Dickson's Thylacine
Encyclopedia
Nimbacinus dicksoni was an ancient relative of the modern but extinct Thylacine
. It lived approximately 23-16 million years ago in the Miocene
period. Nimbacinus dicksoni was about 1.6 ft (50 cm) long. Being a predator, it probably ate birds, small mammals, and reptiles. Like the modern thylacine
, it may have been an awkward runner and used stamina to catch prey rather than speed. Fossils have been found in Australia
at Riversleigh
in north-western Queensland
and Bullock Creek
in the Northern Territory
. The fossils are very well preserved.
Thylacine
The thylacine or ,also ;binomial name: Thylacinus cynocephalus, Greek for "dog-headed pouched one") was the largest known carnivorous marsupial of modern times. It is commonly known as the Tasmanian tiger or the Tasmanian wolf...
. It lived approximately 23-16 million years ago in the Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
period. Nimbacinus dicksoni was about 1.6 ft (50 cm) long. Being a predator, it probably ate birds, small mammals, and reptiles. Like the modern thylacine
Thylacine
The thylacine or ,also ;binomial name: Thylacinus cynocephalus, Greek for "dog-headed pouched one") was the largest known carnivorous marsupial of modern times. It is commonly known as the Tasmanian tiger or the Tasmanian wolf...
, it may have been an awkward runner and used stamina to catch prey rather than speed. Fossils have been found in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
at Riversleigh
Riversleigh
Riversleigh, in North West Queensland, is Australia's most famous fossil site. The 100 km² area has fossil remains of ancient mammals, birds and reptiles of Oligocene and Miocene age...
in north-western Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
and Bullock Creek
Bullock Creek
The Bullock Creek Fossil site is one of three known vertebrate fossil sites in the Australia's Northern Territory, along with the Alcoota Fossil Beds on Alcoota Station and the Kangaroo Well site on Deep Well Station. It is located about 550km south-southeast of Darwin, on Camfield Station...
in the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
. The fossils are very well preserved.
External links
- Australia's lost kingdom
- Australian Beast's
- Australian Museum
- Nimbacinus dicksoni information at The Thylacine Museum
- Mikko's Phylogeny Archive
- NIMBA CINUS DICKSONl, A PLESIOMORPHIC THYLACINE (MARSUPIALIA: THYLACINIDAE) FROM TERTIARY DEPOSITS OF QUEENSLAND AND THE NORTHERN TERRITORY J. MUIRHEAD AND M. ARCHER