Potoroidae is a family of marsupials, small Australian animals known as bettongs, potoroos, and rat-kangaroos. All are rabbit-sized, brown, jumping marsupials and resemble a large rodent or a very small wallaby.
Taxonomy
The potoroids are smaller relatives of the kangaroos and wallabies, and may be ancestral to that group. In particular, the teeth show a simpler pattern than in the kangaroo family, with longer upper incisors, larger canines, and four cusps on the molars.
Classification
thumb|right|[[Gilbert's potoroo]]
thumb|right|[[Eastern bettong]]
A basal branch of the macropods,
The arrangements of the related taxa have seen an arrangement of the subfamilies within Potoroidae, although an earlier classification within the family Macropodidae has also been supported by genetic studies.
A conservative arrangement of modern and fossil taxa may be summarised as:
- family Potoroidae
- subfamily †Palaeopotoroinae
- genus †Palaeopotorous
- subfamily Potoroinae
- genus †Borungaboodie
- genus †Milliyowi
- genus †Purtia
- genus †Wakiewakie
- genus †Gumardee
- tribe Bettongini
- genus Aepyprymnus
- genus Bettongia
- genus †Caloprymnus
- tribe Potoroini
- genus Potorous
- subfamily †Bulungamayinae
- genus †Bulungamaya
- genus †Wabularoo
- genus †Wanburoo
- genus †Nowidgee
- genus †Ganguroo
<!-- ::* genus †Ngamaroo not in new ref, CN-->
References
External links
- ARKive - images and movies of the burrowing bettong (Bettongia lesueur)
- DPIWE information on the Tasmanian Bettong
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Species Profile
- Australian Faunal Directory