Tammar Wallaby

Metatherian mammals, or marsupials, comprise about 270 species. The family, Macropodidae, which includes wallabies, kangaroos, and quokkas, is the largest family of marsupials after Didelphidae, with around 54 species divided into eleven genera. They are found mainly in Australia, New Guinea and surrounding islands.

The Marsupial subclass includes eight orders, of which the Diprotodontia is the largest, with 117 species. These include the Tammar wallaby, as well as brushtail possums, ring tail possums, sugar gliders, wombats, red and grey kangaroos. Diprotodontia are distinguishable from other metatheria because they are syndactylous (on the hind feet the second and third digits are fully fused, except for the claws) and diprotodont (a single pair of incisors dominate the lower jaw). Most species have three pairs of incisors in the upper jaw.

The Tammar wallaby is a herbivore found in southwestern mainland Australia and on various islands off the western and southern coasts of the continent. They are mainly crepuscular animals that inhabit dense vegetation such as low trees and thickets on the forest edge. The adult animal stands about 45 cm in height. Males are slightly heavier (up to 8kg) than females (3-8kg) and have considerably larger forelimbs and claws. The animals have a long, narrow skull, an extended rostrum and small head relative to body size.