A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Are koalas more closely related to bears, or kangaroos?

Best Answers

You're correct: koalas are significantly more closely related to other marsupials, with their closest living relatives being wombats (taking a look at a phylogenesis tree gives a nice little overview). read more

Koala’s are marsupials and as such are more closely related to kangaroos than bears. The term koala bear only came about because koalas look a little like bears. In fact I understand that koalas closest relatives are wombats. read more

Three subspecies of koala have been described, though many biologists believe these distinctions are arbitrary and invalid, so all koalas currently fall under cinerus. Koalas are more closely related to kangaroos and wombats, which are both members of Diprotodontia, than bears, which belong to the order Carnivora. read more

While the kangaroos and wallabies went of into the suborder Macropodidae and possums split of as Phalangeriformes, the koalas and wombats stayed together to form the suborder of Vombatiformes making wombats the closest living relative of koalas. read more

Encyclopedia Research

Wikipedia:

Related Types