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Zyzomys

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Zyzomys
Temporal range: Late Pliocene - Recent
The Central rock rat (Zyzomys pedunculatus)
Scientific classification Edit this 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

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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.

References

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  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.