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Macropodidae

(Family)

Overview

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Macropods are marsupials belonging to the family Macropodidae, which includes kangaroos, wallabies, tree-kangaroos, pademelons, and several others. Macropods are native to Australia, New Guinea, and some nearby islands.2] Before European settlement of Australia, there were about 53 species of Macropods. Six species have since become extinct. Another 11 species have been greatly reduced in numbers. Other species (e.g. Simosthenurus, Propleopus, Macropus titan) became extinct after the Australian Aborigines arrived and before the Europeans arrived.

Physical description

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Although there were carnivorous kangaroos in the past, modern macropods are herbivorous: some are browsers, but most are grazers and are equipped with appropriately specialised teeth for cropping and grinding up fibrous plants, in particu lar grasses and sedges. In general, macropods have a broad, straight row of cutting teeth at the front of the mouth, no canine teeth, and a gap before the molars. The molars are large and, unusually, do not appear all at once but a pair at a time at the back of the mouth as the animal ages, eventually becoming worn down by the tough, abrasive grasses and falling out. Most species have four molars and, when the last pair is too worn to be of use, they starve to death[citation needed]. The dental formula for macropods is Upper: 3.0-1.2.4, lower: 1.0.2.4

Like the eutherian ruminants of the northern hemisphere (sheep, cattle, and so on), macropods have specialised digestive systems that use a high concentration of bacteria, protozoans, and fungi in the first chamber of a complex stomach to digest plant material. The detai ls of organization are quite different, but the end result is somewhat similar.

Macropods vary in size considerably but most have very large hind legs and a long, powerfully muscled tail. The term macropod comes from the Greek for "long foot" and is appropriate: most have a very long, narrow hind foot with a distinctive arrangement of toes: the fourth toe is very large and strong, the fifth toe moderately so, the second and third are fused and the first toe is usually missing. The short front legs have five separate digits. Some macropods have 7 carpal bones instead of the usual 8 in mammals [1]. All have relatively small heads and most have large ears, except for tree-kangaroos, which must move quickly between tight branches. The young are born very small and the pouch opens forward.

The unusual development of the hind legs is optimised for economical long distance travel at fairly high spee d. The greatly elongated feet provide enormous leverage for the strong legs. But there is more to the famous kangaroo hop: kangaroos and wallabies have a unique ability to store elastic strain energy in their tendons. In consequence, most of the energy required for each hop is provided "free" by the spring action of the tendons (rather than by muscular effort). The main limitation on a macropod's ability to leap is not the strength of the muscles in the hindquarters. It is the ability of the joints and tendons to withstand the strain of hopping.

Quokka with young

In addition, there is a linkage between the hopping action and breathing. As the feet leave the ground, air is expelled from the lungs by what amounts to an internal pis ton; bringing the feet forward ready for landing fills the lungs again, providing further energy efficiency. Studies of kangaroos and wallabies have demonstrated that, beyond the minimum energy expenditure required to hop at all, increased speed requires very little extra effort (much less than the same speed increase in, say, a horse, a dog, or a human), and also that little extra energy is required to carry extra weight ? something that is of obvious importance to females carrying large pouch young.[citation needed]

The ability of larger macropods to survive on poor-quality, low-energy feed, and to travel long distances at high speed without great energy expenditure (to reach fresh food supplies or waterholes, and to escape predators) has been crucial to their evolutionary success on a continent that, because of soil fertility and low, unpredictable average rainfall, offers only very limited primary plant productivity.

Gestation in macropods lasts about a month, being slightly longer in the largest species. Typically, only a single young is born, weighing less than 1 gram (0.035 oz) at birth. They soon attach themselves to one of four teats inside the mother's pouch. The young leave the pouch after 5?11 months, and are weaned after a further 2?6 months. Macropods reach sexual maturity at 1?3 years of age, depending on species.[3]

Fossil record

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The earliest known fossil macropod dates back about 11.61mya to 28.4mya, either in the Miocene or Late Oligocene, and was uncovered in South Australia. Unfortunately, the fossil could not be identified any further than the family. A Queensland fossil of a species similar to Hadronomas has been dated at around 5.33mya to 11.61mya, falling in the Late Miocene or Early Pliocene. The earliest completely iden tifiable fossils are from around 5.33mya.[4]

