Eastern Wallaroo

Eastern Wallaroo
Wallaroo[1]
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Diprotodontia
Family: Macropodidae
Genus: Macropus
Species: M. robustus
Binomial name
Macropus robustus
Gould, 1841
Subspecies
  • M. r. erubescens
  • M. r. isabellinus
  • M. r. robustus
  • M. r. woodwardi'
Eastern Wallaroo range

The Eastern Wallaroo (Macropus robustus robustus) also known as the Common Wallaroo or the Hill Wallaroo is part of the Wallaroo family (Macropus robustus). It is a large, variable species of macropod (same as the Kangaroo).

Many mistakenly believe that the Eastern Wallaroo and the Euro the same species, but they are actually two distinct sub-species. The Eastern Wallaroo (Macropus robustus robustus)- which is grey in colour - occupies the eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range and the Euro (Macropus robustus erubescens) - rufous in colour - occupies land westward.

The photograph at right is a Euro.

The Eastern Wallaroo is mostly nocturnal and solitary, and is one of the more common macropods. It makes a loud hissing noise and some subspecies are sexually dimorphic, like most wallaroos.[3]

There are four subspecies of the Wallaroo:[1]

  • M. r. robustus - Found in eastern Australia, males of this subspecies have dark fur, almost resembling Woodward's Wallaroo (Macropus bernardus). Females are lighter, being almost sandy in colour.[3]
  • M. r. erubescens - Found on covering most of its remaining range, this subspecies is variable, but mostly brownish in colour.[3]
  • M. r. isabellinus - This subspecies is restricted to Barrow Island in Western Australia, and is comparatively small. It is uniformly reddish brown.[3]
  • M. r. woodwardi - This subspecies is found in the Kimberley region of Western Australia and in a band running through Northern Territory. It is the palest subspecies and is a dull brown-grey colour.[3]

The Eastern Wallaroo as a species is not considered to be threatened, but the Barrow Island subspecies (M. r. isabellinus) is classified as vulnerable.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b Groves, C. (2005). Wilson, D. E., & Reeder, D. M, eds. ed. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 65. OCLC 62265494. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3. 
  2. ^ a b Ellis, M., Menkhorst, P., van Weenen, J., Burbidge, A., Copley, P., Denny, M., Woinarski, J., Mawson, P. & Morris, K. (2008). Macropus robustus. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 28 December 2008. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
  3. ^ a b c d e Menkhorst, Peter (2001). A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia. Oxford University Press. p. 118. 

External links


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