Metatherians, or marsupials, are mammals that give birth to live young that are born in a very underdeveloped state and continue to develop in a pouch on the mother's body. Marsupials include kangaroos, koalas, and opossums. Marsupials are characterized by their pouch, which is a skin fold that provides a protected environment for the developing young.
Prototherians, or monotremes, are the only mammals that lay eggs. Monotremes include platypus and echidna. Monotremes have a cloaca, which is a single opening that serves as the outlet for the digestive, urinary, and reproductive tracts. Monotremes are the least diverse group of mammals.