Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby

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iYellow-footed Rock-wallaby[1]
Conservation status
Near Threatened (LR/nt)[2]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Subclass: Marsupialia Order: Diprotodontia Family: Macropodidae Genus: Petrogale Species: P. xanthopus
Binomial name
Petrogale xanthopus Gray, 1855

The Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby (Petrogale xanthopus) is a member of the macropod family (the marsupial family that includes the kangaroos, wallabies, tree-kangaroos, wallaroos, and others). By some accounts, it is the inspiration for both the name and logo of the popular Yellow Tail brand of wines from New South Wales, Australia.

At least one subspecies of this nocturnal diprotodont (P. x. xanthopus) appears on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Vulnerable.^[3] The subspecies is present but declining in South Australia, known from only the Gap and Cotraundee Ranges in New South Wales, and has a population of only about 5,000-10,000 in Queensland. The other subspecies (P. x. celeris) is listed at Near Threatened.^[4] This species prefers rock crevices and caves in isolated rock outcrops and ridges in semi-arid country. It is threatened by fox predation, competition with domestic and wild introduced species (particularly goats, rabbits, and sheep), and wildfires.

[edit] References

1. ^ Groves, Colin (16 November 2005). Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 69. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.
2. ^ Australasian Marsupial & Monotreme Specialist Group (1996). Petrogale xanthopus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006.
3. ^ Australasian Marsupial & Monotreme Specialist Group (1996). Petrogale xanthopus ssp. xanthopus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 2006-04-25.
4. ^ Australasian Marsupial & Monotreme Specialist Group (1996). Petrogale xanthopus ssp. celeris. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 2006-04-25.

• Department of the Environment and Heritage (2006). Petrogale xanthopus xanthopus in Species Profile and Threats Database, Department of the Environment and Heritage, Canberra.. Retrieved on 2006-08-09.