Which infraclass classification definitively separates a rat from a quokka in the biological hierarchy?
Answer
Eutheria
The biological gulf separating a quokka from a rat is vast because they belong to different infraclasses of mammals. The quokka belongs to the infraclass Marsupialia (or Metatheria), defined by their unique reproductive strategy involving a pouch. In contrast, the rat belongs to the infraclass Eutheria, commonly known as placental mammals, characterized by long internal gestation. The ancestral lines separating these two groups diverged a very long time ago, meaning any physical resemblance seen between them is an outcome of convergent evolution rather than close genetic kinship.
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