Musky Rat Kangaroo
Photo: C & D Frith
Australia's Wet Tropics
Rainforest Life
Musky Rat Kangaroo: Hypsiprymnodon moschatus - It is a marsupial
- General body colour is rich brown
- Head is grey-brown in colour
- Dark brown tail covered with small scales creating a naked appearance.
- Distinguished from other members of its family by having five toes on its hind foot.
- Travels via a slow "bunny-hop" movement.
Additional Information: This is the smallest of all kangaroos. It is restricted to the floor of the tropical rainforests of north-eastern Australia. It is one of Australia’s two strictly daytime active marsupials. It is also unique within the superfamily for several features; it's bounding rather than hopping gait, (more like a rabbit), it’s tail which can curl around to carry nesting material, and it’s habitat of usually having two young at a time (rather than one)..
Script: Courtesy of Damon Ramsey BSc.(Zool) Biologist Guide
Kangaroos evolved from possum-like ancestors, but any similarity to possums has disappeared in modern kangaroos - except for the musky rat-kangaroo. The musky rat kangaroo retains a number of possum features including a great toe or hallux on the hind feet and a system of gripping grooves on its foot pads.
Script courtesy of Environmental Protection Agency
Additional Musky Rat Kangaroo Photos History of the Musky Rat-Kangaroo
Family of the Musky Rat-Kangaroo
Habitat of the Musky Rat-Kangaroo
Viewing Opportunities of the Musky Rat-Kangaroo
Diet of the Musky-Rat Kangaroo
Reproduction of the Musky-Rat Kangaroo
Male Musky Rat-Kangaroo
Female Musky Rat-Kangaroo
Musky Rat-Kangaroo Life Cycle
Population size and space use in Musky Rat-Kangaroo's
Predators of the Musky Rat-Kangaroo
Nest Building of the Musky Rat-Kangaroo
Musky Rat-Kangaroo's Role in Seed Dispersal
Additional Information on the Musky Rat-Kangaroo
| 
