<
https://theconversation.com/giant-tree-kangaroos-once-lived-in-unexpected-places-all-over-australia-according-to-major-new-analysis-205759>
"Kangaroos are an enduring symbol of Australia’s uniqueness. To move, they do
what no other large mammals do: they hop along on oversized hind legs. So you
may be surprised to learn that some kangaroos live in trees, and are among the
most endearing and threatened of all marsupials.
Today, biologists recognise ten tree-kangaroo species, all in the genus
Dendrolagus. Two species inhabit tropical forest in far northern Queensland.
The other eight live in New Guinea.
Studying them is difficult because their habitats are hard to access, they live
high in trees and are increasingly rare due to human impacts.
The evolutionary history of tree-kangaroos is even more obscure. In a new study
published today in
Zootaxa, we pull together all the evidence on fossil
tree-kangaroos and show giant tree-kangaroo species were widespread across
Australia, and lived in habitats that were a long way from tropical forest –
their modern-day home."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
