Phascolonus
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| Phascolonus | |
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| Phascolonus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Marsupialia |
| Order: | Diprotodontia |
| Suborder: | Vombatiformes |
| Family: | Vombatidae |
| Genus: | †Phascolonus Owen, 1872 |
| Species | |
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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 two 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.
At Tea Tree Cave a two million year old Phascolonus fossil was found alongside that of the crocodilian Quinkana.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ Mikko's Phylogeny Archive
- ^ 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
- ^ Museum Victoria [ed-online] Dinosaurs & Fossils - The rise of the modern fauna and flora
- ^ Chillagoe Interpretive Centre
- PRELIMINARY NOTES ON PHASCOLONUS GIGAS, OWEN PHASCOLOMYS (PHASCOLONUS) GIGAS, OWEN, and its identity with SCEPARNODON RAMSAYI, Owen, By E. C. STIRLING, M.D., F.R.S, C.M.Z.S. AND A. H. C. ZIETZ, F.L.S., C.M.Z.S.]
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