Peramelemorphs
(Order: Peramelemorphia)
Bandicoots are timid, nocturnal ground-dwellers, and only 9 species remain today, with the Desert Bandicoot Perameles eremiana the only extinct member. They are often confused with rodents, but are marsupials with backward facing pouches to prevent the developing young from getting a face-full of dirt. Some species of bandicoots have the shortest gestation period (pregnancy) of any marsupial, at just 11 days.
