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Palorchestidae

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Skull of Palorchestes

Palorchestidae is an extinct family of diprotodont marsupials whose members are sometimes referred to as marsupial tapirs due to the superficial similarity of their skulls to those of true tapirs. The idea that they had a tapir-like trunk has been contested, with other authors contending that it is more likely that they had a prehensile lip and protrusible tongue instead.[1] They had unusual forelimbs with a morphology unlike that of any living animal, which were likely used to pull and tear vegetation. They are suggested to have been browsers. The group experienced an increase in body size over time, with Propalorchestes weighing around 150 kg, while Palorchestes azael may have exceeded a ton.[2] They are considered to be members of Diprotodontoidea, most closely related to the also extinct Diprotodontidae. Their closest living relatives are wombats.[3]

Genera

The family consists of the following four genera:

References

  1. ^ Richards, Hazel L.; Wells, Rod T.; Evans, Alistair R.; Fitzgerald, Erich M. G.; Adams, Justin W. (2019-09-13). Louys, Julien (ed.). "The extraordinary osteology and functional morphology of the limbs in Palorchestidae, a family of strange extinct marsupial giants". PLOS ONE. 14 (9): e0221824. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0221824. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 6744111. PMID 31518353.
  2. ^ Richards, Hazel L.; Rovinsky, Douglass S.; Adams, Justin W.; Evans, Alistair R. (2023-03). "Inferring the palaeobiology of palorchestid marsupials through analysis of mammalian humeral and femoral shape". Journal of Mammalian Evolution. 30 (1): 47–66. doi:10.1007/s10914-022-09640-6. ISSN 1064-7554. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ Beck, Robin M. D.; Louys, Julien; Brewer, Philippa; Archer, Michael; Black, Karen H.; Tedford, Richard H. (2020-06-25). "A new family of diprotodontian marsupials from the latest Oligocene of Australia and the evolution of wombats, koalas, and their relatives (Vombatiformes)". Scientific Reports. 10 (1). doi:10.1038/s41598-020-66425-8. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 7316786. PMID 32587406.

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Palorchestidae: Brief Summary

provided by wikipedia EN
Skull of Palorchestes

Palorchestidae is an extinct family of diprotodont marsupials whose members are sometimes referred to as marsupial tapirs due to the superficial similarity of their skulls to those of true tapirs. The idea that they had a tapir-like trunk has been contested, with other authors contending that it is more likely that they had a prehensile lip and protrusible tongue instead. They had unusual forelimbs with a morphology unlike that of any living animal, which were likely used to pull and tear vegetation. They are suggested to have been browsers. The group experienced an increase in body size over time, with Propalorchestes weighing around 150 kg, while Palorchestes azael may have exceeded a ton. They are considered to be members of Diprotodontoidea, most closely related to the also extinct Diprotodontidae. Their closest living relatives are wombats.

license
cc-by-sa-3.0
copyright
Wikipedia authors and editors
original
visit source
partner site
wikipedia EN