Short-eared rock-wallaby

Last updated

Short-eared rock-wallaby [1]
Short-eared rock wallaby in Kakadu.jpg
Short-eared rock-wallaby in Kakadu National Park
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Diprotodontia
Family: Macropodidae
Genus: Petrogale
Species:
P. brachyotis
Binomial name
Petrogale brachyotis
(Gould, 1841)
Subspecies
  • P. brachyotis brachyotis
  • P. brachyotis victoriae
Short-eared Rock Wallaby area.png
Short-eared rock-wallaby range

The short-eared rock-wallaby (Petrogale brachyotis) is a species of rock-wallaby found in northern Australia, in the northernmost parts of the Northern Territory and Western Australia. It is much larger than its three closest relatives, the eastern short-eared rock-wallaby (Petrogale wilkinsi), the nabarlek (Petrogale concinna) and the monjon (Petrogale burbidgei). [3]

Contents

Taxonomy

The species was described by John Gould in 1841.

In 2014 a genetic and morphological study identified a separate species, the eastern short-eared rock-wallaby (Petrogale wilkinsi), previously thought to be P. brachyotis. It occurs in the Kakadu and Litchfield National Parks, weighs less, and has stronger markings and colouring. [4]

Prior to a revision of the genus in 2014, a number of subspecies had been recognised. [1] A tentative arrangement of two subspecies were proposed in that revision, identifying a taxon that may be a third species as the subspecies Petrogale brachyotis victoriae. [5]

Description

A species of Petrogale , known as rock-wallabies, that varies in its size and coloration and has been recognised as a species group. Referred to as the brachyotis species group of the genus, they exist in an area that has made study difficult, although examination of specimens in 2014 separated one species and identified other cryptic taxa within the population.

Prior to its revision, the generalised description for the species Petrogale brachyotis ( sensu lato ) incorporated variations later recognised as distinctive characters. The grey-brown coloration of the fur is interspersed with silver hair that highlights the overall coloration. the underside is pale grey. The length of the head and body combined is from 415 to 550 millimetres (16.3 to 21.7 in), and they weigh 2.2 to 5.5 kilograms (4.9 to 12.1 lb). The tail is relatively short for the genus, 320 to 550 mm (13 to 22 in), a dark brown to blackish tuft of fur appears at the terminus and the colour is otherwise cinnamon brown. The ears are also relatively small, less than half the length of the head, measuring from 40 to 48 mm (1.6 to 1.9 in). The cinnamon colour also appears at the legs, broken by a buff or whitish stripe at the thigh that extends over the flank and over the shoulder, where a darker patch appears below the forelimb. A buff patch at the side of the snout has an off-white coloured stripe below that reaches to the eye. A dark stripe beginning at the crown of the head continues to the middle of the back. All the coloration is duller and the striping less distinct in populations found at the Victoria River and Kimberley region. [6]

The nominate subspecies bases its description of a specimen collected at Hanover Bay.

There is a second subspecies, described by four specimens of a population that may be elevated to species rank after examination of more material. The holotype of Petrogale brachyotis victoriae was obtained in 1974 at Lobby Creek in the "Bradshaw" region of the Northern Territory. The population is only known from collections made near the Victoria River, inspiring the authors to propose that name as the taxon's epithet. [5]

Behaviour

The short-eared rock-wallaby is a gregarious vegetarian, found in rocky hills and gorges. It is variable in its appearance but is generally grey-brown with white areas around its face and legs. It is not considered threatened. [3]

Distribution and habitat

Petrogale brachyotis has a patchy occurrence within a wide distribution range, extending west from the border of Queensland and the Northern Territory through the Top End to the Windjana Gorge in northwestern Australia. The range inland is limited to areas of rainfall above the 600 mm isohyet. [6] They are also found as island populations in the Gulf of Carpentaria. The favoured habitat is monsoonal rainforest and open grasslands, where they inhabit cliffs, hills and valleys that provide refuge and forage. [2]

