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Swamp wallaby

The swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) is a small macropod marsupial of eastern Australia.[3] This wallaby is also commonly known as the black wallaby, with other names including black-tailed wallaby, fern wallaby, black pademelon, stinker (in Queensland), and black stinker (in New South Wales) on account of its characteristic swampy odour.

Swamp wallaby
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Diprotodontia
Family: Macropodidae
Subfamily: Macropodinae
Genus: Wallabia
Trouessart, 1905[2]
Species:
W. bicolor
Binomial name
Wallabia bicolor
(Desmarest, 1804)
Swamp wallaby range

The swamp wallaby is the only living member of the genus Wallabia.[4]

Etymology edit

Historic names for the swamp wallaby include Aroe kangaroo and Macropus ualabatus, as well as banggarai in the Dharawal language.[5]

Habitat and distribution edit

The swamp wallaby is found from the northernmost areas of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, down the entire east coast and around to southwestern Victoria. It was formerly found throughout southeastern South Australia, but is now rare or absent from that region.[4]

It inhabits thick undergrowth in forests and woodlands, or shelters during the day in thick grass or ferns, emerging at night to feed. Brigalow scrub in Queensland is a particularly favoured habitat.[4]

 
Note the light cheek stripe
 
A "pinky" stage pouch joey
 
A "young at foot" joey

Description edit

The species name bicolor comes from the distinct colouring variation, with the typical grey coat of the macropods varied with a dark brown to black region on the back, and light yellow to rufous orange on the chest. A light coloured cheek stripe is usually present, and extremities of the body generally show a darker colouring, except for the tip of the tail, which is often white.[3]

The gait differs from other wallabies, with the swamp wallaby carrying its head low and its tail out straight.[4]

The average length is 76 cm (30 in) for males, and 70 cm (28 in) for females (excluding the tail). The tail in both sexes is approximately equal in length to the rest of the body. Average weight for males is 17 kg (37 lb), females averaging 13 kg (29 lb).[4]

The swamp wallaby has seven carpal bones in the wrist (humans have eight).[6]

Reproduction edit

The swamp wallaby becomes reproductively fertile between 15 and 18 months of age, and can breed throughout the year. Gestation is from 33 to 38 days, leading to a single young. The young is carried in the pouch for 8 to 9 months, but will continue to suckle until about 15 months.

The swamp wallaby exhibits an unusual form of embryonic diapause, differing from other marsupials in having its gestation period longer than its oestrous cycle.[4] This timing makes it possible for swamp wallaby females to overlap two pregnancies, gestating both an embryo and a fetus at the same time. The swamp wallaby ovulates, mates, conceives and forms a new embryo one to two days before the birth of their full-term fetus. Consequently, females are continuously pregnant throughout their reproductive life.[7]

The swamp wallaby is notable for having a distinct sex-chromosome system from most other Theria (the subclass that includes marsupials and placental mammals). Females are characterized by the XX pair typical of therians, but males have one X chromosome and two non-sequence homology Y chromosomes. This system is thought to arise from a series of chromosomal fusions over the last 6 million years.[8]

 
A swamp wallaby feeding on leaves

Nutrition edit

The swamp wallaby is typically a solitary animal, but often aggregates into groups when feeding.[3] It will eat a wide range of food plants, depending on availability, including shrubs, pasture, agricultural crops, and native and exotic vegetation. It appears to be able to tolerate a variety of plants poisonous to many other animals, including brackens, hemlock and lantana.[4]

The ideal diet appears to involve browsing on shrubs and bushes, rather than grazing on grasses. This is unusual in wallabies and other macropods, which typically prefer grazing. Tooth structure reflects this preference for browsing, with the shape of the molars differing from other wallabies. The fourth premolar is retained through life, and is shaped for cutting through coarse plant material.[4]

There is evidence that the swamp wallaby is an opportunist taking advantage of food sources when they become available, such as fungi, bark and algae. There is also one reported case of the consumption of carrion.[9]

Taxonomy edit

Several physical and behavioral characteristics make the swamp wallaby different enough from other wallabies that it is placed apart in its own genus, Wallabia.[10][3] However, genetic evidence (e.g. Dodt et al, 2017) demonstrates that Wallabia is embedded within the large genus Macropus, necessitating reclassification of this species in the future.

