Head to head
Rufous Bettong vs Musky Rat-Kangaroo
The rufous bettong and musky rat-kangaroo are both small, distant relatives of true kangaroos, but they sit at opposite extremes of the kangaroo family in size, behaviour, and evolutionary position.
| Rufous Bettong | Musky Rat-Kangaroo | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Aepyprymnus rufescens | Hypsiprymnodon moschatus |
| Relative size | Largest bettong species | Smallest living kangaroo family member |
| Activity pattern | Nocturnal | Diurnal, active by day |
| Movement style | Hops like other macropods | Bounds on all four limbs |
| Evolutionary position | Typical modern macropod | Most primitive living kangaroo relative |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Population trend | Stable | Stable |
| Habitat | Forest, grassland | Rainforest |
Rufous Bettong vs Musky Rat-Kangaroo: common questions
Which is more unusual for the kangaroo family, the rufous bettong or the musky rat-kangaroo?
The musky rat-kangaroo is by far the more unusual of the two, as the smallest and most evolutionarily primitive living kangaroo relative, the only one active during the day, and the only one that moves by bounding on all four limbs rather than hopping, while the rufous bettong behaves much more like a typical macropod.
Do both species eat fungi?
Yes, both rely heavily on underground fungi as part of their diet, with the rufous bettong spreading fungal spores through its droppings as it forages for fungi and other food across forest and grassland floor habitat, and the musky rat-kangaroo doing the same across the rainforest floor it calls home.
What does the rufous bettong do with its tail that the musky rat-kangaroo does not?
The rufous bettong uses its prehensile tail to gather and carry bundles of grass back to build a dome-shaped sheltering nest, a distinctive nest-building behaviour not documented in the musky rat-kangaroo, which instead relies on its quadrupedal gait and daytime activity as its most distinctive traits.