Zyzomys
Genus of rodents
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Zyzomys is a genus of rodents with unusually thick, long tails. Five species of the genus are known in Australia, where they are called rock rats or thick-tailed rats. The genus was classified by Michael Rogers Oldfield Thomas in 1909.
| Zyzomys Temporal range: Late Pliocene - Recent | |
|---|---|
| |
| The Central rock rat (Zyzomys pedunculatus) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Muridae |
| Subfamily: | Murinae |
| Tribe: | Hydromyini |
| Genus: | Zyzomys Thomas, 1909 |
| Type species | |
| Mus argurus | |
| Species | |
|
Zyzomys argurus | |
Taxonomy
There are five known species of rock-rat.[1] The central rock rat (Zyzomys pedunculatus) was once believed to be extinct until rediscovered in 1996.
- Silver-tailed rock rat, Zyzomys argurus
- Arnhem Land rock rat, Zyzomys maini
- Carpentarian rock rat, Zyzomys palatilis
- Central rock rat, Zyzomys pedunculatus
- Kimberley rock rat, Zyzomys woodwardi