Wombat

2007-11-05T04:54:09Z

Discodergenson: /* Creationary hypothesis */

{{taxonomy
|name=Wombat
|image=Wombat-pic.jpg
|kingdom=Animalia
|phylum=Chordata
|class=Mammalia
|infraclass=Marsupialia
|order=Diprotodontia
|suborder=Vombatiformes
|family=Vombatidae
|genus=Vombatus
|species=ursinus
}}

'''Wombats''' are stocky, tailless, ursiform [[marsupial]]s of the [[Linnaean taxonomy|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<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, like the koala, marsupial mole, and the now-considered-extinct thylacine (tasmanian tiger), but unlike most other marsupials<ref>http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/education/factfiles/03.htm</ref>. This may be to avoid the problem of the pouch filling with dirt whilst the animal is burrowing.

==Origins==

[[image:wombat_sign.jpg|thumb|150px|A road sign in [[Victoria]], Australia warning motorists of wombats]]
===Creationary hypothesis===

According to [[creationists]], representatives of THE CREATOR decended from a high altitude known as the sky. Then seeing a lack of small animals, they forged the wombat out of the elements Earth, Wood, Fire, and Water. All of which were created the week previous.

<ref>[http://www.icr.org/article/677/ "Watches and Wombats"], by Ken Ham, Institute for Creation Research</ref>.

===Evolutionary hypothesis===
Modern wombats belong to the order Diprotodontia (meaning two front teeth). It is thought that the common ancestors of wombats and [[kangaroo | kangaroos]] lived about 55-65 million years ago and that wombats are closely related to the [[koala]]<ref name="triggs"/>. This hypothesis is supported by [[mitochondria]]l genetic evidence as well as fossil evidence.<ref>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. </ref>

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:Marsupials]]
[[Category:Australia]]

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Wombat