Zyzomys

Zyzomys; Temporal range: Late Pliocene - Recent
	The Central rock rat (Zyzomys pedunculatus)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Muridae
Tribe:	Hydromyini
Genus:	Zyzomys; Thomas, 1909
Type species
	Mus argurus;
Species
	Zyzomys argurus; Zyzomys maini; Zyzomys palatilis; Zyzomys pedunculatus; Zyzomys woodwardi

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.

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

References

^ Musser, G. G.; Carleton, M. D. (2005). "Superfamily Muroidea". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 1521–1522. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.

[NSW3-1] Musser, G. G.; Carleton, M. D. (2005). "Superfamily Muroidea". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 1521–1522. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.

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