Riversleigh fauna Last updated March 14, 2025 List of animal fossils found in Riversleigh World Heritage Area, Queensland
Riversleigh fauna is the collective term for any species of animal identified in fossil sites located in the Riversleigh World Heritage Area .
Faunal zones The presence of the Riversleigh in the Oligo-Miocene has been exceptionally well preserved throughout a number of time periods. These has been classified by four "faunal zones", [ 1] and may be summarised as,
More recent fossil specimens has also been coded to the period of deposition,
Pliocene (PLIO), a period 2.588-5.332 myr Pleistocene (PLEIS), 0.0117-2.588 myr Holocene , noted as (HOLO) to indicate the period dated as following the Pleistocene, from the present day to 11,700 years ago. Faunal lists The following are incomplete lists of mammals, birds, fish, and invertebrate species and genera included in the Riversleigh fauna, according to the compilation of taxa by researchers at the University of New South Wales and Queensland (wakaleo.net). [ 2] A survey of species-level taxa described in the Riversleigh Fauna in the decades of research preceding 2006, resulted in a total greater than 290 species. [ 3]
The fauna of Riversleigh includes placental mammals , especially bats, and the various families of marsupials. Due to the novelty of some taxa discovered in the area, some species have been placed in tentative arrangements or unknown lineages placed as sometimes undescribed higher taxa.
The Mammalia discovered at the site includes the Yingabalanaridae (weirdodonta) family, whose classification within the order is currently uncertain. [ 4]
Archerops annectens , an Old World leaf-nosed bat Archerops watsoni , an Old World leaf-nosed bat Brachipposideros nooraleebus , an Old World leaf-nosed bat Brevipalatus mcculloughi Hand 2005, a hipposiderid bat, resembling the modern orange leaf-nosed Rhinonicteris aurantia Hipposideros bernardsigei , an Old World leaf-nosed bat Hipposideros winsburyorum , an Old World leaf-nosed bat Hydromops riversleighensis , an Old World leaf-nosed bat Icarops aenae , a New Zealand short-tailed bat Icarops paradox , a New Zealand short-tailed bat Leuconoe (bat) sp., a poorly known bat Macroderma gigas , a carnivorous bat, still living and known as the ghost bat Macroderma godthelpi , a relative of the ghost bat, that existed in the early Miocene Macroderma malugara , a relative of the ghost bat, that existed in the middle Miocene Miophyllorhina riversleighensis , an Old World leaf-nosed bat Petramops creaseri , a free tailed bat Riversleigha williamsi , an Old World leaf-nosed bat Rhinonicteris tedfordi , a microbat. [ 5] Taphozous sp. , a sheath-tailed bat Taphozous georgianus. , a sheath-tailed bat Xenorhinos halli , an Old World leaf-nosed bat Balbaroo , an ancient balbarid Bettongia moyesi , a bettong Bulungamaya , an ancient member of Bulungamayinae Cookeroo , an ancient kangaroo Ekaltadeta , an extinct carnivorous member of Hypsiprymnodontidae Galanarla , an ancient balbarid Ganawamaya , an ancient balbarid Ganguroo , an ancient member of Bulungamayinae Gumardee , a member of Potoroidae Hypsiprymnodon bartholomaii , a frugivorous hypsiprymnodontid Hypsiprymnodon dennisi , a frugivorous hypsiprymnodontid Hypsiprymnodon karenblackae , a frugivorous hypsiprymnodontid Hypsiprymnodon philcreaseri , a frugivorous hypsiprymnodontid Rhizosthenurus , an ancient kangaroo Wabularoo , an ancient balbarid Wakiewakie , an ancient potoroid Wanburoo , an ancient member of Bulungamayinae Wururoo , an ancient balbarid Acrobates magicus , an ancient feathertail possum Acrobates macknessi , an ancient feathertail possum Archerus johntoniae , a phalangerid possum Distoechurus amplus , an ancient feathertail possum Distoechurus robustus , an ancient feathertail possum Burramys , an extinct relative of the mountain pygmy possum Cercartetus , an ancient possum Chunia , an ancient possum Djaludjangi , an ancient gliding possum Djilgaringa , an ancient possum Durudawiri , an ancient possum Ektopodon , an ancient possum Gawinga , an ancient ringtail possum Marlu , an ancient ringtail possum Onirocuscus , an ancient brushtail possum Paljara , an ancient ringtail possum Pildra , an ancient ringtail possum Strigocuscus , an ancient possum Trichosurus , an ancient brushtail possum Wyulda , an ancient brushtail possum Kuterintja , an extinct marsupial of the family Ilariidae Lekaneleo , a marsupial lion Litokoala , an ancient koala Madakoala , an ancient koala Marada (mammal) , a sheep-like browser Microleo , a marsupial lion Namilamadeta , an extinct marsupial of the family Wynyardiidae Neohelos , a diprotodontid sheep-like browser Nimbavombatus , an ancient wombat Ngapakaldia , a marsupial tapir Nimbadon , a sheep-like browser [ 6] Nimiokoala , an ancient koala [ 7] Palorchestes , a diprotodontid marsupial tapir Pitikantia , a diprotodontid Propalorchestes , a diprotodontid marsupial tapir Priscakoala , an ancient koala [ 7] Priscileo , a marsupial lion Rhizophascolonus , an ancient wombat Silvabestius , a diprotodontid sheep-like browser Stelakoala riversleighensis , an ancient koala Wakaleo , a marsupial lion Warendja , an ancient wombatDasyuromorphia Badjcinus , an ancient thylacine Barinya , a carnivorous dasyuromorphian Ganbulanyi , a carnivorous dasyuromorphian Joculusium , a carnivorous dasyuromorphian Malleodectes , a marsupial with snail eating dentition Maximucinus , an ancient thylacine Mayigriphus , a carnivorous dasyuromorphian Muribacinus , an ancient thylacine Nimbacinus , an ancient thylacine Ngamalacinus , an ancient thylacine Wabulacinus , a ancient thylacine Australlus , a flightless rail Barawertornis , a mihirung Cacatua , a cockatoo Ciconia , a stork Collocalia , a swiftlet Corvitalusoides , an ancient passerine Dasyornis walterbolesi , a bristlebird Daphoenositta trevorworthy , a sittella Dromornis , a mihirung Emuarius , an emuwary Eoanseranas , a magpie-goose Kurrartapu , a cracticid Longmornis , an Old World oriole Melopsittacus , a budgerigar Menura , a lyrebird Orthonyx , a logrunner Pengana , a flexible-footed bird of prey Pinpanetta , a stiff-tailed duck Primophaps , a bronzewing pigeon Sericuloides marynguyenae , a bowerbirdReptiles Baru , the cleaver-headed crocodile Egernia , a skink Elseya lavarackorum , a side neck turtle that is still living today Incongruelaps , a venomous snake Mekosuchus , a crocodile Meiolania , a horned turtle Morelia riversleighensis , an ancient python species Nanowana , extinct snakes (Madtsoiidae) Physignathus , a dragon lizard Pseudemydura , a side neck turtle Pygopus , a legless lizard Quinkana meboldi , a crocodile Ramphotyphlops , a blind snake Sulcatidens , a dragon lizard Tiliqua , a skink Trilophosuchus , a tree-dwelling crocodile Ultrastenos , a crocodile Varanus , a monitor lizard Warkalania , a horned turtle Wonambi , extinct snakes (Madtsoiidae ) Yurlunggur , extinct snakes (Madtsoiidae )This page is based on this
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