Thylacinus megiriani
Encyclopedia
Thylacinus megiriani lived during the late Miocene
. 8 million years ago the area T. megiriani inhabited was covered in forest with a permanent supply of water.
T. megiriani was a quadrupedal marsupial predator, that in appearance looked similar to a dog with a long snout. Its molar teeth were specialized for carnivory, the cups and crest were reduced or elongated to give the molars a cutting blade and in proportion with its body its teeth were exceptionally large, possibly adding to its body weight. Its estimated weight is over 57 kilograms.
It is thought that Thylacinus megiriani, along with crocodiles and giant iguanas were the only predators in Alcoota
.
T. megiriani fossils along with T. potens
have been discovered in Alcoota
in the northern territory, although the remains of Thylacinus
in Alcoota
are very rare. Paleontologist have found specimens densely packed together that died within a matter of years of one another. It is theorized that drought and unpredictable weather were the cause.
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...
. 8 million years ago the area T. megiriani inhabited was covered in forest with a permanent supply of water.
T. megiriani was a quadrupedal marsupial predator, that in appearance looked similar to a dog with a long snout. Its molar teeth were specialized for carnivory, the cups and crest were reduced or elongated to give the molars a cutting blade and in proportion with its body its teeth were exceptionally large, possibly adding to its body weight. Its estimated weight is over 57 kilograms.
It is thought that Thylacinus megiriani, along with crocodiles and giant iguanas were the only predators in Alcoota
Alcoota
The Alcoota Fossil Beds are an important paleontological site located on Alcoota Station in Central Australia, 200km north-east of Alice Springs. It is notable for the occurrence of well-preserved, rare, Tertiary vertebrate fossils, which provide evidence of the evolution of the Northern...
.
T. megiriani fossils along with T. potens
Thylacinus potens
Thylacinus potens was the largest species of the family Thylacinidae, known from a single poorly preserved fossil discovered by Michael O. Woodburne in 1967 in a Late Miocene locality near Alice Springs, Northern Territory. It preceded the modern thylacine by 4–6 million years, and was 5% bigger,...
have been discovered in Alcoota
Alcoota
The Alcoota Fossil Beds are an important paleontological site located on Alcoota Station in Central Australia, 200km north-east of Alice Springs. It is notable for the occurrence of well-preserved, rare, Tertiary vertebrate fossils, which provide evidence of the evolution of the Northern...
in the northern territory, although the remains of Thylacinus
Thylacinus
Thylacinus is a genus of extinct carnivorous marsupials from the order Dasyuromorphia. The only recent member was the Thylacine , which became extinct in 1936 due to hunting. The other animals in the group all lived in prehistoric times in Australia...
in Alcoota
Alcoota
The Alcoota Fossil Beds are an important paleontological site located on Alcoota Station in Central Australia, 200km north-east of Alice Springs. It is notable for the occurrence of well-preserved, rare, Tertiary vertebrate fossils, which provide evidence of the evolution of the Northern...
are very rare. Paleontologist have found specimens densely packed together that died within a matter of years of one another. It is theorized that drought and unpredictable weather were the cause.