Black paw rock kangaroo
| Black paw rock kangaroo | ||||||||||||
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Black paw rock kangaroos, drawing from "Mammals of Australia" by John Gould. |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Petrogale lateralis | ||||||||||||
| ( Gould , 1842) |
The black paw rock kangaroo ( Petrogale lateralis ) is a species of marsupial from the kangaroo family (Macropodidae) that is found in rocky regions in western and central Australia .
Distribution and subspecies
It is divided into three described and two so far undescribed subspecies.
- P. lateralis lateralis , the nominate form , has a disjoint range in southern Western Australia that includes the Cape Range , the Small Sands , a small area near Kellerberrin , Barrow Island, and Salisbury Island .
- P. lateralis hacketti occurs on three islands of the Recherche Archipelago and probably lived on the adjacent mainland in the past.
- P. lateralis pearsoni only lives on a few small islands off the coast of South Australia (Pearson Isle and others).
A previously undescribed subspecies occurs in the southwest of the Kimberley region, another lives in the Central Australian MacDonnell Ranges and in the vicinity of Alice Springs .
features
The following table shows the body measurements of males and females of the three described and the two so far undescribed subspecies.
| subspecies | Head torso length | Tail length | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| P. lateralis lateralis | 45–53 cm 44.5–48.5 cm ♀ |
48–60.5 cm 40.5–51.5 cm ♀ |
3.3-5 kg ♂ 2.9-3.8 kg ♀ |
| P. lateralis hacketti | 50-57 cm | 46-57.5 cm | 4.8-5.3 kg |
| P. lateralis pearsoni | 57 cm 48 cm ♀ |
32–51 cm 34.5–42 cm |
3.5–4.6 kg ♂ 2.3–3.4 kg ♀ |
| unlimited ssp. West Kimberley | 47.5 cm ♂ | 49–53 cm 45–48.5 cm ♀ |
3.5–6.5 kg ♂ 3.3–4.2 kg ♀ |
| unlimited ssp. MacDonnell Range | 49.5–52 cm 45–47 cm ♀ |
49–61 cm 44.5–59 cm ♀ |
4.1–5.2 kg ♂ 2.8–4.4 kg ♀ |
P. lateralis lateralis is dark gray-brown in color, lighter on the chest and dark brown on the belly. The face is dark with a light line on the cheeks. There is a light spot at the base of each ear. The feet are light brown, the toes are black. The diploid genome of P. lateralis lateralis comprises 2n = 22 chromosomes .
P. lateralis hacketti looks similar to P. lateralis lateralis , but becomes larger. The genome of P. lateralis pearsoni comprises 2n = 20 chromosomes.
P. lateralis pearsoni is grayish in color than the nominate form. The chest and belly are yellowish to reddish. The face is dark gray-brown with a light stripe on the cheeks. The tail is relatively short, light brown and increasingly black towards the rear. It is slightly bushy at the top. The fur is thick and woolly. The genome of P. lateralis pearsoni comprises 2n = 22 chromosomes.
The undescribed subspecies from the west of the Kimberley region is similar to the nominate form, but is lighter and more yellowish. The genome of the black paw rock kangaroo from the Kimberley region comprises 2n = 20 chromosomes.
The undescribed subspecies of the MacDonnell Range also resembles P. lateralis lateralis , but is smaller, has a longer tail and a less dense, shorter fur. The fur turns sand-colored in summer. The genome of the Black Paw Rock Kangaroo from the MacDonnell Range comprises 2n = 22 chromosomes.
Way of life
The black paw rock kangaroo lives in rocky regions and in canyons that are in forests, in bushland, in dry grasslands or in deserts. They sleep in hiding places among the rocks. In the hot summers they are largely nocturnal, in the rest of the year they are crepuscular or partly diurnal. On cold days, they sunbathe sitting on rocks in the morning before leaving the rocks to eat. When eating, black-paw rock kangaroos also enter open terrain, but move only a little (up to 300 meters) from the protective rocky areas. They feed primarily on grasses, and depending on availability, also on leaves, fruits and seeds. The animals do not need access to open waters to meet their moisture requirements.
Black-paw rock kangaroos reproduce year-round, but the number of births is likely to be lower during dry periods. Most of the births in the southern populations occur in the autumn and winter months. The gestation period is around 30 days. After birth, the young animal remains in the pouch for about 6 to 6.5 months.
Systematics
The black paw rock kangaroo was first described in 1842 by the British animal painter John Gould . For a long time it was considered a subspecies of the East Australian brush- tailed rock kangaroo ( Petrogale pennicillata ) and only got its status as an independent species again in 1982. Within the genus of rock kangaroos ( Petrogale ) it belongs to the lateralis / penicillata species group.
Status and exposure
The IUCN considers the population of the black paw rock kangaroo to be endangered (Vulnerable), with the various subspecies showing different levels of risk. P. lateralis lateralis is endangered. The subspecies was much more widespread before European colonization. The conversion of the habitat into arable land, the food competition from sheep and goats and in particular the spread of red foxes that the kangaroos hunt have contributed to the decline of the subspecies. After the red fox was fought, the population of P. lateralis lateralis has partially recovered in some areas and comprised around 1500 specimens in 2012.
The subspecies, which are only found on islands, are classified as vulnerable ( P. l. Hacketti ) or potentially endangered (Near Threatened) ( P. l. Pearsoni ). Due to the small distribution area, the populations are low. The population of P. l. Hacketti was estimated at around 1100 specimens in 2012, with the largest individual population comprising around 500 specimens. Also from P. l. pearsoni are said to still be around 1100 copies. The island populations of the black paw rock kangaroo show low genetic diversity.
The subspecies of the Kimberley region comprises more than 2500 animals (endangered according to IUCN) and the black paw rock kangaroos living in the MacDonnell Range are the most individual subspecies with 6000 individual animals (endangered according to IUCN). The total population of the black paw rock kangaroo was estimated at around 10,000 to 12,000 specimens in 2010/2012.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i Mark Eldridge & Graeme Coulson: Family Macropodidae (Kangaroos and Wallabies). Page 712 in Don E. Wilson , Russell A. Mittermeier : Handbook of the Mammals of the World - Volume 5. Monotremes and Marsupials. Lynx Editions, 2015, ISBN 978-84-96553-99-6
- ^ John Gould: A Monograph of the Macropodidae, or Family of Kangaroos. London 1841-1842
- ↑ a b c Petrogale lateralis in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2016 Posted by: Comer, S., Copley, P., Eldridge, M., Halkyard, B. Howard, K., Kinnear, J. Legge , S., McGilvray, A., Pearson, D., Vernes, T., Ward, M., Ward, S. & Watson, A., 2014. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
