Kangaroo evolution (somewhat off-topic)

[NJPharris@aol.com]

In a message dated 9/25/99 2:30:23 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
mbonnan@hotmail.com writes:

> Further, George brought up kangaroos and how some live in trees, perhaps 
>  tying bipedality in this group to originally arboreal 'roos.  I know next 
to 
>  nothing about kangaroo evolution, but it does not stand to reason that 
just 
>  because some smaller 'roos are now exploiting an arboreal habitat that 
this 
>  was the ancestral condition.

Matt is exactly right here.  The closest thing we have today to the form of 
the ancestral kangaroos are the quadrupedal, ground-dwelling rat kangaroos.  
Tree kangaroos are derived from hopping, ground-based ancestors.

--Nick P.