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[[Image:Dingo2.jpg|thumb|The [[dingo]] was the first placental mammal introduced to Australia by humans, around 4,000 years ago.[Menkhorst and Knight, p. 200.][e82>Egerton, p. 82.>]]] |
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[[Image:Dingo2.jpg|thumb|The [[dingo]] was the first placental mammal introduced to Australia by humans, around 3,500 years ago.[balme2018>] |
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Australia has indigenous placental mammals from two orders: the bats — order Chiroptera — represented by six families; and the mice and rats — order [[Rodent]]ia, family [[Muridae]]. There are only two endemic [[genus|genera]] of bats,[ although 7% of the world's bat species live in Australia.][{{Cite web|last=Australia Inc.|first=Wildcare|title=Bats – Wildcare Australia|url=http://wildcare.org.au/species-information/bats/#:~:text=Australia%20has%2077%20different%20species,at%20least%2031%20different%20species.|website=Wildcare Australia Inc.|access-date=9 March 2021|archive-date=12 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210312025808/https://wildcare.org.au/species-information/bats/#:~:text=Australia%20has%2077%20different%20species,at%20least%2031%20different%20species.}}] Rodents first arrived in Australia 5–10 MYA,[ undergoing a wide radiation to produce the species collectively known as the "old endemics".][Egerton, p. 93.] There are 13 extant genera of old endemic rodents.[{{cite web | title=Hydromyini | website=Atlas of Living Australia | url=https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/e847cfac-9984-4af4-a5ad-33acb00304b2#classification | access-date=7 April 2026}}] A million years ago, the [[rat]] entered Australia from [[New Guinea]] and evolved into the seven native species of the true rat genus ''[[Rattus]]''. These species are collectively referred to as the "new endemics". |
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Australia has indigenous placental mammals from two orders: the bats — order Chiroptera — represented by six families; and the mice and rats — order [[Rodent]]ia, family [[Muridae]]. There are only two endemic [[genus|genera]] of bats,[ although 7% of the world's bat species live in Australia.][{{Cite web|last=Australia Inc.|first=Wildcare|title=Bats – Wildcare Australia|url=http://wildcare.org.au/species-information/bats/#:~:text=Australia%20has%2077%20different%20species,at%20least%2031%20different%20species.|website=Wildcare Australia Inc.|access-date=9 March 2021|archive-date=12 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210312025808/https://wildcare.org.au/species-information/bats/#:~:text=Australia%20has%2077%20different%20species,at%20least%2031%20different%20species.}}] Rodents first arrived in Australia 5–10 MYA,[ undergoing a wide radiation to produce the species collectively known as the "old endemics".][Egerton, p. 93.] There are 13 extant genera of old endemic rodents.[{{cite web | title=Hydromyini | website=Atlas of Living Australia | url=https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/e847cfac-9984-4af4-a5ad-33acb00304b2#classification | access-date=7 April 2026}}] A million years ago, the [[rat]] entered Australia from [[New Guinea]] and evolved into the seven native species of the true rat genus ''[[Rattus]]''. These species are collectively referred to as the "new endemics". |
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Since human settlement many additional [[Placentalia|placental]] mammals have been introduced to Australia and are now [[feral]].[ The first placental mammal introduced to Australia was the [[dingo]].][ Fossil evidence suggests that people from the north brought the dingo to Australia about ]5,000 years ago.>{{cite journal | last1 = Savolainen | first1 = P. | display-authors = etal | year = 2004 | title = A detailed picture of the origin of the Australian dingo, obtained from the study of mitochondrial DNA | journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | volume = 101 | issue = 33| pages = 12387–12390 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.0401814101 | pmid = 15299143 | pmc=514485| bibcode = 2004PNAS..10112387S | doi-access = free }}> When Europeans settled Australia they intentionally released many species into the wild including the [[red fox]], [[European hare]], and the [[European rabbit]].[Egerton, pp. 105–107.] Other domestic species have escaped and over time have produced wild populations including the [[banteng]], [[cat]], [[fallow deer]], [[red deer]], [[sambar deer]], [[rusa deer]], [[chital]], [[hog deer]], [[horse]], [[donkey]], [[Domestic pig|pig]], [[Domestic goat|goat]], [[water buffalo]], and the [[Dromedary|camel]].[Egerton, pp. 106–110.][Menkhorst and Knight, pp. 208–220.] Only three species of non-native placental mammal were not deliberately introduced to Australia: the [[house mouse]], [[black rat]] and the [[brown rat]]. |
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Since human settlement many additional [[Placentalia|placental]] mammals have been introduced to Australia and are now [[feral]].[ The first placental mammal introduced to Australia was the [[dingo]].][ Fossil evidence suggests that people from the north brought the dingo to Australia about 3,500 years ago.][name=balme2018/> When Europeans settled Australia they intentionally released many species into the wild including the [[red fox]], [[European hare]], and the [[European rabbit]].][Egerton, pp. 105–107.] Other domestic species have escaped and over time have produced wild populations including the [[banteng]], [[cat]], [[fallow deer]], [[red deer]], [[sambar deer]], [[rusa deer]], [[chital]], [[hog deer]], [[horse]], [[donkey]], [[Domestic pig|pig]], [[Domestic goat|goat]], [[water buffalo]], and the [[Dromedary|camel]].[Egerton, pp. 106–110.][Menkhorst and Knight, pp. 208–220.] Only three species of non-native placental mammal were not deliberately introduced to Australia: the [[house mouse]], [[black rat]] and the [[brown rat]]. |
