Macropodinae

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Macropodinae
Swamp-Wallaby-Feeding-3,-Vic,-Jan.2008.jpg
Wallabia bicolor
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Diprotodontia
Family: Macropodidae
Subfamily: Macropodinae
Gray, 1821
Genera
10, see text

Macropodinae is a subfamily of marsupials in the family Macropodidae, which includes the kangaroos, wallabies, and related species. The subfamily includes about ten genera and at least 51 species. It includes all living members of the Macropodidae except for the banded hare-wallaby (Lagostrophus fasciatus), the only surviving member of the subfamily Lagostrophinae. [1]

Macropodinae includes the following genera: [1]

Different common names are used for macropodines, including "wallaby" and "kangaroo", with the distinction sometimes based exclusively on size. In addition to the well-known kangaroos, the subfamily includes other specialized groups, such as the arboreal tree-kangaroos (Dendrolagus), which have body masses between 4 and 13 kg, and a relatively long prehensile tail. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tree-kangaroo</span> Genus of marsupials

Tree-kangaroos are marsupials of the genus Dendrolagus, adapted for arboreal locomotion. They inhabit the tropical rainforests of New Guinea and far northeastern Queensland, along with some of the islands in the region. All tree-kangaroos are considered threatened due to hunting and habitat destruction. They are the only true arboreal macropods.

<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">Dingiso</span> Species of marsupial

The dingiso, also known as the bondegezou, is an endangered, long-tailed marsupial found only in mountain forests on the west of the island of New Guinea. It is a species of tree-kangaroo, which are mammals native to Australia and New Guinea that feed on leaves or other plant matter. It belongs to the macropodid family (Macropodidae) with kangaroos, and carries its young in a pouch like most other marsupials. Though sacred to the local Moni people, it is still threatened by hunting and habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sthenurinae</span> Extinct subfamily of marsupials

Sthenurinae is a subfamily within the marsupial family Macropodidae, known as 'short faced kangaroos'. No members of this subfamily are extant today, with all becoming extinct by the late Pleistocene. Procoptodon goliah, the largest macropodid known to have existed, was a sthenurine kangaroo, but sthenurines occurred in a range of sizes, with Procoptodon gilli being the smallest at the size of a small wallaby.

<i>Sthenurus</i> Extinct genus of marsupials

Sthenurus is an extinct genus of kangaroos. With a length around 3 m (10 ft), some species were twice as large as modern extant species. Sthenurus was related to the better-known Procoptodon. The subfamily Sthenurinae is believed to have separated from its sister taxon, the Macropodinae, halfway through the Miocene, and then its population grew during the Pliocene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macropodiformes</span> Suborder of marsupials

The Macropodiformes, also known as macropods, are one of the three suborders of the large marsupial order Diprotodontia. They may in fact be nested within one of the suborders, Phalangeriformes. Kangaroos, wallabies and allies, bettongs, potoroos and rat kangaroos are all members of this suborder.

The Lake Mackay hare-wallaby, also known as the central hare-wallaby or kuluwarri, is an extinct species of macropod formerly found in central Australia. Very little is known about it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doria's tree-kangaroo</span> Species of marsupial

Doria's tree-kangaroo is a long-tailed, furry, bear-like mammal found only in tropical mountain forests on the island of New Guinea. It is one of the largest tree-kangaroos, living alone in trees and active at night to feed on leaves or fruit. It belongs to the macropod family (Macropodidae) with kangaroos, and carries its young in a pouch like other marsupials. Threats include hunting and habitat loss.

<i>Protemnodon</i> Extinct genus of marsupials

Protemnodon is an extinct genus of megafaunal macropodids that existed in Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea in the Pliocene and Pleistocene. Members of this genus are also called giant kangaroos.

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

The grizzled tree-kangaroo is a furry, long-tailed, bear-like mammal native to tropical rainforests on the island of New Guinea. Like most tree-kangaroos, it lives in trees and eats leaves, fruit, and bark. It is a member of the macropod family Macropodidae with kangaroos, and carries its young in a pouch like other marsupials. The tree-kangaroo is uncommon and threatened by hunting and habitat loss. It is found in foothill forests of northern and western New Guinea and is indigenous to some of the offshore islands.

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

The lowlands tree-kangaroo, also spelt "lowland," is a long-tailed, furry, bear-like mammal found only in lowland tropical rainforests on the island of New Guinea. It is a species of tree-kangaroo, which are tree-dwelling animals that feed on leaves or other plant matter. Tree-kangaroos are in the macropod family (Macropodidae) with kangaroos, and like other marsupials they carry their young in a pouch. The lowlands tree-kangaroo is threatened by habitat loss.

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

The ursine tree-kangaroo is a long-tailed, furry, bear-like mammal found only in tropical forests on the island of New Guinea. Slightly larger than a cat, it lives alone in trees and is active at night to feed on leaves and fruit. It belongs to the macropod family (Macropodidae) with kangaroos, and carries its young in a pouch like other marsupials. It has a small range in northwestern New Guinea and is threatened by habitat loss and hunting. Other common names for this species include the black tree-kangaroo, the Vogelkop tree-kangaroo and the white-throated tree-kangaroo.

The Macropodidae are an extant family of marsupial with the distinction of the ability to move bipedally on the hind legs, sometimes by jumping, as well as quadrupedally. They are herbivores, but some fossil genera like Ekaltadeta are hypothesised to have been carnivores. The taxonomic affiliations within the family and with other groups of marsupials is still in flux.

<i>Bohra</i> (genus) Extinct genus of marsupials

Bohra is an extinct genus of macropod from the Plio-Pleistocene of Australia.

Nombe is an extinct genus of macropodid containing a single species, Nombe nombe. which was formerly classified as a member of the genus Protemnodon. It was native to New Guinea during the Late Pleistocene. It was relatively large in body size and is thought to have been a browser. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that it is a basal member of the subfamily Macropodinae.

<i>Congruus</i> Extinct genus of macropod

Congruus is an extinct genus of macropod known from the Late Pleistocene of Australia. There are two species, Congruus kitcheneri, which was originally described as a species of Wallabia. and Congruus congruus. Specimens are known from Mammoth Cave, Western Australia, the Thylacoleo Caves on the Nullarbor Plain and the Naracoorte caves in South Australia. Potential material is also known from Eastern Australia. The morphology of the skull and limbs suggests that they were semi-arboreal browsers, moving slowly through trees, though they were larger than and not as specialised for climbing as living tree kangaroos. They are thought to be members of the tribe Macropodini, and close relatives of the extinct genus Protemnodon.

References

  1. 1 2 Wilson, DE, Reeder, DM Mammal Species of the World. Subfamily Macropodinae . Johns Hopkins University Press. Baltimore, 2005.
  2. I. Hume, P. Jarman, M. Renfree and P. Temple-Smith. Fauna of Australia (Walton Richardson, eds.). Vol 1B. 29. Macropodidae Archived 2011-03-20 at the Wayback Machine . pp. 55–56. 1989.