Western brush wallaby

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Western brush wallaby [1]
Macropus irma Gould.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Diprotodontia
Family: Macropodidae
Genus: Notamacropus
Species:
N. irma
Binomial name
Notamacropus irma
(Jourdan, 1837)
Western Brush Wallaby.jpg
Western brush wallaby range
Synonyms [2]
  • Halmaturus irmaJourdan, 1837
  • Macropus irma(Jourdan, 1837)

The western brush wallaby (Notamacropus irma), also known as the black-gloved wallaby, is a species of wallaby found in the southwestern coastal region of Western Australia. The wallaby's main threat is predation by the introduced red fox (Vulpes vulpes). [3] The IUCN lists the western brush wallaby as Least Concern, as it remains fairly widespread and the population is believed to be stable or increasing, as a result of red fox control programs. [2]

Contents

The western brush wallaby has a grey colour with distinctive white colouring around the face, arms and legs (although it does have black gloves as its alternative common name implies). It is an unusually diurnal macropod that eats mainly grass. [3]

Taxonomy

The western brush wallaby was first scientifically described by Claude Jourdan in 1837. [4] It also goes by the common names of the black-gloved wallaby [5] or the kwoora. [2] The western brush wallaby falls under the order Diprotodontia which is composed of marsupials with only one pair of incisors in the lower jaw (although a second, non-functional pair may be present), three pairs of upper incisors, and no lower canine teeth. All of these characteristics of the teeth are clear adaptions for an herbivorous diet. [6] The western brush wallaby is in the superfamily Macropodoidea, the suborder Macropodiformes, and the genus Notamacropus. [7] [1] They are part of the largest family of marsupials, Macropodidae, which are believed to have become secondarily terrestrial after descending from arboreal marsupials. [6]

Following systematic revisions of Macropus that elevated its subgenera, the taxon is recognised by the Australian Faunal Directory as Notamacropus irma. A name published as Macropus melanopus Gould 1940 remained largely unrecognised by workers until discussed and placed in synonymy in 1989. The description of a specimen obtained at the Swan River, Macropus manicatus, Gould, 1841, is also recognised as a synonym. [8] Genetic analysis found that its closest relative was the extinct toolache wallaby. [9]

Names derived from the Nyungar language are kwara (pronounced kwa'ra), as it was known at the Swan River colony, and koora (koo'ra), recorded at the interior regions of Southwest Australia, that are recommended as the appropriate common names for this species. [10]

Description

A species of Notamacropus , with a head and body measurement up to 900 millimetres and tail from 600 to 950 mm; the standing height of N. irma is around 800 mm. The western brush wallaby's gunmetal grey colouring resembles the larger kangaroos of the region. Their tail length is proportionally long to their smaller body size. The adult western brush wallaby weighs anywhere from 7.0-9.0 kg. Their colouring consists of a pale to mid grey coat with a distinct white facial stripe from the ear to the mouth. [11] Other distinct features include black and white ears, black hands and feet, and crest of black hairs on the tail. [5] Some individuals present darkly coloured barring that is slightly visible at the back and rump. The size of the male and female are quite similar.

Behaviour

Almost all of their feeding activity is during daylight, whereas most macropods are somewhat nocturnal. The posture of the species when escaping an observer is horizontal, with the tail outstretched and head held down. [11] Little is known about the behaviour of the western brush wallaby, however much of their behavior is consistent with that of other members of the family Macropodidae.

Diet

The western brush wallaby is a herbivore, although there is disagreement on whether it is a browser, eating mainly leaves, or a grazer, eating mainly grass, as there has not been extensive research done. It is a diurnal animal, which is somewhat unusual for macropods, and is active during dawn and dusk, making it crepuscular. [12] It rests during the hottest part of the day and at night either singly or in pairs, taking shelter in bushes and small thickets . The wallabies will consume most species of plants, with Carpobrotus edulis , Cynodon dactylon , and Nuytsia floribunda being the common dietary items. One source suggests that the wallaby's diet is made up of 3-17% of grasses and sedges, 1-7% forbs, and 79-88% browsing material (mainly the leaves of low shrubs). [13] The stomach is divided into four compartments where microorganisms can ferment the fibrous plant material. [14] They appear to be able to survive without free water. [6]

