Introduction

The three living species of wombat are all large (about one metre long and up to 35 kg in weight), stout, burrowing, diprotodont marsupials with small ears. They have thick, coarse fur ranging in colour from grey/black to ginger/brown without markings.

Among marsupials they are unique in having rodent-like dentition, with only one open-rooted upper incisor in each jaw, a long diastema, and continuously growing, open-rooted molars. The pouch opens backwards, as in the bandicoots and the koala. The family is thought to have diverged from a common ancestor with koalas in the early Tertiary.

Wombats are confined mostly to south-eastern mainland Australia and Tasmania. The common wombat, Vombatus ursinus, inhabits forest and woodland of the eastern ranges, while the hairy-nosed wombats inhabit more arid regions; Lasiorhinus latifrons is found in southern South Australia, extending westwards to the Nullabor Plain and Lasiorhinus krefftii occurs only as a relict, endangered population at Clermont in central Queensland. Ranges of all these species were more extensive in the late Pleistocene and a form of the Common Wombat also occurred in Western Australia.

Geographically separate populations of the common wombat previously have been recognized at specific and subspecific levels. The species is morphologically variable throughout its range and further taxonomic work is needed to establish whether it is indeed a homogeneous species.

General References

Wells, R.T. 1989. Vombatidae. pp. 755-768 in Walton, D.W. & Richardson, B.J. (eds). Fauna of Australia. Mammalia. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service Vol. 1B 827 pp.

Wells, R.T. & Pridmore, P.A. (eds) 1998. Wombats. Chipping Norton : Surrey Beatty 332 pp.

History of changes

• Lasiorhinus Gray, J.E. 1863. Notice of three wombats in the Zoological Gardens. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 3 11: 457-459 [458].

  Type species:

   Lasiorhinus mcoyi Gray, 1863 by monotypy (= L. latifrons).
• Wombatula Iredale, T. & Troughton, E. le G. 1934. A check-list of the mammals recorded from Australia. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 6: i-xii 1-122 [35].

  Type species:

   Phascolomys gillespiei De Vis, 1900 by monotypy (= L. krefftii).

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Dawson, L.J. 1988. Vombatidae. pp. 48-52 in Walton, D.W. (ed.). Zoological Catalogue of Australia Volume 5. Mammalia. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service x 274 pp. [48]

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

IBRA

NSW: NSW South Western Slopes (NSS) ; Qld: Brigalow Belt North (BBN), Central Mackay Coast (CMC), Darling Riverine Plains (DRP) ; SA, WA: Eyre Yorke Block (EYB), Flinders Lofty Block (FLB), Gawler (GAW), Hampton (HAM), Murray Darling Depression (MDD), Nullarbor (NUL)

History of changes

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Dawson, L. 1983. The taxonomic status of small fossil wombats (Vombatidae: Marsupialia) from Quaternary deposits, and of related modern wombats. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 107: 101-123 [115]

Taxonomic Decision for Subspecies Arrangement

• Jackson, S. & Groves, C. 2015. Taxonomy of Australian Mammals. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing 520 pp.

Introduction

The validity of the three subspecies needs further testing (Jackson & Groves 2015).

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland

Extra Distribution Information

Now known only from type locality of Lasiorhinus latifrons barnardi, Epping Forest Station, 75 km west of Clermont, QLD.

Known only from type locality.

IBRA

NSW: NSW South Western Slopes (NSS) ; Qld: Brigalow Belt North (BBN), Central Mackay Coast (CMC), Darling Riverine Plains (DRP)

Ecological Descriptors

Burrower, closed scrub, folivore, low open woodland, nocturnal, solitary, terrestrial.

Extra Ecological Information

Graminivore.

