<
https://theconversation.com/we-found-the-only-kangaroo-that-doesnt-hop-and-it-can-teach-us-how-roos-evolved-their-quirky-gait-251373>
"In the remnant rainforests of coastal far-north Queensland, bushwalkers may be
lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a diminutive marsupial that’s the last
living representative of its family.
The musky rat-kangaroo (
Hypsiprymnodon moschatus) weighs only 500 grams and
looks a bit like a potoroo. It’s part of a lineage that extends back to before
kangaroos evolved their distinctive hopping gait.
Unlike their bigger relatives, muskies can be seen out and about during the
day, foraging in the forest litter for fruits, fungi and invertebrates.
As the only living macropodoid (the group that includes kangaroos, wallabies,
potoroos and bettongs) that doesn’t hop, they can provide a crucial insight
into how and when this iconic form of locomotion evolved in Australia.
Our study, published in
Australian Mammalogy today, aimed to observe muskies
in their native habitat in order to better understand how they move."
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
