Phascolonus

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Phascolonus
Phascolonus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Diprotodontia
Suborder: Vombatiformes
Family: Vombatidae
Genus: Phascolonus
Owen, 1872
Species
  • P. gigas (Owen, 1859)
  • P. lemleyi (Archer & Wade, 1976)[1]

Phascolonus was a genus of prehistoric Australian marsupial in the wombat family. The largest species, Phascolonus gigas weighed as much as 200 kg.[2] Phascolonus existed alongside with an even larger marsupial, Diprotodon, which weighed as much as three tons and was distantly related to wombats.[3] Both disappeared at the end of the Late Pleistocene in a Quaternary extinction event together with many other large Australian animals.

Phascolonus

At Tea Tree Cave a two million year old Phascolonus fossil was found alongside that of the crocodilian Quinkana.[4]

References

  1. Mikko's Phylogeny Archive
  2. J. Long, M. Archer, T. Flannery und S. J. Hand: Prehistoric Mammals of Australia and New Guinea: One Hundred Million Years of Evolution. University of New South Wales, Kensington 2002, S. 161-162
  3. Museum Victoria [ed-online] Dinosaurs & Fossils - The rise of the modern fauna and flora
  4. Chillagoe Interpretive Centre
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