General References

Banks, S.C., Hoyle, S.D., Horsuup, A., Sunnucks, P. & Taylor, A.C. 2003. Demographic monitoring of an entire species (the northern hairy-nosed wombat, Lasiorhinus krefftii) by genetic analysis of non-invasively collected material. Animal Conservation 6: 101-107

Crossman, D.G., Johnson, C.N. & Horsup, A.B. 1994. Trends in the population of the northern hairy-nosed wombat Lasiorhinus krefftii in Epping Forest National Park, central Queensland. Pacific Conservation Biology 1: 141-149

Dawson, L. 1983. The taxonomic status of small fossil wombats (Vombatidae: Marsupialia) from Quaternary deposits, and of related modern wombats. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 107: 99-121

Gordon, G., Riney, T., Toop, J., Laurie, B.C. & Godwin, M.D. 1985. Observations on the Queensland hairy-nosed wombat Lasiorhinus krefftii (Owen). Biological Conservation 33: 165-195

Hoyle, S.D., Horsup, A.B., Johnson, C.N., Crossman, D.G. & McCallum, H. 1995. Live-trapping of the northern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus krefftii): population size estimates and effects on individuals. Wildlife Research 22: 741-756

Jackson, S. & Groves, C. 2015. Taxonomy of Australian Mammals. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing 520 pp. [99]

Johnson, C.N. 1991. Utilization of habitat by the northern hairy-nosed wombat Lasiorhinus krefftii. Journal of Zoology, London 225: 495-507

Johnson, C.N. & Crossman, D.G. 1991. Dispersal and social organisation of the northern hairy-nosed wombat Lasiorhinus krefftii. Journal of Zoology, London 225: 605-613

Johnson, C.N. & Crossman, D.G. 1991. Sexual dimorphism in the northern hairy-nosed wombat, Lasiorhinus krefftii (Marsupialia: Vombatidae). Australian Mammalogy 14: 145-146

Johnson, C.N. & Gordon, G. 1995. Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat Lasiorhinus krefftii. pp. 200-201 in Strahan, R. (ed.). The Mammals of Australia: The National Photographic Index of Australian Wildlife. Sydney : Reed New Holland 756 pp. (ecology, previous distribution)

Maxwell, S., Burbidge, A.A. & Morris, K. 1996. The 1996 Action Plan for Australian Marsupials and Monotremes. Canberra : Wildlife Australia 234 pp.

Smales, L.R. 1994. Parasite extinctions - Why care? Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 36: 203-206

Taylor, A.C., Horsup, A., Johnson, C.N., Sunnucks, P. & Sherwin, B. 1997. Relatedness structure detected by microsatellite analysis and attempted pedigree reconstruction in an endangered marsupial, the northern hairy-nosed wombat Lasiorhinus krefftii. Molecular Ecology 6: 9-19

Taylor, A.C., Sherwin, W.B. & Wayne, R.K. 1994. Genetic variation of microsatellite loci in a bottlenecked species: the northern hairy-nosed wombat Lasiorhinus krefftii. Molecular Ecology 3: 277-290

Wells, R.T. & Pridmore, P.A. (eds) 1998. Wombats. Chipping Norton : Surrey Beatty 332 pp.

Common Name References

ABRS 2001. Census of Australian Vertebrates. Australian Biological Resources Study. (Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat)

History of changes

• Lasiorhinus latifrons barnardi Longman, H.A. 1939. A central Queensland wombat. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 11: 283-287 pl. 26 [283].

  Type data:

   
  Syntype(s) QM 6239 ♂ skin & skull, Epping Forest Station, 75 km west of Clermont, QLD; QM 6283 skull, Epping Forest Station, 75 km west of Clermont, QLD; QM 6284 skull, Epping Forest Station, 75 km west of Clermont, QLD; QM 6240 skull, Epping Forest Station, 75 km west of Clermont, QLD.

Distribution

States

Queensland

Extra Distribution Information

Australian Endemic.

IBRA

Qld: Brigalow Belt North (BBN)

Ecological Descriptors

Burrower, closed scrub, folivore, low open woodland, nocturnal, solitary, terrestrial.

General References

Jackson, S. & Groves, C. 2015. Taxonomy of Australian Mammals. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing 520 pp. [99]

History of changes

• Phascolomys gillespiei De Vis, C.W. 1900. A new species of Hairy-nosed Wombat. Annals of the Queensland Museum 5: 14-16 pls 9-10 [16] [extinct].

  Type data:

   
  Syntype(s) QM J13143 ♂ young skull & skin, Bullanon Station, Moonie River, SE QLD; QM J13144 skull & skin, Bullanon Station, Moonie River, SE QLD; QM J13145 skull, Bullanon Station, Moonie River, SE QLD.

Generic Combinations

• Wombatula gillespei (De Vis, 1900).
• Lasiorhinus latifrons gillespei (De Vis, 1900).
• Lasiorhinus gillespiei (De Vis, 1900).

