Unadorned rock wallaby

Females breed year-round and exhibit embryonic diapause.
The animal is an excellent rock climber thanks to the specialised structure of its feet and tail.
It is mainly nocturnal or crepuscular and hides in crevices during the day.
Fur colour varies slightly according to the colour of the local rocks.
Wallabies can form colonies of several dozen individuals.
The unadorned rock-wallaby is a medium-sized rock kangaroo living in rocky areas of north-eastern Queensland.
Its coloration is relatively plain and pale, hence the name “unadorned”.
The diet consists of grasses, leaves and occasional fruit.
The range is fragmented along coastal ranges from Rockhampton to Townsville.
Status is Least Concern.

Age

The eyed rock-wallaby has a lifespan of from 4 to 7 years, and the theoretical lifespan may reach from 5 years 10 months to 12 years 5 months. The age of sexual maturity for the species occurs in the period of from 1 year 6 months to 2 years. Development begins with the "Embryo" stage, when the embryo develops in the mother's uterus, being born very small and underdeveloped. This is followed by the "Infant" stage, when the infant lives in the mother's pouch, initially naked and blind, then covered with fur and opens its eyes at an age of from 4 months to 5 months 1 week, and the duration of this stage is from 4 weeks to 7 months. After leaving the pouch comes the "Post-transformation Juvenile" stage, when the young wallaby follows the mother and learns to find food independently, and this stage lasts from 7 months to 2 years. The species becomes a breeding adult animal at an age of from 2 to 8 years, with males being slightly larger than females.

Phenotype

The rock-wallaby with eye markings has short, smooth fur of a grey-brown color without a pattern, and large ears allow it to hear dangers well. Adult individuals have powerful hind legs with long feet designed for jumping on rocks, and a long tail helps maintain balance during jumps, serving as a support. Young animals after transformation have grey-brown fur without bright markings, and the hind legs are already strong and allow them to make small jumps.

Physiology

Unadorned rock wallabies have a body length ranging from 47 to 58 centimeters and a mass ranging from 3.5 to 7 kilograms; the embryo stage has a body mass from 0 to 0.5 grams and a body length from 1 millimeter to 1.5 centimeters; the joey stage presents individuals with a body mass from 0.5 grams to 1.5 kilograms and a body length from 1.5 to 20 centimeters; after transformation, the young have a body mass from 1.5 to 3.5 kilograms and a body length from 25 to 45 centimeters; adult individuals have a body mass from 4.5 to 7 kilograms and a body length from 52 to 58 centimeters.

Habitat

Unadorned rock wallabies inhabit elevations up to 500 meters above sea level and are found in tropical savanna biomes characterized by hot temperatures, uneven rainfall, abundant grass, and trees, as well as temperate steppes with plentiful grass and few trees where rain occurs. The species occupies terrestrial landscapes, including ground forests and rocky terrain, experiencing a range of climates such as hot steppe conditions with very hot, dry summers and abundant grass, extremely arid environments with infrequent rainfall, winters with minimal precipitation and more rain in summer, hot conditions with summer rains and sparse winter precipitation, and consistently hot temperatures throughout the year accompanied by frequent rainfall but occasional dryness.

Shelter

Unadorned rock wallabies inhabit rocky outcrops. The species utilizes dens for shelter, which are constructed from grasses. These dens provide protection from predators, serve as breeding sites, and offer locations for rest.

Geography

Unadorned rock wallabies are found within the biogeographical region of Australasia and inhabit tropical brigalow savanna ecosystems.

Feeding

The unadorned rock wallaby feeds on plants, grazing on grass, leaves, and young shoots that grow near rocks; the species obtains food by biting with its teeth and paws, consuming grasses, leaves, shrub shoots, grass, young shoots, and sprouts. The feeding strategy involves searching for and obtaining food through grazing, and the daily food requirement ranges from 200 grams to 0.5 kilograms.

Reproduction

The unadorned rock wallaby inhabits terrestrial environments and develops on land, away from bodies of water, with nests built on the ground or near it, as well as in tree cavities, caves, crevices, on rocks, cliffs, or rocky outcrops. Embryonic development takes 1 month, and the female gives birth to a single, very small joey after a short gestation period; the young then enters the mother’s pouch and remains there for several months. The female raises one joey per litter, and parental care is exhibited only by the mother within nests in tree cavities or caves/crevices. Sexual reproduction occurs through homogamy, meaning that fertilization always happens. The species reaches maturity from 1 year 6 months to 2 years. The reproductive interval ranges from 6 months 3 weeks to 1 year. Young develop in the pouch or mouth of a parent on land.