Simosthenurus
| Simosthenurus Temporal range: Pleistocene | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Marsupialia |
| Order: | Diprotodontia |
| Family: | Macropodidae |
| Subfamily: | Sthenurinae |
| Genus: | Simosthenurus Tedford, 1966 |
| Species | |
|
Simosthenurus maddocki | |
Simosthenurus occidentalis
Simosthenurus is a genus of megafaunal macropods that existed in Australia in the Pleistocene. The members of the genus are large; Simosthenurus occidentalis weighed over 118 kilograms.[1]
Unlike modern kangaroos, which are plantigrade hoppers, Simosthenurus was a bipedal ungulidrade, walking in a manner similar to hominids.[2]
References
- ↑ Helgen, K.M., Wells, R.T., Kear, B.P., Gerdtz, W.R., and Flannery, T.F. (2006). "Ecological and evolutionary significance of sizes of giant extinct kangaroos". Australian Journal of Zoology 54 (4): 293–303. doi:10.1071/ZO05077.
- ↑ Janis, CM; Buttrill, K; Figueirido, B (2014). "Locomotion in Extinct Giant Kangaroos: Were Sthenurines Hop-Less Monsters?". PLoS ONE 9 (10). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0109888. Retrieved October 15, 2014.