Distribution

States

Queensland

Extra Distribution Information

Extinct

Australian Endemic.

IBRA

Qld: Darling Riverine Plains (DRP)

Ecological Descriptors

Burrower, closed scrub, folivore, low open woodland, nocturnal, solitary, terrestrial.

General References

Jackson, S. & Groves, C. 2015. Taxonomy of Australian Mammals. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing 520 pp. [99]

History of changes

• Phascolomys krefftii Owen, R. 1872. On the fossil mammals of Australia. Part VI. Genus Phascolomys Geoffroy. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London 162: 173-196 pls 17 -23 [178] [extinct].

  Type data:

   Holotype BMNH 42601 (Krefft pers. coll., fossil skull fragment), Breccia Cavern, Wellington Caves, NSW.

Generic Combinations

• Lasiorhinus krefftii (Owen, 1872).

Distribution

States

New South Wales

Extra Distribution Information

Extinct

Australian Endemic.

IBRA

NSW: NSW South Western Slopes (NSS)

Ecological Descriptors

Burrower, closed scrub, folivore, low open woodland, nocturnal, solitary, terrestrial.

General References

Jackson, S. & Groves, C. 2015. Taxonomy of Australian Mammals. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing 520 pp. [99]

History of changes

• Phascolomys latifrons Owen, R. 1845. 'Exhibited wombats'. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 13: 82-83 [82].

  Type data:

   Holotype RCSE 3648 skull only, SA.

  Secondary source:

   Flower, W.H. 1884. Catalogue of Specimens Illustrating the Osteology and Dentition of Vertebrated Animals Recent and Extinct, Contained in the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Pt 2 Class Mammalia, other than man. London : Royal College of Surgeons of England Vol. 43. [699].
• Phascolomys lasiorhinus Gould, J. 1863. The Mammals of Australia. London : J. Gould Part 13. [text to pls 59-60].

  Type data:

   Syntype(s) whereabouts unknown, SA.
• Lasiorhinus mcoyi Gray, J.E. 1863. Notice of three wombats in the Zoological Gardens. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 3 11: 457-459 [458] [nom. nov. for Phascolomys lasiorhinus Gould, 1863; as Lasiorhinus M'Coyi].

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Iredale, T. & Troughton, E. le G. 1934. A check-list of the mammals recorded from Australia. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 6: i-xii 1-122 [35]

Generic Combinations

• Lasiorhinus latifrons (Owen, 1845).

Distribution

States

South Australia, Western Australia

IBRA

SA, WA: Eyre Yorke Block (EYB), Flinders Lofty Block (FLB), Gawler (GAW), Hampton (HAM), Murray Darling Depression (MDD), Nullarbor (NUL)

Ecological Descriptors

Burrower, folivore, gregarious, low open shrubland, low shrubland, nocturnal, sedentary, terrestrial.

Extra Ecological Information

Graminivore.

General References

Barboza, P.S. 1993. Effects of restricted water intake on digestion, urea cycling and renal functioning in wombats (Marsupialia: Vombatidae) from contrasting habitats. Australian Journal of Zoology 41: 527-536

Barboza, P.S. & Hume, I.D. 1992. Hindgut fermentation in the wombats - two marsupial grazers. Journal of Comparative Physiology B 162: 561-566

Dawson, L. 1983. The taxonomic status of small fossil wombats (Vombatidae: Marsupialia) from Quaternary deposits, and of related modern wombats. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 107: 99-121

Flösser, R. 1984. Behavioural aspects of the hairy-nosed wombat, Lasiorhinus latifrons (Owen, 1845) in its natural environment in South Australia. Säugetierkundliche Mitteilungen 31: 113-121

Gaughwin, M.D. 1982. Southern hairy-nosed wombat Lasiorhinus latifrons: its maintenance, behaviour and reproduction in captivity. pp. 144-155 in Evans, D.D. (ed.). The Management of Australian Mammals in Captivity. Proceedings of the Scientific Meeting of the Australian Mammal Society, Healesville, Victoria, February 1979. Melbourne : Zoological Board of Victoria 194 pp.

Gaughwin, M.D., Judson,G.J., Macfarlane, W.V. & Siebert, B.D. 1984. Effect of drought on the health of wild hairy-nosed wombats, Lasiorhinus latifrons. Australian Wildlife Research 11: 455-463

Jackson, S.M. 2003. Wombats. pp. 183-203 in Jackson, S.M. (ed.). Australian Mammals: Biology and Captive Management. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing.