In Aboriginal language and culture

Speakers of Kunwinjku in West Arnhem Land call the wallaby badbong, and people would traditionally travel with spears into the escarpment to hunt them. [7] According to Kunwinjku elder Reverend Peterson Nganjmirra they would trap badbong in rocky country by setting fire to "spinifex" (actually Triodia spp.). [8]

Conservation

The IUCN Red List notes the conservation status of the species was assessed as least concern in 2015. The trajectory of the population is not known. Local extinctions are known to have occurred in the southern range in the Northern Territory, the subpopulation in Western Australia has not been historically surveyed. Altered fire regimes may detrimentally affect local populations of the species, and the IUCN advisory group recommends study of the effect of this and other factors on this poorly monitored species. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kakadu National Park</span> Protected area in the Northern Territory, Australia

Kakadu National Park is a protected area in the Northern Territory of Australia, 171 km (106 mi) southeast of Darwin. It is a World Heritage Site. Kakadu is also gazetted as a locality, covering the same area as the national park, with 313 people recorded living there in the 2016 Australian census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brush-tailed rock-wallaby</span> Species of marsupial

The brush-tailed rock-wallaby or small-eared rock-wallaby is a kind of wallaby, one of several rock-wallabies in the genus Petrogale. It inhabits rock piles and cliff lines along the Great Dividing Range from about 100 km north-west of Brisbane to northern Victoria, in vegetation ranging from rainforest to dry sclerophyll forests. Populations have declined seriously in the south and west of its range, but it remains locally common in northern New South Wales and southern Queensland. However, due to a large bushfire event in South-East Australia around 70% of all the wallaby's habitat has been lost as of January 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern quoll</span> Species of marsupial native to Australia

The northern quoll, also known as the northern native cat, the North Australian native cat or the satanellus is a carnivorous marsupial native to Australia.

Bininj Kunwok is an Australian Aboriginal language which includes six dialects: Kunwinjku, Kuninjku, Kundjeyhmi, Manyallaluk Mayali (Mayali), Kundedjnjenghmi, and two varieties of Kune. Kunwinjku is the dominant dialect, and also sometimes used to refer to the group. The spellings Bininj Gun-wok and Bininj Kun-Wok have also been used in the past, however Bininj Kunwok is the current standard orthography.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-flanked rock-wallaby</span> Species of marsupial

The black-flanked rock-wallaby, also known as the black-footed rock-wallaby or warru, is a species of wallaby, one of several rock-wallabies in the genus Petrogale. A shy, nocturnal herbivore, its two main subspecies are found in mostly isolated populations across western and southern Western Australia (WA), the Northern Territory and parts of South Australia (SA). With some subspecies showing a decline in populations in recent years, the whole species is classed as an endangered species under the Commonwealth EPBC Act.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock-wallaby</span> Genus of marsupials

The rock-wallabies are the wallabies of the genus Petrogale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fawn antechinus</span> Species of marsupial

The fawn antechinus is a species of small carnivorous marsupial found in northern Australia. It is the only Antechinus to be found in the Northern Territory and has a patchy, restricted range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spectacled hare-wallaby</span> Species of marsupial

The spectacled hare-wallaby is a species of macropod found in Australia and New Guinea. In Australia, a small sub-population is found on Barrow Island, while the mainland type is widespread, though in decline, across northern regions of the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agile wallaby</span> Species of marsupial

The agile wallaby, also known as the sandy wallaby, is a species of wallaby found in northern Australia and southern New Guinea. It is the most common wallaby in north Australia. The agile wallaby is a sandy colour, becoming paler below. It is sometimes solitary and at other times sociable and grazes on grasses and other plants. The agile wallaby is not considered threatened.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black wallaroo</span> Species of marsupial

The black wallaroo, also known as Woodward's wallaroo, is a species of macropod restricted to a small, mountainous area in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia, between South Alligator River and Nabarlek. It classified as near threatened, mostly due to its limited distribution. A large proportion of the range is protected by Kakadu National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monjon</span> Species of marsupial

