HYBRIDIZATION BETWEEN TAMMAR WALLABY (MACROPUS-EUGENII) POPULATIONS FROM WESTERN AND SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Populations of tammar wallabies (Macropus eugenii) occur in southwest Western Australia and on five Australian offshore islands, four in Wes tern Australia and one in South Australia. The South Australia and Wes tern Australia populations have probably been isolated from each other for 50,000-100,000 years. Studies have shown that there are morpholog ical and genetic differences between these populations. Attempts at ma ting individuals from Garden Island (Western Australia) with individua ls from Kangaroo Island (South Australia) indicate that while the two populations can hybridize in captivity and F-1 hybrids of both sexes a re fertile, a barrier to successful reproduction between these two pop ulations is in the initial stages of development.