McAllan, B.M., Roberts, J.R. & Barboza, P. 1995. The kidney structure of the common wombat (Vombatus ursinus) and the hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus latifrons). Australian Journal of Zoology 43: 181-191

Nakajima, K, & Townsend, G.A. 1994. A morphometric study of the skulls of two species of wombats (Vombatus ursinus and Lasiorhinus latifrons). Australian Mammalogy 17: 65-72

Scott, G.G., Richardson, K.C. & Groves, C.P. 1989. Skull morphometrics of Lasiorhinus latifrons (Owen, 1845) (Marsupialia: Vombatidae). Records of the South Australian Museum (Adelaide) 23: 1-5

St John, B.J. & Saunders, G.M. 1989. Plan of management for the hairy-nosed wombat in South Australia. Adelaide : Dept of Environment and Planning, S.A. 88 pp.

Wells, R.T. 1978. Thermoregulation and activity rhythms in the Hairy-nosed Wombat, Lasiorhinus latifrons (Owen) (Vombatidae). Australian Journal of Zoology 26: 639-651

Wells, R.T. 1989. Vombatidae. pp. 755-768 in Walton, D.W. & Richardson, B.J. (eds). Fauna of Australia. Mammalia. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service Vol. 1B 827 pp.

Wells, R.T. 1995. Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat Lasiorhinus latifrons. pp. 202-203 in Strahan, R. (ed.). The Mammals of Australia: The National Photographic Index of Australian Wildlife. Sydney : Reed New Holland 756 pp.

Wells, R.T. & Pridmore, P.A. (eds) 1998. Wombats. Chipping Norton : Surrey Beatty 332 pp.

Woolnough, A.P., Foley, W.J., Johnson, C.N. & Evans, M. 1997. Evaluation of techniques for indirect measurement of body composition in a free-ranging large herbivore, the southern hairy-nosed wombat. Wildlife Research 1997: 649-660

Common Name References

ABRS 2001. Census of Australian Vertebrates. Australian Biological Resources Study. (Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat)

History of changes

• Vombatus Geoffroy [Saint-Hilaire], É. 1803. Note sur un nouveau mammifère découvert à la Nouvelle Hollande, par M. Bass, voyageur anglais. Bulletin des Sciences, par la Société Philomathique de Paris 3(72): 185-186.

  Type species:

   Didelphis ursina Shaw, 1800 by monotypy.

  Secondary source:

   Iredale, T. & Troughton, E. le G. 1934. A check-list of the mammals recorded from Australia. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 6: i-xii 1-122.
• Phascolomis Geoffroy [Saint-Hilaire], É. 1803. Notice sur une nouvelle espèce de mammifère apportée vivante par le vaisseau, Le Naturaliste. Annales du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle. Paris 2: 364-367 [365].

  Type species:

   Didelphis ursina Shaw, 1800 by monotypy.
• Wombatus Desmarest, A.G. 1804. Nouveau Dictionnaire d'Histoire Naturelle: appliquée aux arts, principalement à l'agriculture, à l'économie rurale et domestique: par une société de naturalistes et d'agriculteurs: avec des figures tirés des trois règnes de la nature. Paris : Deterville Tom. 24. [20] [unjustified emendation of Vombatus Geoffroy, 1803, see Neave, S.A. 1940. Nomenclator Zoologicus. A list of the names of genera and subgenera in zoology from the tenth edition of Linnaeus 1758 to the end of 1935. Q—Z. London : Zoological Society 4 758 pp.].

  Secondary source:

   Neave, S.A. 1940. Nomenclator Zoologicus. A list of the names of genera and subgenera in zoology from the tenth edition of Linnaeus 1758 to the end of 1935. Q—Z. London : Zoological Society 4 758 pp.
• Phascolomys Duméril, A.M.C. 1806. Analytische Zoologie aus dem Französischen mit zusätzen von L.F. Froriep. Weimar. [19] [nom. nov. for Phascolomis Geoffroy, 1803].
• Opossum Perry, G. 1810. Arcana; or The Museum of Natural History. London : British Museum 1 pp. [pages are unnumbered in original work; plates have been numbered by Mathews, G.M. & Iredale, T. 1912. 'Perry's Arcana' — an overlooked work. Victorian Naturalist 24: 7–16] [text to pl. 21].

