Zygomaturus
| Zygomaturus Temporal range: Pleistocene |
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| Zygomaturus tasmanicus on display | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Marsupialia |
| Order: | Diprotodontia |
| Suborder: | Vombatiformes |
| Family: | Diprotodontidae |
| Genus: | Zygomaturus Owen, 1858 |
| Species | |
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†Zygomaturus diahotensis |
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Zygomaturus[1] is an extinct giant marsupial from Australia during the Pleistocene. It had a heavy body and thick legs and is believed to be similar to the modern Pygmy Hippopotamus in both size and build.[2] The genus moved on all fours.[2] It lived in the wet coastal margins of Australia and became extinct about 45,000 years ago.[2] Zygomaturus also is believed to have expanded its range toward the interior of the continent along the waterways.[2] It is believed to have lived solitarily or possibly in small herds. Zygomaturus probably ate reeds and sedges by shoveling them up in clumps with its lower incisor teeth.[2]
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[edit] Related species
[edit] References
- ^ Literal translation "Big cheekbones"
- ^ a b c d e Ellis, Richard (2004). No Turning Back: The Life and Death of Animal Species. New York: Harper Perennial. pp. 101. ISBN 0-06-055804-0.
[edit] Further reading
- Wildlife of Gondwana: Dinosaurs and Other Vertebrates from the Ancient Supercontinent (Life of the Past) by Pat Vickers Rich, Thomas Hewitt Rich, Francesco Coffa, and Steven Morton
- Marsupial Nutrition by Ian D. Hume
- Prehistoric Mammals of Australia and New Guinea: One Hundred Million Years of Evolution by John A. Long, Michael Archer, Timothy Flannery, and Suzanne Hand
- Life of Marsupials by Hugh Tyndale-Biscoe
- Magnificent Mihirungs: The Colossal Flightless Birds of the Australian Dreamtime (Life of the Past) by Peter F. Murray, Patricia Vickers-Rich, and Pat Vickers Rich
- Classification of Mammals by Malcolm C. McKenna and Susan K. Bell
- Australia's Lost World: Prehistoric Animals of Riversleigh by Michael Archer, Suzanne J. Hand, and Henk Godthelp
- World Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs & Prehistoric Creatures: The Ultimate Visual Reference To 1000 Dinosaurs And Prehistoric Creatures Of Land, Air And Sea ... And Cretaceous Eras (World Encyclopedia) by Dougal Dixon
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Prehistoric Life by Dougal Dixon
[edit] External links
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