#pademelons

They really are! They don't have an inaturalist page so I'll use the wikimedia commons photos.

La Vie des Animaux Illustrée. Written by Alfred Brehm. Illustration by Theodor Franz Zimmermann. 1869 French edition.

aka the kangaroo family.

Macro means big and pod means foot.

The macropod family is actually family Macropodidae. In Australia we call them ‘macs’ for short. (LC=least concern, NT=Near Threatened) VU=vulnerable, EN=endangered, CE=critically endagered, EX=extinct.)

In the macropod family you have: Kangaroos (3-LC) Tree Kangaroos (2-LC) Rat-kangaroos (1-LC, 1-EX) Wallaroos (2-LC, 1-NT) Wallabies (7-LC, 1-NT) Hare Wallabies (2-VU, 3-EX) Rock Wallabies (5-LC, 6-NT, 3-VU, 2-EN) Nailtail Wallabies (1-LC, 1-VU, 1-EX) Quokka (1-VU) Pademelons (3-LC) Toolache (1-EX)

In the superfamily you also have: Potoroos (1-VU, 1-EN, 1-CE, 1-EX) Bettongs (1-LC, 1-NT, 1-VU, 1-EN, 1=CE, 1-EX)

So why so many different types of Macropod? Because they have adapted for different areas. Tree Kangaroos are the only ones that can climb, some live in open desert, some live in dense rainforest.

Generally Macs all have:

Long hind feet (big foot remember)

Spring loaded hind legs

Short arms

Forward facing eyes

Swivel ears

Long face with a blunt snout

Long tail for balance and steering

Macs can’t move their hing legs independently of each other on land, so they have to move them together. However, in water they can and are great swimmers. Most Macs move by either by: -Walking slowly (Pentapedal Walk) using their front limbs and tail to hold themselves as they swing their back legs forward simultaneously. or - Hopping (Bipedal Hop), arms usually tucked close to body, tail used as a counterbalance and two hind legs hop together.

Most Macs are Crepuscular meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk. Most Macs are Herbivores, however their diets do vary from leaves to grasses to plants to fruits. Also; Rat-Kangaroos, Potoroos and Bettongs are omnivores.

How they keep cool in the heat: - Being active at sunrise and sunset, and finding a cool place to sleep through the heat of the day. - Go to water holes to drink and cool off. - Lick forearms. They dont sweat so they lick along their forearms where their veins are close to the skin and as the saliva evaporates it cools. - Dig away the top layer of soil/sand to get to cooler ground to lie in. - Find shady trees.

Why so many different types?

With 3 families commonly referred to as macropods. 1 species in the Musky Rat-kangaroo familly. 8 Species in the Potorros and Bettongs family Over 70 species in the Macropodidae family (Kangaroos and Wallabies) HOW DO YOU TELL THEM APART? Size Colouring Habitat (where they live) Stance and hopping posture Behaviour Food

Those found in the Macropodidae family are usually all herbivores. Potoroos and Bettongs, however, are omnivores.

Kangaroos are your biggest and fastest. They are big because they live on open plains and their size means they aren’t prey for snakes or birds of prey. Kangaroos mainly graze on grass, so are found in open grasslands. They are mainly grey in colour which helps them blend in. They live in large social groups, called mobs.

Wallaroos are not a Wallaby interbred with a Kangaroo. They are so named as they are the size difference between a Kangaroo and a Wallaby. Also, unlike Kangaroos, they are mostly solitary.

Wallabies are smaller. There is a vast range of Wallaby species. They are specialist Kangaroos, they can live in rocky outcrops, bushland and dense rainforest. They are usually solitary or only in small groups. The are more leaf and plant eaters than grass eaters.

Pademelons are found in wet forests and are nice and small. They are mainly solitary and very shy.

Tree Kangaroos are the only ones to be found in trees. They have longer and more muscley arms and shorter hind-feet. Eat leaves and fruits.

In summary there are many different types of ‘kangaroo’ in the Macropod family.