  Type species:

   Opossum hirsutum Perry, 1810 by monotypy.
• Amblotis Illiger, J.C.W. 1811. Prodromus Systematis Mammalium et Avium, additis terminis zoographicis utriusque classis, eorumque versione Germanica. Berolini : Sumptibus C. Salfeld xvii 301 pp. [77] [nom. nov. for Wombatus Desmarest, 1804].
• Phascolomus Rafinesque, C.S. 1815. Analyse de la nature, ou tableau de l'univers et des corps organises. Palermo (Italy) : Privately Published 224 pp. [Date published April to July] [55] [incorrect subsequent spelling for Phascolomis Geoffroy, 1803].

  Secondary source:

   Neave, S.A. 1940. Nomenclator Zoologicus. A list of the names of genera and subgenera in zoology from the tenth edition of Linnaeus 1758 to the end of 1935. M—P. London : Zoological Society of London Vol. 3 1065 pp.

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Dawson, L.J. 1988. Vombatidae. pp. 48-52 in Walton, D.W. (ed.). Zoological Catalogue of Australia Volume 5. Mammalia. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service x 274 pp. [49]

Distribution

States

Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria

IBRA

ACT, NSW, Qld, SA, Tas, Vic: Australian Alps (AA), Brigalow Belt South (BBS), Ben Lomond (BEL), Broken Hill Complex (BHC), Cobar Peneplain (CP), Darling Riverine Plains (DRP), Eyre Yorke Block (EYB), Flinders Lofty Block (FLB), Flinders (FLI), Gawler (GAW), Kanmantoo (KAN), King (KIN), Murray Darling Depression (MDD), Mulga Lands (ML), Nandewar (NAN), Naracoorte Coastal Plain (NCP), New England Tablelands (NET), NSW North Coast (NNC), NSW South Western Slopes (NSS), Riverina (RIV), Sydney Basin (SB), South East Coastal Plain (SCP), South East Corner (SEC), South Eastern Highlands (SEH), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Tasmanian Central Highlands (TCH), Tasmanian Northern Midlands (TNM), Tasmanian Northern Slopes (TNS), Tasmanian South East (TSE), Tasmanian Southern Ranges (TSR), Tasmanian West (TWE), Victorian Midlands (VM), Victorian Volcanic Plain (VVP)

History of changes

Generic Combinations

• Vombatus ursinus (Shaw, 1800).
• Phascolomys ursinus (Shaw, 1800).

Taxonomic Decision for Subspecies Arrangement

• Dawson, L.J. 1988. Vombatidae. pp. 48-50 in Walton, D.W. (ed.). Zoological Catalogue of Australia Volume 5. Mammalia. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service Vol. 5 x 274 pp.

Distribution

States

Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria

Extra Distribution Information

Great Dividing Range.

IBRA

ACT, NSW, Qld, SA, Tas, Vic: Australian Alps (AA), Brigalow Belt South (BBS), Ben Lomond (BEL), Broken Hill Complex (BHC), Cobar Peneplain (CP), Darling Riverine Plains (DRP), Eyre Yorke Block (EYB), Flinders Lofty Block (FLB), Flinders (FLI), Gawler (GAW), Kanmantoo (KAN), King (KIN), Murray Darling Depression (MDD), Mulga Lands (ML), Nandewar (NAN), Naracoorte Coastal Plain (NCP), New England Tablelands (NET), NSW North Coast (NNC), NSW South Western Slopes (NSS), Riverina (RIV), Sydney Basin (SB), South East Coastal Plain (SCP), South East Corner (SEC), South Eastern Highlands (SEH), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Tasmanian Central Highlands (TCH), Tasmanian Northern Midlands (TNM), Tasmanian Northern Slopes (TNS), Tasmanian South East (TSE), Tasmanian Southern Ranges (TSR), Tasmanian West (TWE), Victorian Midlands (VM), Victorian Volcanic Plain (VVP)

Ecological Descriptors

Burrower, coastal, folivore, herbivore, montane, noctidiurnal, open forest, terrestrial, territorial, woodland.

Extra Ecological Information

Graminivore.