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[[Image:Dugong.jpg|thumb|The [[dugong]] is an endangered species; the largest remaining population is found in Australian waters.[Egerton, p. 102.][Menkhorst and Knight, p. 254.]|left]] |
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[[Image:Dugong.jpg|thumb|The [[dugong]] is an endangered species; the largest remaining population is found in Australian waters.[Egerton, p. 102.][Menkhorst and Knight, p. 254.]|left]] |
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Forty-six marine mammals from the infraorder [[Cetacea]] are found in Australian coastal waters. Since the majority of these species have global distribution, some authors do not consider them to be Australian species. There are eleven species of [[baleen whale]] present; [[humpback whale]]s, [[southern right whale]]s, dwarf [[minke whale]]s and [[pygmy blue whale]]s are more commonly observed.[Menkhorst and Knight, pp. 22, 240.] There are 37 species of toothed whale, which include all six genera of the family [[Beaked whale|Ziphiidae]], and 21 species of [[oceanic dolphin]], including the [[Australian snubfin dolphin]], a species first described in 2005.[{{cite news|last=AAP|title=New species of Reef dolphin discovered|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/new-species-of-reef-dolphin-discovered/2005/07/04/1120329383156.html|access-date=7 January 2012|newspaper=The Age|date=5 July 2005|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207084927/http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/new-species-of-reef-dolphin-discovered/2005/07/04/1120329383156.html|archive-date=7 December 2013}}] Some oceanic dolphins, such as the [[orca]], can be found in all waters around the continent; others, such as the [[Irrawaddy dolphin]], are confined to the warm northern waters.[Menkhorst and Knight, pp. 224–234.] The [[dugong]] is an endangered marine species that inhabits the waters of north-eastern and north-western Australia, particularly the [[Torres Strait]].[ It can grow up to 3 m long and weigh as much as 400 kg.][ The dugong is the only herbivorous marine mammal in Australia, feeding on [[sea grass]] in coastal areas.][Lawler et al. 2002. [http://www.reef.crc.org.au/publications/brochures/dugong_2002.pdf Dugongs in the Great Barrier Reef: Current State of Knowledge] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221185455/http://www.reef.crc.org.au/publications/brochures/dugong_2002.pdf |date=21 February 2014 }}. [[Cooperative Research Centre]] (CRC) for The [[Great Barrier Reef]] World Heritage Area.] The destruction of sea grass beds is a threat to the survival of this species.[ Eleven species of seal — family [[Pinniped]]ia — live off the southern coast.] |
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Forty-six marine mammals from the infraorder [[Cetacea]] are found in Australian coastal waters. Since the majority of these species have global distribution, some authors do not consider them to be Australian species. There are eleven species of [[baleen whale]] present; [[humpback whale]]s, [[southern right whale]]s, dwarf [[minke whale]]s and [[pygmy blue whale]]s are more commonly observed.[Menkhorst and Knight, pp. 22, 240.] There are 37 species of toothed whale, which include all six genera of the family [[Beaked whale|Ziphiidae]], and 21 species of [[oceanic dolphin]], including the [[Australian snubfin dolphin]], a species first described in 2005.[{{cite news|last=AAP|title=New species of Reef dolphin discovered|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/new-species-of-reef-dolphin-discovered/2005/07/04/1120329383156.html|access-date=7 January 2012|newspaper=The Age|date=5 July 2005|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207084927/http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/new-species-of-reef-dolphin-discovered/2005/07/04/1120329383156.html|archive-date=7 December 2013}}] Some oceanic dolphins, such as the [[orca]], can be found in all waters around the continent; others, such as the [[Irrawaddy dolphin]], are confined to the warm northern waters.[Menkhorst and Knight, pp. 224–234.] The [[dugong]] is an endangered marine species that inhabits the waters of north-eastern and north-western Australia, particularly the [[Torres Strait]].[ It can grow up to 3 m long and weigh as much as 400 kg.][ The dugong is the only herbivorous marine mammal in Australia, feeding on [[sea grass]] in coastal areas.][Lawler et al. 2002. [http://www.reef.crc.org.au/publications/brochures/dugong_2002.pdf Dugongs in the Great Barrier Reef: Current State of Knowledge] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221185455/http://www.reef.crc.org.au/publications/brochures/dugong_2002.pdf |date=21 February 2014 }}. [[Cooperative Research Centre]] (CRC) for The [[Great Barrier Reef]] World Heritage Area.] The destruction of sea grass beds is a threat to the survival of this species.[ Eleven species of seal — family [[Pinniped]]ia — live off the southern coast.] |
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