genus: Phascolarctos
- Species: P. cinereus
Phylogenetic Tree
Explanation of Traits through classification
- Eukarya vs. Bacteria/Archaea: Koalas are part of the domain Eukarya. Eukarya are multicellular organisms, whereas bacteria and archaea are unicellular.
- Animalia vs. Fungi: Koalas are classified under Animalia because their animal-type digestive and reproductive systems set them apart for other kingdoms such as Fungi and Plantae.
- Mammalia vs. Actinopterygii: Mammals give live birth, and actinopterygii is an order of ray-finned fish whose offspring is born through egg-birth. Koalas give live birth, so they are classified as mammals.
- Primates vs Marsupialia: Primates are meant to be born maturely. Marsupials are born prematurely. Koalas pass the marsupial requirement!
- Peramelemorphia vs Diprotodontia: Peramelemorphia is made up of small marsupial omnivores. Diprotodontia is made up of larger animals that are almost all herbivores, which is the classification that fits koalas. Additionally, Diprotodontia have two front teeth (diprotos meaning two front in greek and odontos meaning teeth).
- Vombatiformes vs Macropodidae: Vombatiformes narrows marsupials down to animals shaped like wombats. Vombatiformes is believed to literally mean “wombat-shaped” in neo-Latin. Macropodidae, on the other hand, are their own family due to their unique diet/digestive system. They are herbivores who consume their food using their 4 molars. Their last set of molars wear out towards the end of their lives and they are no longer able to digest food, leading to starvation.
- The last classification of family and genus narrows down to the species. Of the vombatiformes, a koala, or Phascolarctos cinereus is narrowed down to its koala-like characteristics, distinctly different from wombats, which is what sets it apart as a different species.