Zyzomys
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Zyzomys Temporal range: Pleistocene? - Recent |
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| The Central Rock Rat (Zyzomys pedunculatus) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Superfamily: | Muroidea |
| Family: | Muridae |
| Subfamily: | Murinae |
| Genus: | Zyzomys Thomas, 1909 |
| Species | |
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Zyzomys argurus |
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Zyzomys is a genus of rodents with unusually thick, long tails. Five species of the genus are known in Australia, where they are called rock rats or thick-tailed rats. They were discovered by Michael Rogers Oldfield Thomas in 1909.
[edit] Taxonomy
There are five known species of rock-rat. The Central Rock Rat (Zyzomys pedunculatus) was once believed to be extinct until rediscovered in 1996.
- Silver-Tailed Rock Rat, Zyzomys argurus
- Arnhem Land Rock Rat, Zyzomys maini
- Carpentarian Rock Rat, Zyzomys palatilis
- Central Rock Rat, Zyzomys pedunculatus
- Kimberley Rock Rat, Zyzomys woodwardi
[edit] References
- Musser, G. G. and M. D. Carleton. 2005. Superfamily Muroidea. Pp. 894-1531 in Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.