Threats edit

Anthropogenic actions, such as the increase in roads through swamp wallaby habitats, are a threat to their survival. They are frequently seen near the side of roads, leading to a larger number becoming roadkill.[11]

Other sources of threat for the swamp wallaby are their predators, which include dingoes, eagles and wild dogs.[12]

References edit

  1. ^ Menkhorst, P.; Denny, M.; Ellis, M.; Winter, J.; Burnett, S.; Lunney, D.; van Weenen, J. (2016). "Wallabia bicolor". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T40575A21952658. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T40575A21952658.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ Trouessart, E.-L. (1904). Catalogus mammalium tam viventium quam fossilium. Vol. Quinquennale supplementum. Berolini: R. Friedländer & Sohn. p. 834.
  3. ^ a b c d Merchant, J. C. (1995). Strahan, Ronald (ed.). Mammals of Australia (Revised ed.). Sydney: Reed New Holland Publishers. p. 409.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Merchant, J. C. (1983). Strahan, Ronald (ed.). The Australian Museum Complete Book of Australian Mammals, The National Photographic Index of Australian Wildlife (Corrected 1991 reprint ed.). Australia: Cornstalk Publishing. pp. 261–262. ISBN 0-207-14454-0.
  5. ^ "Dharug and Dharawal Resources".
  6. ^ "Carpals of Swamp Wallaby – Wallabia bicolor". 3 July 2014.
  7. ^ "Swamp wallabies conceive new embryo before birth -- a unique reproductive strategy". ScienceDaily. Retrieved 2020-03-03.
  8. ^ Toder, R; O'Neill, R J; Wienberg, K; O'Brien, P C; Voullaire, L; Marshall-Graves, J A (June 1997). "Comparative chromosome painting between two marsupials: origins of an XX/XY1Y2 sex chromosome system". Mamm Genome. 8 (6): 418–22. doi:10.1007/s003359900459. PMID 9166586. S2CID 12515691. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  9. ^ Fitzsimons, James A. (2016). "Carrion consumption by the swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor)". Australian Mammalogy. 39: 105. doi:10.1071/AM16017.
  10. ^ 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. 70. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. OCLC 62265494.
  11. ^ Osawa, R (1989). "Road-Kills of the Swamp Wallaby, Wallabia-Bicolor, on North-Stradbroke-Island, Southeast Queensland". Wildlife Research. 16 (1): 95. doi:10.1071/WR9890095. ISSN 1035-3712.
  12. ^ Davis, Naomi E.; Forsyth, David M.; Triggs, Barbara; Pascoe, Charlie; Benshemesh, Joe; Robley, Alan; Lawrence, Jenny; Ritchie, Euan G.; Nimmo, Dale G.; Lumsden, Lindy F. (2015-03-19). Crowther, Mathew S. (ed.). "Interspecific and Geographic Variation in the Diets of Sympatric Carnivores: Dingoes/Wild Dogs and Red Foxes in South-Eastern Australia". PLOS ONE. 10 (3): e0120975. Bibcode:2015PLoSO..1020975D. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0120975. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 4366095. PMID 25790230.

External links edit

  • "Wallabia Trouessart, 1905". Atlas of Living Australia.