General References

Barboza, P.S. 1993. Effects of restricted water intake on digestion, urea cycling and renal functioning in wombats (Marsupialia: Vombatidae) from contrasting habitats. Australian Journal of Zoology 41: 527-536

Barboza, P.S. & Hume, I.D. 1992. Digestive tract morphology and digestion in the wombats (Marsupialia, Vombatidae). Journal of Comparative Physiology B 162: 552-560

Barboza, P.S. & Hume, I.D. 1992. Hindgut fermentation in the wombats - two marsupial grazers. Journal of Comparative Physiology B 162: 561-566

Beal, A.M. 1995. Secretion of electrolytes, protein and urea by the mandibular gland of the common wombat (Vombatus ursinus). Journal of Comparative Physiology B 164: 629-635

Brown, G. & Young, G. 1982. Wombats - amiable lawnmowers. Australian Natural History 20: 279-283 (ecology, physiology)

Brown, G.D. & Taylor, L.S. 1984. Radio-telemetry transmitters for use in studies of thermoregulation of unrestrained common wombats, Vombatus ursinus. Australian Wildlife Research 11: 289-298

Dawson, L. 1983. The taxonomic status of small fossil wombats (Vombatidae: Marsupialia) from Quaternary deposits, and of related modern wombats. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 107: 99-121

Green, R.H. & Rainbird, J.L. 1987. The common wombat Vombatus ursinus (Shaw, 1800) in northern Tasmania - Part 1. Breeding, growth and development. Records of the Queen Victoria Museum, Launceston 91: 1-20

Green, R.H. & Rainbird, J.L. 1988. The common wombat Vombatus ursinus (Shaw, 1800) in northern Tasmania - Part 2. The Bass Strait population, V. ursinus ursinus. Records of the Queen Victoria Museum, Launceston 92: 1-7

Lunney, D. & O'Connell, M. 1988. Habitat selection by the swamp wallaby, Wallabia bicolor, the red-necked wallaby, Macropus rufogriseus, and the common wombat, Vombatus ursinus, in logged, burnt forest near Bega, New South Wales. Australian Wildlife Research 15: 695-706

Mallett, K.J. & Cooke, B.D. 1986. The ecology of the common wombat in South Australia. Adelaide : Nature Conservation Society of South Australia 59 pp.

Maxwell, S., Burbidge, A.A. & Morris, K. 1996. The 1996 Action Plan for Australian Marsupials and Monotremes. Canberra : Wildlife Australia 234 pp.

McAllan, B.M., Roberts, J.R. & Barboza, P. 1995. The kidney structure of the common wombat (Vombatus ursinus) and the hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus latifrons). Australian Journal of Zoology 43: 181-191

McCarthy, G. & Prescott, T. 1985. The common wombat in the Geelong region. Geelong Naturalist 22: 58-61

McIlroy, J.C. 1995. Common Wombat Vombatus ursinus. pp. 204-205 in Strahan, R. (ed.). The Mammals of Australia: The National Photographic Index of Australian Wildlife. Sydney : Reed New Holland 756 pp.

Nakajima, K, & Townsend, G.A. 1994. A morphometric study of the skulls of two species of wombats (Vombatus ursinus and Lasiorhinus latifrons). Australian Mammalogy 17: 65-72

Presidente, P.J.A. 1982. Common wombat Vombatus ursinus: maintenance in captivity, blood values, infectious and parasitic diseases. pp. 133-143 in Evans, D.D. (ed.). The Management of Australian Mammals in Captivity. Proceedings of the Scientific Meeting of the Australian Mammal Society, Healesville, Victoria, February 1979. Melbourne : Zoological Board of Victoria 194 pp.

Rishworth, C., McIlroy, J.C. & Tanton, M.T. 1995. Diet of the common wombat, Vombatinus ursinus, in plantations of Pinus radiata. Wildlife Research 22: 333-339

Rishworth, C., McIlroy, J.C. & Tanton, M.T. 1995. Factors affecting population densities of the common wombat, Vombatus ursinus, in plantations of Pinus radiata. Forest Ecology and Management 76: 11-19

Skerratt, L.F., Skerratt, J.H.L., Banks, S., Martin, R. & Handasyde, K. 2004. Aspects of the ecology of common wombats (Vombatus ursinus) at high density on pastoral land in Victoria. Australian Journal of Zoology 52: 303-330

Taylor, R.J. 1993. Observations on the behaviour and ecology of the common wombat Vombatus ursinus in northeast Tasmania. Australian Mammalogy 16: 1-7

Triggs, B. 1988. The wombat. Common wombats in Australia. Kensington, NSW : NSW University Press 141 pp.