Classification

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Tree-kangaroos have smaller ears for easier maneuvering between tree branches, and a much longer tail
Five 'legs' for moving slowly while browsing: the forelimbs and muscular tail take the animal's weight whi le the hind legs are brought forward: a Red Kangaroo.
A pademelon in Tasmania. Although obscured by fur, most of this macropod's lower body consists of legs.
A pademelon near Port Douglas, Queensland eating a slice of sweet potato. Although usually grazing directly from the ground, macropods may also use their front paws to assist in grazing.
A Forester Kangaroo "flying" over a puddle in Narawntapu National Park, Tasmania

There are two living subfamilies in the Macropodidae family: Lagostrophinae is represented by a single species, the Banded Hare-wallaby; the remainder, about 60 species, makes up the subfamily Macropodinae.

See also

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  • Australian megafauna
  • Macropod hybrids
and the pouch opens forward.

The unusual development of the hind legs is optimised for economical long distance travel at fairly high speed. The greatly elongated feet provide enormous leverage for the strong legs. But there is more to the famous kangaroo hop: kangaroos and wallabies have a unique ability to store elastic strain energy in their tendons. In consequence, most of the energy required for each hop is provided "free" by the spring action of the tendons (rather than by muscular effort). The main limitation on a macropod's ability to leap is not the strength of the muscles in the hindquarters. It is the ability of the joints and tendons to withstand the strain of hopping.

Quokka with young

In addition, there is a linkage between the hopping action and breathing. As the feet leave the ground, air is expelled from the lungs by what amounts to an internal piston; bringing the feet forward ready for landing fills the lungs again, providing further energy efficiency. Studies of kangaroos and wallabies have demonstrated that, beyond the minimum energy expenditure required to hop at all, increased speed requires very little extra effort (much less than the same speed increase in, say, a horse, a dog, or a human), and also that little extra energy is required to carry extra weight ? something that is of obvious importance to females carrying large pouch young.[citation needed]

The ability of larger macropods to survive on poor-quality, low-energy feed, and to travel long distances at high speed without great energy expenditure (to reach fresh food supplies or waterholes, and to escape predators) has been crucial to their evolutionary success on a continent that, because of soil fertility and low, unpredictable average rainfall, offers only very limited primary plant productivity.

Gestation in macropods lasts about a month, being slightly longer in the largest species. Typically, only a single young is born, weighing less than 1 gram (0.035 oz) at birth. They soon attach themselves to one of four teats inside the mother's pouch. The young leave the pouch after 5?11 months, and are weaned after a further 2?6 months. Macropods reach sexual maturity at 1?3 years of age, depending on species.[3]

Fossil record

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The earliest known fos sil macropod dates back about 11.61mya to 28.4mya, either in the Miocene or Late Oligocene, and was uncovered in South Australia. Unfortunately, the fossil could not be identified any further than the family. A Queensland fossil of a species similar to Hadronomas has been dated at around 5.33mya to 11.61mya, falling in the Late Miocene or Early Pliocene. The earliest completely identifiable fossils are from around 5.33mya.[4]

Classification

[ Back to top ]
Tree-kangaroos have smaller ears for easier maneuvering between tree branches, and a much longer tail
Five 'legs' for moving slowly while browsing: the forelimbs and muscular tail take the animal's weight while the hind legs are brought forward: a Red Kangaroo.
A pademelon in Tasmania. Although obscured by fur, most of this macropod's lower body consists of legs.
A pademelon near Port Douglas, Queensland eating a slice of sweet potato. Although usually grazing directly from the ground, macropods may also use their front paws to assist in grazing.
A Forester Kangaroo "flying" over a puddle in Narawntapu National Park, Tasmania

There are two living subfamilies in the Macropodidae family: Lagostrophinae is represented by a single species, the Banded Hare-wallaby; the remainder, about 60 species, makes up the subfamily Macropodinae.

