Wombat
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.
| 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 | |
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, marsupial mole, and the now-considered-extinct thylacine (tasmanian tiger), but unlike most other marsupials[3]. This may be to avoid the problem of the pouch filling with dirt whilst the animal is burrowing.
Origins
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.
[4].
Evolutionary hypothesis
Modern wombats belong to the order Diprotodontia (meaning two front teeth). It is thought that the common ancestors of wombats and kangaroos lived about 55-65 million years ago and that wombats are closely related to the koala[1]. This hypothesis is supported by mitochondrial genetic evidence as well as fossil evidence.[5]
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
- ↑ "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.