Rothschild's rock-wallaby: Difference between revisions
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== Taxonomy == |
== Taxonomy == |
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''Petrogale rothschildi'' was first described by [[Oldfield Thomas]] in 1904, describing a skin provided by [[J. T. Tunney]]'s collection from the Northwest of Australia. Tunney's specimen was a |
''Petrogale rothschildi'' was first described by [[Oldfield Thomas]] in 1904, describing a skin provided by [[J. T. Tunney]]'s collection from the Northwest of Australia. Tunney's specimen was a female's skin, without a skull, collected in July 1901 at Cossack River. Thomas saw an affinity with what was term the ''Petrogale pencillatus-lateralis'' group, but distinguished enough characteristics to propose a new species of the rock wallabies. The author honoured a patron of Tunney's expeditions in the naming of the species, [[Walter Rothschild]], whose special interest in macropodidae was also noted.<ref name="Thomas1904" /> |
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The species has been regarded as form of ''[[Petrogale lateralis]]'' and noted as the 'West Kimberley race'.<ref name="SPRAT" /> |
The species has been regarded as form of ''[[Petrogale lateralis]]'' and noted as the 'West Kimberley race'.<ref name="SPRAT" /> |
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Revision as of 14:08, 24 April 2019
| Rothschild's rock-wallaby[1] | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Marsupialia |
| Order: | Diprotodontia |
| Family: | Macropodidae |
| Genus: | Petrogale |
| Species: | P. rothschildi
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| Binomial name | |
| Petrogale rothschildi | |
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| Rothschild's rock-wallaby range | |
Rothschild's rock-wallaby – Petrogale rothschildi – sometimes known as the Roebourne rock-wallaby, is a species of macropod found in Western Australia, in the Pilbara district and the Dampier Archipelago.[4] It is not currently considered to be threatened,[2] but is at risk from the red fox (Vulpes vulpes).[4]
Rothschild's rock-wallaby is one of the largest rock-wallabies, and also one of the most attractive. It is mostly a golden-brown colour with a greyish wash down its neck, which often has a purple appearance. It is a mostly nocturnal grass-eater found mostly around rocky ground.[4]
Taxonomy
Petrogale rothschildi was first described by Oldfield Thomas in 1904, describing a skin provided by J. T. Tunney's collection from the Northwest of Australia. Tunney's specimen was a female's skin, without a skull, collected in July 1901 at Cossack River. Thomas saw an affinity with what was term the Petrogale pencillatus-lateralis group, but distinguished enough characteristics to propose a new species of the rock wallabies. The author honoured a patron of Tunney's expeditions in the naming of the species, Walter Rothschild, whose special interest in macropodidae was also noted.[3]
The species has been regarded as form of Petrogale lateralis and noted as the 'West Kimberley race'.[5]
Description
A species of Petrogale, the rock wallabies, one of the largest of the genus. The fur colour at the upperside is a golden shade of brown, becoming greyish at the shoulders and rear of the neck. The top of the head and muzzle is dark brown, contrasting the paler grey-buff at the lower muzzle that extends below the eyes to the upper surface of the ear. The pelage sometimes has a purplish hue, most evident at the shoulder and head.[6]
The head and body length combined is 470–600 millimetres, with a long and darkly tipped tail recorded as 550–700 mm. The length of the ear from its point to the base is 56 mm. The weight range of Petrogale rothschildi is 3.7–6.6 kilograms.[6]
Behaviour
The species usually seeks shelter during the day in the cooler temperatures provided by the crevices and caves of its favoured habitat. Rothchild's rock-wallaby occurs at hummocks on scree slopes and around boulder piles and cliff faces. They feed nocturnally beyond their daytime refuge, venturing out to seek green vegetation such as grasses on the surrounding sand plains.[6]
Distribution and range
Found only in the Pilbara region, they are known at Burrup Peninsula and both the Chichester Range and at the Hamersley Range. Petrogale rothschildi also occurs on islands of the Dampier Archipelago, these are Burrup, Dolphin, Enderby and Rosemary and West Lewis Island.[6]
Conservation
The conservation status of the species, recognised as Petrogale lateralis West Kimberley race, was listed as vulnerable. The species is not noted on state or federal Australian conservation listings since 2009.[5] A Western Australian management plan published in 2013 included P. rothschildi amongst the five species of rock wallaby identified for recovery actions to protect them from threatening factors to the populations. The recommendations of the report were implemented under the commonwealth EPBC act (1999) in 2014 as a program administered by the national, Northern Territory and Western Australian authorities.[7]
References
- ^ 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. 68. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. OCLC 62265494.
- ^ a b Template:IUCN2008
- ^ a b Thomas, O. (1904). "On a new rock-wallaby from north-west Australia". Novitates zoologicae : a journal of zoology in connection with the Tring Museum. 11: 365–366. doi:10.5962/bhl.part.26837.
- ^ a b c Menkhorst, Peter (2001). A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia. Oxford University Press. p. 128.
- ^ a b Department of the Environment. "Petrogale lateralis West Kimberley race — Black-footed Rock-wallaby (West Kimberley race)". Species Profile and Threats Database.
- ^ a b c d Menkhorst, P.W.; Knight, F. (2011). A field guide to the mammals of Australia (3rd ed.). Melbourne: Oxford University Press. p. ???. ISBN 9780195573954.
- ^ Pearson, D.J. (2013). Recovery plan for five species of rock wallabies: Black-footed rock wallaby (Petrogale lateralis), Rothschild rock wallaby (Petrogale rothschildi), Short-eared rock wallaby (Petrogale brachyotis), Monjon (Petrogale burbidgei) and Nabarlek (Petrogale concinna) 2012-2022. Department of Parks and Wildlife, Perth, WA. Available from: http://www.environment.gov.au/resource/recovery-plan-five-species-rock-wallabies. In effect under the EPBC Act from 30-Jan-2014 as Petrogale lateralis West Kimberley race.