Difference between revisions of "Wombat"
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The common wombat (''Vombatus ursinus'') reaches about three feet in length and produces distinctive cubical scat<ref name="triggs">[http://dannyreviews.com/h/Wombat.html Review: ''The Wombat: Common Wombats in Australia'' by Barbara Triggs]</ref>. There are also two or three (depending on classification) rare species of hairy-nosed wombats of the genus ''Lasiorhinus''<ref>[http://www.wombania.com/wombats/hairy-nosed-wombat.htm Wombat Information Center: Hairy Nosed Wombat]</ref>. | The common wombat (''Vombatus ursinus'') reaches about three feet in length and produces distinctive cubical scat<ref name="triggs">[http://dannyreviews.com/h/Wombat.html Review: ''The Wombat: Common Wombats in Australia'' by Barbara Triggs]</ref>. There are also two or three (depending on classification) rare species of hairy-nosed wombats of the genus ''Lasiorhinus''<ref>[http://www.wombania.com/wombats/hairy-nosed-wombat.htm Wombat Information Center: Hairy Nosed Wombat]</ref>. | ||
| − | One of the distinctive features of wombats is that their pouch opens towards the rear of the animal, unlike most other marsupials. This | + | One of the distinctive features of wombats is that their pouch opens towards the rear of the animal, like the koala<ref>http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/education/factfiles/03.htm</ref>, but unlike most other marsupials. This may avoid the problem of the pouch filling with dirt whilst the animal is burrowing. |
==Origins== | ==Origins== | ||
Revision as of 05:17, July 20, 2007
| Wombat | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom Information | |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum Information | |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class Information | |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Infra-class | Marsupialia |
| Order Information | |
| Order | Diprotodontia |
| Sub-order | Vombatiformes |
| Family Information | |
| Family | Vombatidae |
| Genus Information | |
| Genus | Vombatus |
| Species Information | |
| Species | ursinus |
| Population statistics | |
Contents
Description
Wombats are stocky, tailless, ursiform marsupials of the Linnaean taxonomic family Vombatidae. They are nocturnal, walk on four short legs, like to burrow, and are herbivorous.
The common wombat (Vombatus ursinus) reaches about three feet in length and produces distinctive cubical scat[1]. There are also two or three (depending on classification) rare species of hairy-nosed wombats of the genus Lasiorhinus[2].
One of the distinctive features of wombats is that their pouch opens towards the rear of the animal, like the koala[3], but unlike most other marsupials. This may avoid the problem of the pouch filling with dirt whilst the animal is burrowing.
Origins
Creationary hypothesis
According to many creationists, representatives of the separately created wombat archaebaramin were among those animals that migrated from the Middle East to Australia as part of the Post-Diluvian Diasporas. There is debate whether this migration happened over land[4] -- as Australia was still for a time almost connected to Europe by land bridges similar to the one that connected Asia to America[5] -- or if they rafted on mats of vegetation torn up by the receding flood waters.[4] Creation researchers suggest that the wombat-specific design of its rear-opening pouch provides strong evidence for the wombat's special creation and against the evolutionists' Diprotodontian theory of wombat/kangaroo common ancestry[6].
Evolutionary hypothesis
Individuals who advocate the theory of evolution speculate that modern wombats evolved from Diprotodontians (the supposed common ancestors of wombats and kangaroos) about 55-65 million years ago and that they are closely related to the koala[1]. This hypothesis is supported by mitochondrial genetic evidence as well as fossil evidence.[7]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Review: The Wombat: Common Wombats in Australia by Barbara Triggs
- ↑ Wombat Information Center: Hairy Nosed Wombat
- ↑ http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/education/factfiles/03.htm
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "How did animals get from the Ark to isolated places, such as Australia?", ChristianAnswers.net.
- ↑ Batten, Don, et. al., 207, The Creation Answers Book, Chapter 17
- ↑ "Watches and Wombats", by Ken Ham, Institute for Creation Research
- ↑ Janke A et al. "Phylogenetic analysis of 18S rRNA and the mitochondrial genomes of the wombat, Vombatus ursinus, and the spiny anteater, Tachyglossus aculeatus: increased support for the Marsupionta hypothesis." (2002) Journal of molecular evolution 54:71-80.