swamp, wallaby, swamp, wallaby, wallabia, bicolor, small, macropod, marsupial, eastern, australia, this, wallaby, also, commonly, known, black, wallaby, with, other, names, including, black, tailed, wallaby, fern, wallaby, black, pademelon, stinker, queensland. The swamp wallaby Wallabia bicolor is a small macropod marsupial of eastern Australia 3 This wallaby is also commonly known as the black wallaby with other names including black tailed wallaby fern wallaby black pademelon stinker in Queensland and black stinker in New South Wales on account of its characteristic swampy odour Swamp wallaby Conservation status Least Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Mammalia Infraclass Marsupialia Order Diprotodontia Family Macropodidae Subfamily Macropodinae Genus WallabiaTrouessart 1905 2 Species W bicolor Binomial name Wallabia bicolor Desmarest 1804 Swamp wallaby range The swamp wallaby is the only living member of the genus Wallabia 4 Contents 1 Etymology 2 Habitat and distribution 3 Description 4 Reproduction 5 Nutrition 6 Taxonomy 7 Threats 8 References 9 External linksEtymology editHistoric names for the swamp wallaby include Aroe kangaroo and Macropus ualabatus as well as banggarai in the Dharawal language 5 Habitat and distribution editThe swamp wallaby is found from the northernmost areas of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland down the entire east coast and around to southwestern Victoria It was formerly found throughout southeastern South Australia but is now rare or absent from that region 4 It inhabits thick undergrowth in forests and woodlands or shelters during the day in thick grass or ferns emerging at night to feed Brigalow scrub in Queensland is a particularly favoured habitat 4 nbsp Note the light cheek stripe nbsp A pinky stage pouch joey nbsp A young at foot joeyDescription editThe species name bicolor comes from the distinct colouring variation with the typical grey coat of the macropods varied with a dark brown to black region on the back and light yellow to rufous orange on the chest A light coloured cheek stripe is usually present and extremities of the body generally show a darker colouring except for the tip of the tail which is often white 3 The gait differs from other wallabies with the swamp wallaby carrying its head low and its tail out straight 4 The average length is 76 cm 30 in for males and 70 cm 28 in for females excluding the tail The tail in both sexes is approximately equal in length to the rest of the body Average weight for males is 17 kg 37 lb females averaging 13 kg 29 lb 4 The swamp wallaby has seven carpal bones in the wrist humans have eight 6 Reproduction editThe swamp wallaby becomes reproductively fertile between 15 and 18 months of age and can breed throughout the year Gestation is from 33 to 38 days leading to a single young The young is carried in the pouch for 8 to 9 months but will continue to suckle until about 15 months The swamp wallaby exhibits an unusual form of embryonic diapause differing from other marsupials in having its gestation period longer than its oestrous cycle 4 This timing makes it possible for swamp wallaby females to overlap two pregnancies gestating both an embryo and a fetus at the same time The swamp wallaby ovulates mates conceives and forms a new embryo one to two days before the birth of their full term fetus Consequently females are continuously pregnant throughout their reproductive life 7 The swamp wallaby is notable for having a distinct sex chromosome system from most other Theria the subclass that includes marsupials and placental mammals Females are characterized by the XX pair typical of therians but males have one X chromosome and two non sequence homology Y chromosomes This system is thought to arise from a series of chromosomal fusions over the last 6 million years 8 nbsp A swamp wallaby feeding on leavesNutrition editThe swamp wallaby is typically a solitary animal but often aggregates into groups when feeding 3 It will eat a wide range of food plants depending on availability including shrubs pasture agricultural crops and native and exotic vegetation It appears to be able to tolerate a variety of plants poisonous to many other animals including brackens hemlock and lantana 4 The ideal diet appears to involve browsing on shrubs and bushes rather than grazing on grasses This is unusual in wallabies and other macropods which typically prefer grazing Tooth structure reflects this preference for browsing with the shape of the molars differing from other wallabies The fourth premolar is retained through life and is shaped for cutting through coarse plant material 4 There is evidence that the swamp wallaby is an opportunist taking advantage of food sources when they become available such as fungi bark and algae There is also one reported case of the consumption of carrion 9 Taxonomy editSeveral physical and behavioral characteristics make the swamp wallaby different enough from other wallabies that it is placed apart in its own genus Wallabia 10 3 However genetic evidence e g Dodt et al 2017 demonstrates that Wallabia is embedded within the large genus Macropus necessitating reclassification of this species in the future Threats editAnthropogenic actions such as the increase in roads through swamp wallaby habitats are a threat to their survival They are frequently seen near the side of roads leading to a larger number becoming roadkill 11 Other sources of threat for the swamp wallaby are their predators which include dingoes eagles and wild dogs 12 References edit Menkhorst P Denny M Ellis M Winter J Burnett S Lunney D van Weenen J 2016 Wallabia bicolor IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016 e T40575A21952658 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2016 2 RLTS T40575A21952658 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 Trouessart E L 1904 Catalogus mammalium tam viventium quam fossilium Vol Quinquennale supplementum Berolini R Friedlander amp Sohn p 834 a b c d Merchant J C 1995 Strahan Ronald ed Mammals of Australia Revised ed Sydney Reed New Holland Publishers p 409 a b c d e f g h Merchant J C 1983 Strahan Ronald ed The Australian Museum Complete Book of Australian Mammals The National Photographic Index of Australian Wildlife Corrected 1991 reprint ed Australia Cornstalk Publishing pp 261 262 ISBN 0 207 14454 0 Dharug and Dharawal Resources Carpals of Swamp Wallaby Wallabia bicolor 3 July 2014 Swamp wallabies conceive new embryo before birth a unique reproductive strategy ScienceDaily Retrieved 2020 03 03 Toder R O Neill R J Wienberg K O Brien P C Voullaire L Marshall Graves J A June 1997 Comparative chromosome painting between two marsupials origins of an XX XY1Y2 sex chromosome system Mamm Genome 8 6 418 22 doi 10 1007 s003359900459 PMID 9166586 S2CID 12515691 Retrieved March 1 2022 Fitzsimons James A 2016 Carrion consumption by the swamp wallaby Wallabia bicolor Australian Mammalogy 39 105 doi 10 1071 AM16017 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 70 ISBN 0 801 88221 4 OCLC 62265494 Osawa R 1989 Road Kills of the Swamp Wallaby Wallabia Bicolor on North Stradbroke Island Southeast Queensland Wildlife Research 16 1 95 doi 10 1071 WR9890095 ISSN 1035 3712 Davis Naomi E Forsyth David M Triggs Barbara Pascoe Charlie Benshemesh Joe Robley Alan Lawrence Jenny Ritchie Euan G Nimmo Dale G Lumsden Lindy F 2015 03 19 Crowther Mathew S ed Interspecific and Geographic Variation in the Diets of Sympatric Carnivores Dingoes Wild Dogs and Red Foxes in South Eastern Australia PLOS ONE 10 3 e0120975 Bibcode 2015PLoSO 1020975D doi 10 1371 journal pone 0120975 ISSN 1932 6203 PMC 4366095 PMID 25790230 External links edit nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Wallabia bicolor nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wallabia bicolor Wallabia Trouessart 1905 Atlas of Living Australia Australian Museum Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Swamp wallaby amp oldid 1211064678, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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