Wells, R.T. & Pridmore, P.A. (eds) 1998. Wombats. Chipping Norton : Surrey Beatty 332 pp.

Common Name References

ABRS 2001. Census of Australian Vertebrates. Australian Biological Resources Study. (Common Wombat)

Jackson, S. & Groves, C. 2015. Taxonomy of Australian Mammals. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing 520 pp. [100] (Bare-nosed Wombat)

History of changes

• Opossum hirsutum Perry, G. 1810. Arcana; or The Museum of Natural History. London : British Museum 1 pp. [pages are unnumbered in original work; plates have been numbered by Mathews, G.M. & Iredale, T. 1912. 'Perry's Arcana' — an overlooked work. Victorian Naturalist 24: 7–16] [text to pl. 21].
• Phascolomys mitchellii Owen, R. 1838. in Mitchell, T. (1838). Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, with descriptions of the recently explored region of Australia Felix and of the present colony of New South Wales. London : T. & W. Boone viii 405 pp. pl. 30 figs 4-7. [362].

  Type data:

   Lectotype BMNH M10791 fossil skull fragment, probably Wellington Valley (Wellington Caves), NSW.
  Paralectotype(s) BMNH M10792; BMNH M10793; BMNH M10794; BMNH M10793; BMNH M10794.

  Type locality references:

  Mahoney, J.A. & Ride, W.D.L. 1975. Index to the genera and species of fossil Mammalia described from Australia and New Guinea between 1838 and 1968 (including citations of type species and primary type specimens). Special Publications of the Western Australian Museum 6: 1-250.
• Phascolomys platyrhinus Owen, R. 1853. Descriptive Catalogue of the Osteological Series contained in the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. London : Taylor & Francis Vol. 1 350 pp. [334].

  Type data:

   
  Syntype(s) RCSE 1841 skull only, Australia; RCSE 1842 skull only, Australia.
• Phascolomys angasii Gray, J.E. 1863. Notice of three wombats in the Zoological Gardens. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 3 11: 457-459 [458].

  Type data:

   Holotype whereabouts unknown, southern Australia, specific locality unknown.
• Phascolomys setosus Gray, J.E. 1863. Notice of three wombats in the Zoological Gardens. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 3 11: 457-459 [459].

  Type data:

   Holotype BMNH skin only, southern parts of Australia.

  Type locality references:

  Gould, J. 1863. The Mammals of Australia. London : J. Gould. [text to pl. 58].
• Phascolomys assimilis Krefft, G. 1872. Letter from Mr G. Krefft. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 3: 795-796 [796].

  Type data:

   Status unknown, whereabouts unknown, unknown locality, probably NSW.

Distribution

States

Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria

IBRA

ACT, NSW, SA, Vic: Australian Alps (AA), Brigalow Belt South (BBS), Cobar Peneplain (CP), Darling Riverine Plains (DRP), Murray Darling Depression (MDD), Nandewar (NAN), Naracoorte Coastal Plain (NCP), New England Tablelands (NET), NSW North Coast (NNC), NSW South Western Slopes (NSS), Riverina (RIV), Sydney Basin (SB), South East Coastal Plain (SCP), South East Corner (SEC), South Eastern Highlands (SEH), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Victorian Midlands (VM), Victorian Volcanic Plain (VVP)

Ecological Descriptors

Burrower, coastal, folivore, herbivore, montane, noctidiurnal, open forest, terrestrial, territorial, woodland.

History of changes

• Phascolomys tasmaniensis Spencer, B. & Kershaw, J.A. 1910. On the existing species of the genus Phascolomys. Memoirs of the National Museum of Victoria, Melbourne 3: 37-65 pls ix-xi [58].

  Type data:

   Holotype NMV C2057 ♂ skin, skull & skeleton, TAS.
  Paratype(s) NMV C6664 ♂ juv. skin & skull; NMV C6666 ♂ skin, skull & skeleton; NMV C6680 ♀ skull & skeleton.