The monjon is the smallest species of rock-wallabies (Petrogale) and is found in north-west Australia. They are restricted to a small area of the Kimberley region and on nearby islands in the Bonaparte Archipelago. Common names also include Burbidge's rock-wallaby and Burbidge's rock-weasel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nabarlek</span> Species of marsupial

Nabarleks, are a tiny species of macropod found in northern Australia. They are a shy and nocturnal animal that resides in rocky hollows and forages in the surrounding area. Their diet is grasses, sedges, and ferns found in and around their scrub covered refuges. They are distinguished by a reddish tinge to the mostly grey fur and a distinct stripe at the cheek. They move with great speed and agility when observed, with a forward leaning posture and a bushy tail that arches over the back.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rothschild's rock-wallaby</span> Species of marsupial

Rothschild's rock-wallaby – sometimes known as the Roebourne rock-wallaby, is a species of macropod found in Western Australia, in the Pilbara district and the Dampier Archipelago. It is not currently considered to be threatened, but is at risk from the red fox.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anbangbang Billabong</span>

Anbangbang Billabong lies in the shadow of Burrunggui within Kakadu National Park and is a good place to view a wide range of wildlife. Large numbers of waterfowl and wading birds inhabit the billabong and many wallabies can be found grazing around the water's edge. There is a walking trail around the circumference of Anbangbang Billabong with many picnic areas.

The dusky rat is an indigenous species of rodent in the family Muridae found in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern brushtail possum</span> Species of marsupial

The northern brushtail possum is a nocturnal marsupial inhabiting northern Australia. The northern brushtail possum is sometimes considered a species, however more often than not is considered a subspecies of the common brushtail possum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern short-eared rock-wallaby</span> Species of marsupial

The eastern short-eared rock-wallaby or Wilkins' rock-wallaby is a species of rock-wallaby found in the northernmost parts of the Northern Territory of Australia, and is common in the Kakadu and Litchfield National Parks. It was thought to be a subpopulation of the short-eared rock-wallaby Petrogale brachyotis found in the Kimberley, but recent genetic and morphological studies have shown it to be distinct. Wilkins' rock-wallaby is smaller, has more distinct grey/brown markings on its head and sides, and more colourful limbs than the western species.

The Bininj are an Aboriginal Australian people of Western Arnhem land in the Northern Territory. The sub-groups of Bininj are sometimes referred to by the various language dialects spoken in the region, that is, the group of dialects known as Bininj Kunwok; so the people may be named the Kunwinjku, Kuninjku, Kundjeyhmi (Gundjeihmi), Manyallaluk Mayali, Kundedjnjenghmi and Kune groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Savanna glider</span> Species of Australian marsupial

The savanna glider is a species of arboreal gliding possum in the genus Petaurus.

References

  1. 1 2 Groves, C. P. (2005). Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 67. ISBN   0-801-88221-4. OCLC   62265494.
  2. 1 2 3 Woinarski, J.; Telfer, W.; Burbidge, A. (2016). "Petrogale brachyotis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T40570A21954883. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T40570A21954883.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  3. 1 2 Menkhorst, Peter (2001). A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia. Oxford University Press. p. 126.
  4. Eldridge, M.; Potter, S. (22 December 2014). "Hiding in plain sight: a new marsupial species for Australia". The Australian Museum . Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  5. 1 2 Potter, Sally; Close, Robert L.; Taggart, David A.; Cooper, Steven J. B.; Eldridge, Mark D. B. (2014). "Taxonomy of rock-wallabies, Petrogale (Marsupialia: Macropodidae). IV. Multifaceted study of the brachyotis group identifies additional taxa". Australian Journal of Zoology. 62 (#5): 401. doi:10.1071/ZO13095. S2CID   84985950.
  6. 1 2 Menkhorst, P.W.; Knight, F. (2011). A field guide to the mammals of Australia (3rd ed.). Melbourne: Oxford University Press. p. 130. ISBN   9780195573954.
  7. Garde, Murray. "badbong". Bininj Kunwok dictionary. Bininj Kunwok Regional Language Centre. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  8. Goodfellow, D. (1993). Fauna of Kakadu and the Top End. Wakefield Press. p. 30. ISBN   1862543062.