The Hypsiprymnodontidae are a

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

of macropods, one of two families containing animals commonly referred to as rat-kangaroos. The single known extant genus and species in this family, the

musky rat-kangaroo The musky rat-kangaroo (''Hypsiprymnodon moschatus'') is a small marsupial found only in the rainforests of northeastern Australia. First described in the later 19th century, the only other species are known from fossil specimens. They are simi ...

, ''Hypsiprymnodon moschatus'', occurs in northern

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. During the

Pleistocene The Pleistocene ( , often referred to as the ''Ice age'') is the geological Epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was fina ...

, this family included the

megafauna In terrestrial zoology, the megafauna (from Greek μέγας ''megas'' "large" and New Latin ''fauna'' "animal life") comprises the large or giant animals of an area, habitat, or geological period, extinct and/or extant. The most common threshold ...

genus ''

Propleopus ''Propleopus'' is an extinct genus of marsupials. Three species are known: ''P. chillagoensis'' from the Plio-Pleistocene, and ''P. oscillans'' and ''P. wellingtonensis'' from the Pleistocene. In contrast to most other kangaroos, and similar to t ...

''.

Classification

* Family Hypsiprymnodontidae ** Subfamily Hypsiprymnodontinae *** Genus ''

Hypsiprymnodon ''Hypsiprymnodon'' is a genus of Macropodiformes, macropods. The sole extant species is ''Hypsiprymnodon moschatus'', the musky rat-kangaroo. The genus includes four known fossil species. The generic name combines the Ancient Greek (, 'high'), ...

'' ****''Hypsiprymnodon moschatus'',

****†''

Hypsiprymnodon bartholomaii ''Hypsiprymnodon'' is a genus of macropods. The sole extant species is ''Hypsiprymnodon moschatus'', the musky rat-kangaroo. The genus includes four known fossil species. The generic name combines the Ancient Greek (, 'high'), (, ' hindmost') ...

'' ****†''

Hypsiprymnodon philcreaseri ''Hypsiprymnodon'' is a genus of macropods. The sole extant species is ''Hypsiprymnodon moschatus'', the musky rat-kangaroo. The genus includes four known fossil species. The generic name combines the Ancient Greek (, 'high'), (, ' hindmost') ...

'' ****†''

Hypsiprymnodon dennisi ''Hypsiprymnodon'' is a genus of macropods. The sole extant species is ''Hypsiprymnodon moschatus'', the musky rat-kangaroo. The genus includes four known fossil species. The generic name combines the Ancient Greek (, 'high'), (, ' hindmost') ...

'' ****†''

Hypsiprymnodon karenblackae ''Hypsiprymnodon karenblackae'' is a fossil species describing a small marsupial extant in Australia during the Early to Middle Miocene Epoch. The material was collected at the Australian Fossil Mammal Sites (Riversleigh). The taxon was published ...

'' ** Subfamily † Propleopinae Archer and Flannery, 1985 *** Genus †''

Ekaltadeta ''Ekaltadeta'' is an extinct genus of marsupials related to the modern musky rat-kangaroos. ''Ekaltadelta'' was present in what is today the Riversleigh formations in Northern Queensland from the Late Oligocene to the Miocene. They are hypothe ...

'' ****†'' Ekaltadeta ima'' ****†'' Ekaltadeta jamiemulveneyi'' *** Genus †''

'' ****†''

Propleopus oscillans ''Propleopus'' is an extinct genus of marsupials. Three species are known: ''P. chillagoensis'' from the Plio-Pleistocene, and ''P. oscillans'' and ''P. wellingtonensis'' from the Pleistocene. In contrast to most other kangaroos, and similar to t ...

'' ****†''

Propleopus chillagoensis ''Propleopus chillagoensis'' is an extinct species of marsupial, of the genus '' Propleopus''. It was found in new North Queensland, and is related to the musky rat-kangaroo The musky rat-kangaroo (''Hypsiprymnodon moschatus'') is a small mars ...

'' ****†'' Propleopus wellingtonensis'' *** Genus †'' Jackmahoneyi'' ****†'' Jackmahoneyi toxoniensis'' *** Genus †'' Brachalletes'' ****†'' Brachalletes palmeri''

References

Diprotodonts Extant Chattian first appearances Taxa named by Robert Collett Mammal families {{Diprotodont-stub