Distribution

States

Tasmania

IBRA

Tas: Ben Lomond (BEL), Flinders (FLI), King (KIN), Tasmanian Central Highlands (TCH), Tasmanian Northern Midlands (TNM), Tasmanian Northern Slopes (TNS), Tasmanian South East (TSE), Tasmanian Southern Ranges (TSR), Tasmanian West (TWE)

Ecological Descriptors

Burrower, coastal, folivore, herbivore, montane, noctidiurnal, open forest, terrestrial, territorial, woodland.

History of changes

• Didelphis ursina Shaw, G. 1800. General Zoology or systematic natural history. Quadrupeds. London : G. Kearsley Vol. 1Pt 2 i-viii pp. 249-552. [504].
• Wombatus fossor Desmarest, A.G. 1804. Nouveau Dictionnaire d'Histoire Naturelle: appliquée aux arts, principalement à l'agriculture, à l'économie rurale et domestique: par une société de naturalistes et d'agriculteurs: avec des figures tirés des trois règnes de la nature. Paris : Deterville Tom. 24. [20] [nom. nov. for Didelphis ursina Shaw, 1800].
• Phascolomys fuscus Tiedemann, F. 1808. Zoologie. Zu seinen Vorlesungen entworfen. Erster Bd Allgemeine Zoologie, Mensch und Säugthiere. Landshut & Heidelberg : Weberschen Buchhandlung xvi 612 pp. [publication date established from Iredale, T. & Troughton, E. le G. 1934. A check-list of the mammals recorded from Australia. Mem. Aust. Mus. 6: i–xii 1–122 [34]] [437] [apparently a synonym of Didelphis ursina Shaw, 1800; spelling 'fuscus' is correct as masculine ending for mys].

  Secondary source:

   Illiger, J.C.W. 1811. Prodromus Systematis Mammalium et Avium, additis terminis zoographicis utriusque classis, eorumque versione Germanica. Berolini : Sumptibus C. Salfeld xvii 301 pp.; Iredale, T. & Troughton, E. le G. 1934. A check-list of the mammals recorded from Australia. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 6: i-xii 1-122.
• Phascolomys wombat Lesueur, C.A. & Petit, S.L. 1808. Atlas. In Péron, F. & Freycinet, L. (1807–1816). Voyage de Découvertes aux Terres Australes, Exécuté par Ordre de Sa Majesté l'Empereur et Roi, sur les Corvettes le Géographe, le Naturaliste, et la Goelette le Casuarina, Pendant les Années 1800, 1801, 1802, 1803 et 1804 (Atlas separately titled and issued). [publication date established from Spencer, B. & Kershaw, J.A. 1910. On the existing species of the genus Phascolomys. Mem. Natl. Mus. Melb. 3: 37–65 pls ix–xi] [13].

  Type data:

   Status unknown, whereabouts unknown possibly lost, probably King Is., Bass Strait (as Australasia).

  Type locality references:

  Spencer, B. & Kershaw, J.A. 1910. On the existing species of the genus Phascolomys. Memoirs of the National Museum of Victoria, Melbourne 3: 37-65 pls ix-xi.

  Secondary source:

   Thomas, O. 1888. Catalogue of the Marsupialia and Monotremata in the Collection of the British Museum (Natural History). London : British Museum xiii 401 pp. 28 pls. [3 Nov. 1888].
• Phascolomis vombatus Leach, W.E. 1815. The Zoological Miscellany; being descriptions of new, or interesting animals. Illustrated by R.P. Nodder. London : Nodder & Son Vol. 2 154 pp. pls 61-120. [102 pl. 96] [emendation of Phascolomys wombat Lesueur & Petit, 1808].
• Phascolomys bassii Lesson, R.P. 1827. Manuel de Mammalogie, ou histoire naturelle des mammifères. Paris : Roret xvi 442 pp. [229].

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Dawson, L.J. 1988. Vombatidae. pp. 48-50 in Walton, D.W. (ed.). Zoological Catalogue of Australia Volume 5. Mammalia. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service Vol. 5 x 274 pp. [50]

Distribution

States

Tasmania

Extra Distribution Information

Furneaux Group, Bass Strait.

IBRA

Tas: Flinders (FLI)

Ecological Descriptors

Burrower, coastal, folivore, herbivore, montane, noctidiurnal, open forest, terrestrial, territorial, woodland.

History of changes