So you were searching the web to find an article about whether deer are related to kangaroos. You’ve come to the right article if this is the case as I’ll be answering this question for you. After I’ve given you the answer to this question then you should read further as I’ll also answer a few more closely related questions.
Are deer related to kangaroos? Deer and kangaroos are only distantly related to each other even though they are both considered mammals. Kangaroos are, for example, marsupials that carry their young in their pouch that’s located on the front of their bodies. Deer do not have this characteristic.
They both, however, do, for example, give live birth which is one of the characteristics that they have in common. The baby of the kangaroo mother is often called “baby kangaroo” but it is also very common for them to be called “joey”.
Also, if you go back very far in time then you’ll find out that pretty much every animal is related to one another as every animal originated from the sea.
Why are deer and kangaroos only distantly related?
The biggest reason for deer and kangaroos to be distantly related to one another is that the babies of deer develop inside their body and that the babies of kangaroos develop in the pouch of the mother which is located on the front of the mom’s body.
Physically, though you’ll see that both animal species do kind of look-alike which is probably caused by what we call “convergent evolution”.
Why do deer look so much like kangaroos?
Why deer and kangaroos look so similar is likely the cause of what we call “convergent evolution”. This means that both deer and kangaroos have evolved similar features independently over time that have resulted in them showing some similarities in the end without being similar.
Convergent evolution thereby creates analogous structures that show similarities in form and function but that did not present themselves in the last common ancestor of those groups.
Check out the video below if you want to see a deer and a kangaroo play a game.
What are the differences between deer and kangaroos?
There are differences between deer and kangaroos which I’ll cover directly below. The differences between deer and kangaroos are:
- Deer belong to the family Cervidae whilst kangaroos belong to the Macropodidae family.
- Deer are placental mammals whilst kangaroos are marsupials which are animals that belong to the mammalian infraclass of Marsupialia.
- The babies of deer develop inside their bodies whilst the babies of kangaroos develop in the pouch that is located on the front of their bodies.
- Deer have small tails that do not serve any significant function whilst kangaroos have strong and long tails which enables them to balance their bodies properly.
- Deer move by using all four of their legs whilst kangaroos will mostly use their hind legs.
- Deer can run very fast for short distances whilst kangaroos can travel long distances whilst retaining high speeds and without using a lot of energy.
Above I’ve mentioned at least the most obvious differences between deer and kangaroos but I’m sure there are a lot more subtle differences between the two as every animal has their specific characteristics.
You already know a lot more about whether deer and kangaroos are related to one another or not. But do you also want to find out if deer are considered to be herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores? Then you should check out the article: “Are Deer Herbivores, Carnivores, Or Omnivores?” which will give you the answer to this question and also a few more answers to closely related questions as well.
What do deer and kangaroos have in common?
There aren’t a crazy amount of similarities between deer and kangaroos because they’re animals that are only distantly related to one another. They, however, are both considered mammals and they are both capable of giving live birth.
Apart from these features, they will both have to drink water and eat to survive just like all the other animals that live on this earth.
What do North American deer and kangaroos have in common?
Just like pretty much all deer species that do not show many similarities with kangaroos, the North American deer is no exception. They do, however, have in common that they’re both mammals and that they both will give live birth whenever it’s time for that.
Physically you’ll also see a few close similarities between the two but because of convergent evolution, these close similarities are not exactly similar to one another.
What family is a kangaroo in?
All the different kangaroo species that live on this earth, like, for example, the red kangaroo, the western grey kangaroo, the eastern grey kangaroo, and the antilopine kangaroo belong to the Macropodidae family which means “big foot” in Latin.
They’re given this name because all kangaroo species have very big feet which enables them to easily hop around in this world.
Related questions
What is the difference between a kangaroo and a joey?
Joey is the name people use when they’re talking about young kangaroos, young wallabies, or young koalas. When we call an animal a kangaroo then you can be sure that the animal is a member of the Macropodidae family.
What are kangaroos related to?
The closest relatives of kangaroos are wallaroos and wallabies. When you take a look at these two different animals then you’ll see that they are both smaller versions of kangaroos. They, for example, both have a pouch where their young can safely grow up in.
Are kangaroos related to rabbits?
You can be sure that kangaroos are not related to rabbits. New studies that have been done about what animals are closely related to rabbits show that they are closely related to the mammalian order which includes apes, monkeys, and humans.
Conclusion
Now you know that deer and kangaroos are only distantly related to one another as most of their characteristics do not match with one another. If you would, however, go back in time very far then you’ll find out that every animal is related as every animal originates from the sea.