  • FAMILY MACROPODIDAE[1][5]
    • Genus ?Watutia
    • Genus ?Dorcopsoides
    • Genus ?Kurrabi
    • Subfamily ?Potoroinae
      • Tribe ?Potoroini
        • Genus ?Propleopus Longman, 1924
    • Subfamily Lagostrophinae[6]
      • Genus Lagostrophus
        • Banded Hare-wallaby, Lagostrophus fasciatus
      • Genus ?Tropsodon
    • Subfamily Sthenurinae
      • Genus ?Sthenurus
      • Genus ?Procoptodon
      • Genus ?Hadronomas
      • Genus ?Eosthenurus
    • Subfamily ?Balbarinae
      • Genus ?Nambaroo
      • Genus ?Wururoo
      • Genus ?Ganawamaya
      • Genus ?Balbaroo
      • Genus ?Silvaroo
    • Subfamily Macropodinae
      • Genus ?Prionotemnus
      • Genus ?Congruus
      • Genus ?Baringa
      • Genus ?Bohra
      • Genus ?Synaptodon
      • Genus ?Fissuridon
      • Genus ?Protemnodon
      • Genus Dendrolagus: tree-kangaroos
        • Grizzled Tree-kangaroo, Dendrolagus inustus
        • Lumholtz's Tree-kangaroo, Dendrolagus lumholtzi
        • Bennett's Tree-kangaroo, Dendrolagus bennettianus
        • Ursine Tree-kangaroo, Dendrolagus ursinus
        • Matschie's Tree-kangaroo, Dendrolagus matschiei
        • Doria's Tree-kangaroo, Dendrolagus dorianus
        • Goodfellow?s Tree-kangaroo, Dendrolagus goodfellowi
        • Lowlands Tree-kangaroo, Dendrolagus spadix
        • Golden-mantled Tree-kangaroo, Dendrolagus pulcherrimus
        • Seri's Tree-kangaroo, Dendrolagus stellarum
        • Dingiso, Dendrolagus mbaiso
        • Tenkile, Dendrolagus scottae
      • Genus Dorcopsis
        • Brown Dorcopsis, Dorcopsis muel leri
        • White-striped Dorcopsis, Dorcopsis hageni
        • Black Dorcopsis, Dorcopsis atrata
        • Gray Dorcopsis, Dorcopsis luctuosa
      • Genus Dorcopsulus
        • Small Dorcopsis, Dorcopsulus vanheurni
        • Macleay's Dorcopsis, Dorcopsulus macleayi
      • Genus Lagorchestes
        • ?Lake Mackay Hare-wallaby, ?Lagorchestes asomatus
        • Spectacled Hare-wallaby, Lagorchestes conspicillatus
        • Rufous Hare-wallaby, Lagorchestes hirsutus
        • ?Eastern Hare-wallaby, ?Lagorchestes leporides
      • Genus Macropus
        • Subgenus Notamacropus
          • Agile Wallaby, Macropus agilis
          • Black-striped Wallaby, Macropus dorsalis
          • Tammar Wallaby, Macropus eugenii
          • ?Toolache Wallaby, ?Macropus greyii
          • Western Brush Wallaby, Macropus irma
          • Parma Wallaby, Macropus parma (rediscovered, thought extinct for 10 0 years)
          • Pretty-faced Wallaby, Macropus parryi
          • Red-necked Wallaby, Macropus rufogriseus
        • Subgenus Osphranter
          • Antilopine Kangaroo, Macropus antilopinus
          • Black Wallaroo, Macropus bernadus
          • Common Wallaroo, Macropus robustus
          • Red Kangaroo, Macropus rufus
        • Subgenus Macropus
          • Western Grey Kangaroo, Macropus fuliginosus
          • Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Macropus giganteus
      • Genus Onychogalea
        • Bridled Nail-tail Wallaby, Onychogalea fraenata
        • ?Crescent Nail-tail Wallaby, ?Onychogalea lunata
        • Northern Nail-tail Wallaby, Onychogalea unguifera
      • Genus Petrogale
        • P. brachyotis species-group
          • Short-eared Rock-wallaby, Petrogale brachyotis
          • Monjon, Petrogale burbidgei
          • Nabarlek, Petrogale concinna
        • P. xanth opus species-group
          • Proserpine Rock-wallaby, Petrogale persephone
          • Rothschild's Rock-wallaby, Petrogale rothschildi
          • Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby, Petrogale xanthopus
        • P. lateralis/penicillata species-group
          • Allied Rock-wallaby, Petrogale assimilis
          • Cape York Rock-wallaby, Petrogale coenensis
          • Godman's Rock-wallaby, Petrogale godmani
          • Herbert's Rock-wallaby, Petrogale herberti
          • Unadorned Rock-wallaby, Petrogale inornata
          • Black-flanked Rock-wallaby, Petrogale lateralis
          • Mareeba Rock-wallaby, Petrogale mareeba
          • Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby, Petrogale penicillata
          • Purple-necked Rock-wallaby, Petrogale purpureicollis
          • Mt. Claro Rock-wallaby, Petrogale sharmani
      • Genus Setonix
        • Quokka: Setonix brachyurus
      • Genus Thylogale
        • Tasmanian Pademelo n, Thylogale billardierii
        • Brown's Pademelon, Thylogale browni
        • Dusky Pademelon, Thylogale brunii
        • Calaby's Pademelon, Thylogale calabyi
        • Mountain Pademelon, Thylogale lanatus
        • Red-legged Pademelon, Thylogale stigmatica
        • Red-necked Pademelon, Thylogale thetis
      • Genus Wallabia
        • Swamp Wallaby or Black Wallaby, Wallabia bicolor

