Nimbadon
Encyclopedia
Nimbadon is an extinct
genus of Diprotodontia
that lived in the Miocene
Epoch. Many fossils have been found in the Riversleigh World Heritage property
in north-western Queensland.
In 1990, skulls were unearthed in a previously unknown cave in the region. Researcher’s estimate that Nimbadon first appeared about 15 million years ago and died out about 12 million years ago, perhaps from climate change-induced habitat loss.
. They retracted their claws when walking.
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
genus of Diprotodontia
Diprotodontia
Diprotodontia is a large order of about 120 marsupial mammals including the kangaroos, wallabies, possums, koala, wombats, and many others. Extinct diprotodonts include the rhinoceros-sized Diprotodon, and Thylacoleo, the so-called "marsupial lion"....
that lived 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...
Epoch. Many fossils have been found in the Riversleigh World Heritage property
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.
In 1990, skulls were unearthed in a previously unknown cave in the region. Researcher’s estimate that Nimbadon first appeared about 15 million years ago and died out about 12 million years ago, perhaps from climate change-induced habitat loss.
Nimbadon lavarackorum
Nimbadon lavarackorum is described as being sheep-like. It is known from as many as 24 well-articulated specimens. The species was a browser, mainly feeding on stem and leaf litter on the forest floor. The feet and claws were large, being superficially similar to those of the KoalaKoala
The koala is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia, and the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae....
. They retracted their claws when walking.
External links
- Australias lost kingdoms, Nimbodon.
- Black K. H. and Hand. S 2010., Nimbadon crania and species boundaries, American Museum novitates, no. 3678
- KAREN H. BLACK,* MICHAEL ARCHER, SUZANNE J. HAND, and HENK GODTHELP FIRST COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF CRANIAL ONTOGENY IN A FOSSIL MARSUPIAL—FROM A 15-MILLION-YEAR-OLD CAVE DEPOSIT IN NORTHERN AUSTRALIA
- "Cave yields marsupial fossil haul". BBC News. 2010-07-19.