This species, even before European colonisation, was apparently never abundant. The Desert rat kangaroo, or Buff-nosed rat kangaroo is Caloprymnus campestris. The unusual Desert kangaroo rat is among the animals with least water demand. They hop in a manner similar to the much larger kangaroo, but developed this mode of locomotion independently, like several other clades of rodents (e.g. dipodids and hopping mice The Desert kangaroo rat resembles a tiny kangaroo, and is a size of a mouse. The desert rat-kangaroo was discovered in the early 1840s. The Desert kangaroo rats are adorable animals with noticeably large hind legs, helping them escape from predators. The species is so called due to hopping like a kangaroo. Related Questions. However, after these early sightings, it was no longer recorded for 90 years (aside from an unconfirmed report in 1878), and was widely believed to be extinct. Confirmed sightings of the desert rat kangaroo (Caloprymnus campestris), which lived in the Queensland–South Australia border region, have not occurred since 1935, and the IUCN has considered the species extinct since 1994.The species was a pale buff colour and was known as a very fast leaper, with long hind legs and very short forelegs. Top Answer. How did the desert kangaroo rat get its name? Kangaroo rats, small mostly nocturnal rodents of genus Dipodomys, are native to arid areas of western North America.The common name derives from their bipedal form. Wiki User March 12, 2011 4:11PM. The scientific name for the rufous rat-kangaroo is Aepyprymnus rufescens. it's a rat that lives in the desert and jumps, it's kinda self explanitory.