#macropodiformes

[animalids]

Eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus)

Photo by Roz Bannan

[alphynix]

An early relative of kangaroos, Balbaroo fangaroo. Known from a couple of partial skulls discovered at the Riversleigh World Heritage Area in Queensland, Australia, it lived during the Early Miocene (~23-16 mya) and was probably about the size of a cat, around 45-60cm long (18-24″) not including the tail.

It had unusually enlarged canine teeth forming prominent “fangs” -- hence its species name -- which may have been used for display and fighting in a similar manner to some ungulates such as water deer and camelids.

Based on the skeletons of other closely related species, it probably wasn’t able to hop. Instead it would have moved around quadrupedally, and the shape of its feet suggest it was also capable of climbing like a modern tree kangaroo.

[captainswaglord500]

Jersey Devil

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Clade: Metatheria

Infraclass: Marsupalia

Order: Diprotodontia

Suborder: Macropodiformes

Family: Deinocapridae

Genus: Deinocapra

Species: D. horrificus (”horrifying terrible goat”)

Ancestral species: Dendrolagus matschiei (Matschie’s tree-kangaroo)

Time period: early Solocene (105 million years to 110 million years in the future).

Information: named after the North American cryptid it resembles, the Jersey Devil is perhaps the most short-lived species we’ve come across so far. It only exists for 5 million years during the Solocene before going extinct. The extinction of the species is attributed to the overpopulation of carnivorous species in the region, meaning that the species had too much competition for food. During its time, however, it is a formidable predator. Standing 6 feet tall and 10 feet long, this macropod lives across eastern Thalassia, where it actively hunts small prey animals, using its dagger-like teeth to kill. The horns are an evolutionary that only males have for fighting for mating rights during the mating season. Its hair is primarily grey, though brown-haired individuals do exist.

[animalids]

Western grey kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus)

Photo by Andreas Volz

[animalids]

Black stinker (Wallabia bicolor)

Photo by Stewart Monckton

[animalids]

Eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus)

Photo by Jono Dashper

[animalids]

Eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus)

Photo by Ryan Francis

[animalids]

Ornate tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus goodfellowi)

Photo by charliejb

[animalids]

Eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus)

Photo by Sean Crane

[animalids]

Unicolored tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus dorianus)

Photo by John Slapcinsky

[animalids]

Ornate tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus goodfellowi)

Photo by charliejb

[animalids]

Western grey kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus melanops)

Photo by Robyn Waayers

[animalids]

Tasmanian pademelon (Thylogale billardierii)

Photo by Ryan Francis

[animalids]

Short-eared rock-wallaby (Petrogale brachyotis) 

Photo by Bäras

[animalids]

Western grey kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus melanops)

Photo by Yva Momatiuk & John Eastcott

[animalids]

Golden-mantled tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus pulcherrimus)

Photo by Tenkile Conservation Alliance