Reproduction

Although decades of research have been done in regards to the reproductive behavior of the western brush wallaby, their habits are relatively unknown. The young are usually born during April and May. Females, like all marsupials, have a well-developed forwardly opening pouch containing four teats. [6] The female gives birth to one young a time, with two rarely occurring. Gestation lasts from three to five weeks. After birth, the young enter the lactation period for seven months, until October or November. [5] After vacating the pouch the young wallaby goes through a weaning period during which it will stick its head in the pouch temporarily attach itself to a teat.

Movement

Like all others in the family Macropodidae, the western brush wallabies are characterised by powerful hind limbs and long hind feet. It runs by weaving or sidestepping, utilising its powerful hind-limbs, while keeping its head low and its tail extended straight, making it very speedy.

The western brush wallaby resembles peramelemorphs in having syndactyl second and third toes on the hind-foot, where the two small digits are fused together except at the tip, where a pair of slender claws protrudes. [6] Macropods are uniquely “pentapedal” meaning that at slow speeds they move by moving the weight of the body onto their forelimbs and their down-turned tail while the hind-limbs swing forward. This movement makes for a rather awkward slow gait. When moving quickly the fourth toe, which is the longest and strongest, is aligned with the axis of the foot and plays an important role in the hopping motion while the tail functions in keeping its balance. The hind-legs cannot move backwards nor can they move independently of each other (unless swimming or on its side) allowing for a more energy efficient hopping. The forelimbs of macropods are small and weakly developed. [6]

Distribution and habitat

The western brush wallaby is found in the southwest coastal region of Western Australia from Kalbarri all the way down to Cape Arid, [5] particularly centralised near the Swan River. [1] They are found in some areas of mallee and heathland and are uncommon in wet sclerophyll forests. [6] There are none in the true Karri forests because of the thick undergrowth present. They prefer tall open forests that supply good grazing. [12] They particularly favor open, seasonally damp flat areas with low grasses and open scrubby brushes. This type of open habitat contributes to the speediness of the animal as it moves low to the ground. [5]

Population and conservation status

During the early days of settlement of Western Australia the western brush wallaby was very common. [5] Soon after Europeans settled in Western Australia, commercial trade of wallaby skins began. [2]

Exotic species have had a tremendous effect on Australia, as it is a very geographically isolated continent; it has experienced an unparalleled rate of extinction. [15] In the 1970s, the population the western brush wallaby began to decline as the population of the red fox dramatically increased. The red foxes particularly targeted the juvenile wallabies as soon as they left their mother's pouch. [5] According to a survey taken in 1970 in the Jarrah Forests of the Darling Range, [2] there were 10 individuals per 100 square kilometres; another survey was taken in 1990 and the population had declined to 1 per 100 square kilometres. The population of the western grey kangaroo, which only differs from the western brush wallaby in its large size, was also monitored during this time; the kangaroos' population remained constant during the 20-year period.

Kinnear's pioneering work in the 1990s provided the Department of Environment and Conservation of Western Australia with an effective method of controlling the red foxes using meat and egg baits with “1080”, an environmentally-friendly toxin. His method proved successful and significantly contributed to the recovery of the western brush wallaby, along with several other animal populations. Currently there are about 100,000 animals. Due to this recovery, the western brush wallaby been moved from the IUCN Near Threatened list to the Least Concern list.

