• 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

• Didelphis wombat Voigt, J.H. 1802. Magazin für den neuesten Zustand der Naturkunde, mit Rücksicht auf die dazu gehörigen Hilfswissenschaften, hrsg. von Johann Heinrich Voigt. Weimar : Industrie-Comptoir 4 pp. [681].

  Type data:

   Status unknown, whereabouts unknown, locality unknown.
• Phascolomys niger Gould, J. 1863. The Mammals of Australia. London : J. Gould Part 13. [text to pl. 60].

  Type data:

   Holotype whereabouts unknown, Australia, locality unknown.

Ecological Descriptors

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

History of changes