Giant Koala
| Giant Koala Temporal range: Pleistocene |
|
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Marsupialia |
| Order: | Diprotodontia |
| Family: | Phascolarctidae |
| Genus: | Phascolarctos |
| Species: | P. stirtoni |
| Binomial name | |
| Phascolarctos stirtoni |
|
The Giant Koala (Phascolarctos stirtoni) was an arboreal marsupial which existed in Australia during the Pleistocene epoch. Phascolarctos stirtoni was about one third larger than the contemporary Koala,[1] and has had an estimated weight of 29 lb (13 kg), which is the same weight as a large contemporary male Koala.[2] Although considered a part of the Australian megafauna, its body mass excludes it from most formal definitions of megafauna. It is best described as a more robust koala, rather than a "giant"; whereas a number of Australian megafauna, such as Diprotodon and Procoptodon goliah, were unambiguously giants.
The two koala species co-existed during the Pleistocene, occupying the same arboreal niche.[1] The reason for the extinction of the larger of the two about 50,000 years ago is unknown.
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b "Parks South Australia: Naracoorte Caves website". Archived from the original on 2007-09-26. http://web.archive.org/web/20070926234550/http://www.parks.sa.gov.au/naracoorte/wonambi/animals/extinct/005792. Retrieved 2007-10-27.
- ^ Prideaux, Gavin J.; Roberts, Richard G.; Megirian, Dirk; Westaway, Kira E.; Hellstrom, John C.; Olley, Jon M. (2007). "Mammalian responses to Pleistocene climate change in southeastern Australia". Geology 35: 33. doi:10.1130/G23070A.1. ftp://rock.geosociety.org/pub/reposit/2007/2007016.pdf.
[edit] References
- Piper, Katarzyna J. (2005). "An Early Pleistocene Record of a Giant Koala (Phascolarctidae, Marsupalia) from Western Victoria". Australian Mammalogy (CSIRO Publishing) 2 (27): 221–223. doi:10.1071/AM05221. http://www.publish.csiro.au/?act=view_file&file_id=AM05221.pdf.
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