Although red fox control measures have helped the population stabilise considerably, due to habitat clearing for farming the population is still fragmented and their range greatly reduced. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kangaroo</span> Marsupial of the family Macropodidae

Kangaroos are marsupials from the family Macropodidae. In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the red kangaroo, as well as the antilopine kangaroo, eastern grey kangaroo, and western grey kangaroo. Kangaroos are indigenous to Australia and New Guinea. The Australian government estimates that 42.8 million kangaroos lived within the commercial harvest areas of Australia in 2019, down from 53.2 million in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wallaby</span> Macropods of Australia and New Guinea

A wallaby is a small or middle-sized macropod native to Australia and New Guinea, with introduced populations in New Zealand, Hawaii, the United Kingdom and other countries. They belong to the same taxonomic family as kangaroos and sometimes the same genus, but kangaroos are specifically categorised into the four largest species of the family. The term "wallaby" is an informal designation generally used for any macropod that is smaller than a kangaroo or a wallaroo that has not been designated otherwise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macropodidae</span> Family of marsupial mammals

Macropodidae is a family of marsupials that includes kangaroos, wallabies, tree-kangaroos, wallaroos, pademelons, quokkas, and several other groups. These genera are allied to the suborder Macropodiformes, containing other macropods, and are native to the Australian continent, New Guinea and nearby islands.

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

The parma wallaby is a small marsupial macropod mammal native to forests and densely-vegetated areas of northeastern New South Wales, Australia, close to the border with Queensland. There is also an introduced population found in and around Rodney District, just north of Auckland, New Zealand. About the size of a stout cat, it lives mainly under thick plant cover, and is only active at night when it emerges to feed on grasses and small plants. It is the smallest of the wallabies and carries its young in a pouch, as with other marsupials. Shy and elusive, it was believed extinct until its rediscovery in the 1960s.

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

The red-necked wallaby or Bennett's wallaby is a medium-sized macropod marsupial (wallaby), common in the more temperate and fertile parts of eastern Australia, including Tasmania. Red-necked wallabies have been introduced to several other countries, including New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Isle of Man, France and Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tammar wallaby</span> A small macropod native to South and Western Australia

The tammar wallaby, also known as the dama wallaby or darma wallaby, is a small macropod native to South and Western Australia. Though its geographical range has been severely reduced since European colonisation, the tammar wallaby remains common within its reduced range and is listed as "Least Concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It has been introduced to New Zealand and reintroduced to some areas of Australia where it had been previously extirpated. Skull variations differentiate between tammar wallabies from Western Australia, Kangaroo Island, and mainland South Australia, making them distinct population groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pademelon</span> Small terrestrial marsupial

Pademelons are small marsupials in the genus Thylogale, found in Australia and New Guinea. They are some of the smallest members of the macropod family, which includes the similar-looking but larger kangaroos and wallabies. Pademelons are distinguished by their small size and their short, thick, and sparsely-haired tails. Like most other marsupials, they carry their young in a pouch.

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

The banded hare-wallaby, mernine, or munning is a marsupial currently found on the islands of Bernier and Dorre off western Australia. Reintroduced populations have recently been established on islands and fenced mainland sites, including Faure Island and Wadderin Sanctuary near Narembeen in the central wheatbelt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toolache wallaby</span> Extinct species of marsupial

The toolache wallaby or Grey's wallaby is an extinct species of wallaby from southeastern South Australia and southwestern Victoria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swamp wallaby</span> Species of mammal

The swamp wallaby 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, and black stinker on account of its characteristic swampy odour.

<i>Macropus</i> Genus of marsupials

Macropus is a marsupial genus in the family Macropodidae. It has two extant species of large terrestrial kangaroos. The term is derived from the Ancient Greek μάκρος, makros "long" and πους, pous "foot". Thirteen known extinct species are recognised. The type species is the eastern grey kangaroo.

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

The whiptail wallaby, also known as the pretty-faced wallaby, is a species of wallaby found in eastern Australia. It is locally common from Cooktown in Queensland to near Grafton in New South Wales.

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

The antilopine kangaroo, also known as the antilopine wallaroo or the antilopine wallaby, is a species of macropod found in northern Australia: in Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, the Top End of the Northern Territory, and the Kimberley region of Western Australia. It is a locally common, gregarious grazer.

