Definition of eutheria Eutheria

We found 3 definitions of eutheria from 3 different sources.

What does eutheria mean?

Noun
eutheria - all mammals except monotremes and marsupials
		subclass Eutheria
		class elegance in dress or behavior; "she has a lot of class"
		class mammalia, mammalia warm-blooded vertebrates characterized by mammary glands in the female

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Eutheria is the taxonomical name for a group of animals. This taxon contains the placental mammals, such as humans. The name Eutheria comes from the Greek words "eu-" "well-developed" and "ther" "beast". Eutheria was introduced by Thomas Henry Huxley in 1880. Members of Eutheria are found on all continents and in all oceans.

All living Eutherians are placental mammals. This means that a Eutherian fetus is fed during gestation by a placenta. The offspring of Eitherians are carried in the mother's uterus until fully developed.

Eutherians are different from other mammal groups such as monotremes and marsupials which are not placental. Monotremes, for example, lay eggs which protect the young until they are fully developed. Marsupials give birth to young who are not completely developed. Their young then move to a special pouch in the mother's body to continue their development.

The earliest known eutherian species is the extinct "Eomaia scansoria" from the Lower Cretaceous in China.