See also

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  • Australian megafauna
  • Macropod hybrids

References

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  1. ^ a b Groves, C. (2005). Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. eds. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 58?70. OCLC 62265494. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3. 
  2. ^ Clode, D (2006). Continent of curiosities: a journey through Australian natural history. Melbourne: Cambridge University Press. pp. 25?8. ISBN 978-0-521-86620-0. 
  3. ^ Poole, WE (1984). Macdonald, D. ed. The Encyclopedia of Mammals. New York: Facts on File. pp. 862?71. ISBN 0-87196-871-1. 
  4. ^ The Paleobiology Database (2011). "Macropodidae (kangaroo)". The Paleobiology Database. Majura Park, ACT, Australia: Australian Research Council. http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=checkTaxonInfo&taxon_no=40140&is_real_user=1. Retrieved 2011-07-11. 
  5. ^ Haaramo, M (20 December 2004). "Macropodidae: kenguroos". Mikko's Phylogeny Archive. http://www.fmnh.helsinki.fi/users/haaramo/Metazoa/Deuterostoma/Chordata/Synapsida/Metatheria/Notometatheria/ Diprotodontia/Macropodidae.htm. Retrieved 15 March 2007. 
  6. ^ Prideaux, GJ; Warburton, NM (2010). "An osteology-based appraisal of the phylogeny and evolution of kangaroos and wallabies (Macropodidae: Marsupialia)". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 159 (4): 954?87. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.2009.00607.x. 

External links

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Taxonomy

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The Family Macropodidae is further organized into finer groupings including:

Genera

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Balbaroo

[more]

Brachalletes

[more]

Dendrolagus

Tree-kangaroos are macropods adapted for life in trees. They inhabit the rainforests of New Guinea, far northeastern Queensland, and nearby islands. Although most are found in mountainous areas, several species also occur in lowlands, such as the aptly named Lowlands Tree-kangaroo. Most tree-kangaroos are considered threatened due to hunting and habitat loss. [more]

Dorcopsis

The dorcopsises are the of the genus Dorcopsis and Dorcopsulus. [more]

Dorcopsoides

[more]

Dorcopsulus

Dorcopsulus is a genus of marsupial in the Macropodidae family. It contains the following species: [more]

Fissuridon

[more]

Hadronomas

[more]

Lagorchestes

Lagorchestes is a genus containing all but one of the species referred to as hare-wallabies. It has four species, two of which are extinct: [more]

Lagostrophus

The banded hare-wallaby or mernine (Lagostrophus fasciatus) is a marsupial that is currently found on the Islands of Bernier and Dorre off western Australia. A small population has recently been established on Faure Island and it appears to have been successful. Evidence suggested that the mernine was the only living member of the Sthenurine subfamily, and a recent osteology-based phylogeny of Macropodids found that the banded hare-wallaby was indeed a bastion of an ancient lineage, agreeing with other (molecular) appraisals of the evolutionary history of L. fasciatus. However, the authors analysis did not support the placement of the mernine within Sthenurinae, but suggest it belongs to a plesiomorphic clade which branched off from other Macropodids in the early Miocene and put forward the new subfamily Lagostrophinae. This new subfamily includes the banded hare-wallaby and the fossil genus . [more]

Largorchestes

Macropus

Macropus is a marsupial genus that belongs to the family Macropodidae, it has 14 species which are further divided into 3 subgenera. The genus includes all terrestrial kangaroos, wallaroos and several species of wallaby. The term itself is derived from the Ancient Greek makros "long" and pous "foot". A further 11 extinct species are recognised. The type species is the Eastern Grey Kangaroo. [more]

Megaleia

A Genus in the Kingdom Animalia.[1] [more]