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

The northern or sandy nail-tail wallaby is a species of macropod found across northern Australia on arid and sparsely wooded plains. The largest species of the genus Onychogalea, it is a solitary and nocturnal herbivorous browser that selects its food from a wide variety of grasses and succulent plant material. Distinguished by a slender and long-limbed form that resembles the typical and well known kangaroos, although their standing height is shorter, around half of one metre, and their weight is less than nine kilograms. As with some medium to large kangaroo species, such as Osphranter rufus, they have an unusual pentapedal motion at slow speeds by stiffening the tail for a fifth limb. When fleeing a disturbance, they hop rapidly with the tail curled back and repeatedly utter the sound "wuluhwuluh". Their exceptionally long tail has a broad fingernail-like protuberance beneath a dark crest of hair at its end, a peculiarity of the genus that is much broader than the other species. The name unguifera, meaning claw, is a reference to this extraordinary attribute, the purpose of which is unknown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macropod hybrid</span>

Macropod hybrids are hybrids of animals within the family Macropodidae, which includes kangaroos and wallabies. Several macropod hybrids have been experimentally bred, including:

<i>Osphranter</i> Genus of marsupials

Osphranter is a genus of large marsupials in the family Macropodidae, commonly known as kangaroos and wallaroos. It contains the largest extant marsupial, the red kangaroo.

<i>Notamacropus</i> Genus of marsupials

Notamacropus is a genus of small marsupials in the family Macropodidae, commonly known as wallabies. The term is derived from the Latin nota "stripe" and macropus "kangaroo", referencing the distinct facial stripe of many extant genus members and their phylogenetic relationship to other kangaroos.

References

  1. 1 2 3 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. 65. ISBN   0-801-88221-4. OCLC   62265494.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Woinarski, J. & Burbidge, A.A. (2016). "Notamacropus irma". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T12626A21953231. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T12626A21953231.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  3. 1 2 Menkhorst, Peter (2001). A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia. Oxford University Press. p. 112. ISBN   9780195508703.
  4. ↑ Jourdan, Claude (1837). "Mémoire sur quelques mammifères nouveaux". Comptes rendus hebdomadaires des séances de l'Académie des sciences. 5: 523 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 , Burt and Babs Wells, Department of Environment and Conservation of Australia.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Strahan, Ronald, ed. (1995). Mammals of Australia. Smithsonian Institution Press. ISBN   9781560986737.
  7. ↑ Dawson, L.; Flannery, T. (1985). "Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Status of Living and Fossil Kangaroos and Wallabies of the Genus Macropus Shaw (Macropodidae: Marsupialia), with a New Subgeneric Name for the Larger Wallabies". Australian Journal of Zoology. 33 (4): 473–498. doi:10.1071/ZO9850473.
  8. ↑ Jackson, S.; Groves, C. (2015). Systematics and taxonomy of Australian mammals. p. 158. ISBN   9781486300136.
  9. ↑ Celik, Mélina; Cascini, Manuela; Haouchar, Dalal; Van Der Burg, Chloe; Dodt, William; Evans, Alistair R; Prentis, Peter; Bunce, Michael; Fruciano, Carmelo; Phillips, Matthew J (2019-06-25). "A molecular and morphometric assessment of the systematics of the Macropus complex clarifies the tempo and mode of kangaroo evolution" (PDF). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 186 (3): 793–812. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz005. ISSN   0024-4082.
  10. ↑ Abbott, Ian (2001). "Aboriginal names of mammal species in south-west Western Australia". CALMScience: Western Australian Journal of Conservation and Land Management. 3 (4): 470. ISSN   1320-145X. OCLC   776940877.
  11. 1 2 Menkhorst, P.W.; Knight, F. (2011). A field guide to the mammals of Australia (3rd ed.). Melbourne: Oxford University Press. p. 116. ISBN   9780195573954.
  12. 1 2 , Australian Faunal Database, Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population, and Communities.
  13. ↑ Hume, Ian D. (1999). "7.3 Studies on macropodid diets". Marsupial Nutrition. Cambridge University Press. p. 273. ISBN   9780521595551.
  14. ↑ Turner, James R. (2004). Mammals of Australia. Pensoft. ISBN   9789546421982.
  15. ↑ Moritz, Craig; Kikkawa, Jiro, eds. (1994). Conservation Biology in Australia and Oceania. Surrey Beatty. ISBN   9780949324481.
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