Mammals of Australia introductions of placental mammals into Australian fauna were about (rats), several thousand years ago (dingo), and 200 years ago (many species); the last two were made by humans. Some claims were made about placental mammal fossils from the Eocene of Australia, called "Tingamarra". These claims are based on only one found tooth having some characteristic features of condylarth, and were discussed widely. But both the age and placental nature of these fossils were challenged by other researchers. Monotremes are mammals with a unique method of reproduction: they lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young. Two of the five
Evolution of mammals the shapes of the teeth, the hardest parts of the tetrapod body. Other important research characteristics include the evolution of the middle ear bones, erect limb posture, a bony secondary palate, fur, hair, and warm-bloodedness. While living mammal species can be identified by the presence of milk-producing mammary glands in the females, other features are required when classifying fossils, because mammary glands and other soft-tissue features are not visible in fossils. One such feature available for paleontology, shared by all living mammals (including monotremes), but not present in any of the early Triassic therapsids, is shown in Figure 1 (on