Nambaroo

[more]

Onychogalea

The nail-tail wallabies (genus Onychogalea) are three species of macropod found in Australia. They are distinguished by a horny spur at the end of their tail, and are now generally very rare. Only one species (the northern nail-tail wallaby) has survived European settlement unscathed: the crescent nail-tail is extinct, and the bridled nail-tail is seriously endangered. Nail-tail wallabies are smaller than many other wallabies. [more]

Osphranter

A Genus in the Kingdom Animalia.[2] [more]

Peradorcas

A Genus in the Kingdom Animalia.[3] [more]

Petrogale

The rock-wallabies are the wallabies of the genus Petrogale. [more]

Procoptodon

Protemnodon

Setonix

The quokka (Setonix brachyurus), the only member of the genus Setonix, is a small macropod about the size of a domestic cat. Like other marsupials in the macropod family (such as the kangaroos and wallabies), the quokka is herbivorous and mainly nocturnal. It can be found on some smaller islands off the coast of Western Australia, in particular on Rottnest Island just off Perth and Bald Island near Albany. A small mainland colony exists in the protected area of Two Peoples Bay, where they co-exist with Gilbert's potoroo. [more]

Setonyx

Simosthenurus

Simosthenurus is a genus of megafaunal macropods that existed in Australia in the Pleistocene. The members of the genus are large, Simosthenurus occidentalis weighed over 118 kilograms. [more]

Sthenurus

Sthenurus ("Strong Tail") is an extinct genus of kangaroo. With a length of about 3 m (10 ft), some species were twice as large as modern extant species. Sthenurus was related to the better-known Procoptodon. [more]

Thylogale

Pademelons are small marsupials of the genus Thylogale. They are usually found in forests. Pademelons are the smallest of the macropods. The name is a corruption of badimaliyan, from the Dharuk Aboriginal language of Port Jackson (Sydney region). [more]

Troposodon

[more]

Wallabia

The swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) is a small macropod marsupial of eastern Australia. This wallaby is also commonly known as the black wallaby, with other names including black-tailed wallaby, fern wallaby, black pademelon, stinker (in Queensland), and black stinker (in New South Wales). The swamp wallaby is the only living member of the genus Wallabia. [more]

At least 8 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Wallabia.

More info about the Genus Wallabia may be found here.

References

[ Back to top ]
  1. ^ a b Groves, C. (2005). Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. eds. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 58?70. OCLC 62265494. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3. 
  2. ^ Clode, D (2006). Continent of curiosities: a journey through Australian natural history. Melbourne: Cambridge University Press. pp. 25?8. ISBN 978-0-521-86620-0. 
  3. ^ Poole, WE (1984). Macdonald, D. ed. The Encyclopedia of Mammals. New York: Facts on File. pp. 862?71. ISBN 0-87196-871-1. 
  4. ^ The Paleobiology Database (2011). "Macropodidae (kangaroo)". The Paleobiology Database. Majura Park, ACT, Australia: Australian Research Council. http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=checkTaxonInfo&taxon_no=40140&is_real_user=1. Retrieved 2011-07-11. 
  5. ^ Haaramo, M (20 December 2004). "Macropodidae: kenguroos". Mikko 's Phylogeny Archive. http://www.fmnh.helsinki.fi/users/haaramo/Metazoa/Deuterostoma/Chordata/Synapsida/Metatheria/Notometatheria/Diprotodontia/Macropodidae.htm. Retrieved 15 March 2007. 
  6. ^ Prideaux, GJ; Warburton, NM (2010). "An osteology-based appraisal of the phylogeny and evolution of kangaroos and wallabies (Macropodidae: Marsupialia)". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 159 (4): 954?87. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.2009.00607.x. 

Footnotes

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  1. http://www.ubio.org/browser/details.php?namebankID=113026
  2. http://www.ubio.org/browser/details.php?namebankID=113208
  3. http://www.ubio.org/browser/details.php?namebankID=113280

Sources

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  • The text on this page is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It includes material from Wikipedia retrieved Wednesday, April 25, 2012.
  • The distribution map on the Distribution tab comes from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and is used with permission.
  • Photographs on this page are copyrighted by individual photographers, and individual copyrights apply.
  • The technology underlying this page, including the controls behind Keep Exploring, is owned by the BayScience Foundation. All rights are reserved.
Last Revised: August 24, 2012
2012/08/24 13:35:33