Zygomaturus

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Zygomaturus
Temporal range: Late Miocene–Pleistocene
Zygomaturus trilobus.jpg
Skeletal mount of Zygomaturus trilobus at the Melbourne Museum
Zygomaturus BW.jpg
Restoration of Z. trilobus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Diprotodontia
Family: Diprotodontidae
Subfamily: Zygomaturinae
Genus: Zygomaturus
Macleay, 1857
Species
  • Zygomaturus diahotensis
  • Zygomaturus gilli
    ( Nomen dubium ) [1]
  • Zygomaturus tasmanicus
  • Zygomaturus trilobus

Zygomaturus [2] is an extinct genus of giant marsupial belonging to the family Diprotodontidae which inhabited Australia from the Late Miocene to Late Pleistocene.

Contents

Skull of Zygomaturus in various views, from Owen 1859 Zygomaturus skull.png
Skull of Zygomaturus in various views, from Owen 1859

Description

Z. trilobus jaw Zygomaturus trilobus jaw.jpg
Z. trilobus jaw

It was a large animal, weighing 500 kg (1100 lbs) or over 700 kg (1544 lbs) [3] and standing about 1.5 m (4.9 ft) tall and 2.5 m (8.2 ft) long. [4] As in other large marsupials, the sinuses within the skull are very large, likely to reduce weight. [5]

Palaeobiology

In an analysis of remains from Cuddie Springs, the carbon isotope ratios suggests that it consumed both C3 and C4 plants, with a dental microwear texture indicative of browsing. [6] Preserved remains suggest that Zygomaturus was widely distributed over Australia during the Pleistocene. [7]

Evolution and extinction

The earliest members of the genus such as Zygomaturus gilli appeared during the Late Miocene, around 8 million years ago. [8] It is thought that the youngest species, Zygomaturus trilobus became extinct during the latter half of the Late Pleistocene, with typical estimates being about 45,000 years ago, around the time of Aboriginal arrival in Australia. [9] A surprisingly late date between 33.3 ±3.7 Kya and 36.7 ±5.1 Kya was reported in 2017 from the Willandra Lakes Region in New South Wales, which if correct would represent the latest known date for any Australian Megafauna. [10]

 

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References

  1. van Zoelen, J. D.; Camens, A. B.; Worthy, T. H.; Prideaux, G. J. (2023). "Description of the Pliocene marsupial Ambulator keanei gen. nov. (Marsupialia: Diprotodontidae) from inland Australia and its locomotory adaptations". Royal Society Open Science. 10 (5). doi:10.1098/rsos.230211. PMC   10230189 .
  2. Literal translation "Big cheekbones"
  3. Peter F. Murray, Patricia Vickers-Rich, 2004, Magnificent Mihirungs: The Colossal Flightless Birds of the Australian Dreamtime, p.326, Indiana University Press
  4. "Zygomaturus trilobus".
  5. Alana C. Sharp (2014) Sinus and brain size in marsupial megafauna: a case of giant airheads
  6. DeSantis, Larisa R. G.; Field, Judith H.; Wroe, Stephen; Dodson, John R. (May 2017). "Dietary responses of Sahul (Pleistocene Australia–New Guinea) megafauna to climate and environmental change". Paleobiology. 43 (2): 181–195. doi: 10.1017/pab.2016.50 . ISSN   0094-8373.
  7. Webb, Steve (August 2008). "Megafauna demography and late Quaternary climatic change in Australia: A predisposition to extinction". Boreas. 37 (3): 329–345. doi:10.1111/j.1502-3885.2008.00026.x. S2CID   19561004.
  8. Megirian, Dirk; Prideaux, Gavin J.; Murray, Peter F.; Smit, Neil (2010). "An Australian land mammal age biochronological scheme". Paleobiology. 36 (4): 658–671. doi:10.1666/09047.1. ISSN   0094-8373. S2CID   55376525.
  9. Ellis, Richard (2004). No Turning Back: The Life and Death of Animal Species . New York: Harper Perennial. pp.  101. ISBN   0-06-055804-0.
  10. Westaway, Michael C.; Olley, Jon; Grün, Rainer (February 2017). "At least 17,000 years of coexistence: Modern humans and megafauna at the Willandra Lakes, South-Eastern Australia". Quaternary Science Reviews. 157: 206–211. doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2016.11.031.

Further reading