Potorous

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A small marsupial native to Australia known for its hopping movement ; a nocturnal herbivore with a compact body and long hind legs ; a member of a genus characterized by burrowing habits and a diet mainly of fungi and plants
2. An Australian marsupial species with strong hind limbs adapted for bounding ; a generally shy and nocturnal feeder on fungi and vegetation ; a member of a genus typically found in forested or scrubland environments and known for burrowing behavior
3. A diminutive hopping mammal native to Australian regions ; a nocturnal animal that primarily consumes fungal material and plant matter ; a genus of marsupials recognized by their terrestrial habits and distinctive jumping locomotion

Etymology: The genus name comes from the Aboriginal word "potoroo," which early European settlers in New South Wales recorded in the late 18th or early 19th century. The French zoologist Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest later adopted it as the scientific name, Potorous, in 1804. Its exact source language is uncertain, though it is generally linked to the Sydney region. The animals are not kangaroos, despite their hopping gait, and they are not rats. Their common name, "rat-kangaroo," reflects their size and shape as much as their relationship to the larger marsupials. Potoroos are small, shy, and mostly active at night, digging for fungi and roots with their forepaws.