Pictures and facts about the Musky rat kangaroo

Musky rat kangaroo

Order : Diprotodontia
Family : Potoroidae
Genus : Hypsiprymnodon

Facts about the genus Hypsiprymnodon, the musky rat kangaroo

Now a rare and elusive animal that inhabits a few isolated patches of Queensland’s lowland rainforest, the tiny musky rat kangaroo is of an ancient lineage, with characteristics that put it very close to the direct link between the possums and the ancestors of modern kangaroos and wallabies.

The musky rat kangaroo is believed to be Australia's most primitive kangaroo.

The Musky Rat Kangaroo is considered sparse but not endangered at this stage and with the continuation of keeping it's habitat preserved, it has a very good chance of being round for a very long time.

Unusually among marsupials, Hypsiprymnodon is an animal of the daylight hours (strictly speaking, it is crepuscular, most active early in the morning and late in the afternoon).

Unlike other macropodids, however, which are capable of bipedal hopping, Hypsiprymnodon is a quadrupedal bounder and lacks several derived features of the pes and tarsus that are presumably adaptations for bipedal hopping. (Full text)

The musky rat-kangaroo is similar in shape, size and habit to this original kangaroo, with a lineage that stretched back over 15 million years making it the world's oldest living kangaroo. (Full text)

The musky rat-kangaroo is similar in shape, size and habit to this original kangaroo, with a lineage that stretched back over 15 million years making it the world's oldest living kangaroo. (Full text)

In the same family as the Musky Rat-kangaroo are the potoroos and bettongs. (Full text)

The Musky Rat-kangaroo is most closely related to the kangaroos and the wallabies. (Full text)

Australia's smallest kangaroo the Musky rat kangaroo are here all year. (Full text)

The Musky Rat-kangaroo (Hypsiprymnodon moschatus) The Musky Rat-kangaroo, is a dark brown marsupial macropod (kangaroo family) (Full text)

Unfortunately the Musky Rat Kangaroo is considered vulnerable. (Full text)

The musky rat kangaroo is about the size of a bandicoot. (Full text)

The female has four teats in a forwardly opening pouch and usually rears two young, which are left in the nest after vacating the pouch The Musky Rat Kangaroo is considered sparse but not endangered at this stage and with the continuation of keeping it's habitat preserved, it has a very good (Full text)