New craniodental remains of Thylacinus potens (Dasyuromorphia: Thylacinidae), a carnivorous marsupial from the late Miocene Alcoota Local Fauna of central Australia

New craniodental specimens that are referrable to the thylacinid marsupial, Thylacinus potens, are described from the late Miocene Alcoota Local Fauna of the Northern Territory, Australia. The remains include a largely complete maxilla and dentary, showing for the first time the anterior dentition o...

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Main Author: Adam M. Yates
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: PeerJ Inc. 2014-08-01
Series:PeerJ
Subjects:
Online Access:https://peerj.com/articles/547.pdf
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author Adam M. Yates
author_facet Adam M. Yates
author_sort Adam M. Yates
collection DOAJ
description New craniodental specimens that are referrable to the thylacinid marsupial, Thylacinus potens, are described from the late Miocene Alcoota Local Fauna of the Northern Territory, Australia. The remains include a largely complete maxilla and dentary, showing for the first time the anterior dentition of the dentary. The new remains indicate that Th. potens was a more variable species than previously recognised. The dentary, in particular, is more gracile, than other specimens referred to this species. A revised apomorphy-based diagnosis of Th. potens that takes this variability into account is presented. A cladistic analysis supports previous analyses that placed Th. potens in a derived position within Thylacinidae, close to the modern Th. cynocephalus. New estimations of body size are made using published regressions of dental measurements of dasyuromorphians as well as by assuming geometric similitude with Th. cynocephalus. All methods produce body mass estimates in excess of 35 kg.
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spelling doaj.art-cc7c5eb98fb9404285e4f72137391c172023-12-03T10:50:54ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592014-08-012e54710.7717/peerj.547547New craniodental remains of Thylacinus potens (Dasyuromorphia: Thylacinidae), a carnivorous marsupial from the late Miocene Alcoota Local Fauna of central AustraliaAdam M. Yates0Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory, Museum of Central Australia, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, AustraliaNew craniodental specimens that are referrable to the thylacinid marsupial, Thylacinus potens, are described from the late Miocene Alcoota Local Fauna of the Northern Territory, Australia. The remains include a largely complete maxilla and dentary, showing for the first time the anterior dentition of the dentary. The new remains indicate that Th. potens was a more variable species than previously recognised. The dentary, in particular, is more gracile, than other specimens referred to this species. A revised apomorphy-based diagnosis of Th. potens that takes this variability into account is presented. A cladistic analysis supports previous analyses that placed Th. potens in a derived position within Thylacinidae, close to the modern Th. cynocephalus. New estimations of body size are made using published regressions of dental measurements of dasyuromorphians as well as by assuming geometric similitude with Th. cynocephalus. All methods produce body mass estimates in excess of 35 kg.https://peerj.com/articles/547.pdfMioceneAustraliaThylacinidae Thylacinus potens AlcootaBody size
spellingShingle Adam M. Yates
New craniodental remains of Thylacinus potens (Dasyuromorphia: Thylacinidae), a carnivorous marsupial from the late Miocene Alcoota Local Fauna of central Australia
PeerJ
Miocene
Australia
Thylacinidae
Thylacinus potens
Alcoota
Body size
title New craniodental remains of Thylacinus potens (Dasyuromorphia: Thylacinidae), a carnivorous marsupial from the late Miocene Alcoota Local Fauna of central Australia
title_full New craniodental remains of Thylacinus potens (Dasyuromorphia: Thylacinidae), a carnivorous marsupial from the late Miocene Alcoota Local Fauna of central Australia
title_fullStr New craniodental remains of Thylacinus potens (Dasyuromorphia: Thylacinidae), a carnivorous marsupial from the late Miocene Alcoota Local Fauna of central Australia
title_full_unstemmed New craniodental remains of Thylacinus potens (Dasyuromorphia: Thylacinidae), a carnivorous marsupial from the late Miocene Alcoota Local Fauna of central Australia
title_short New craniodental remains of Thylacinus potens (Dasyuromorphia: Thylacinidae), a carnivorous marsupial from the late Miocene Alcoota Local Fauna of central Australia
title_sort new craniodental remains of thylacinus potens dasyuromorphia thylacinidae a carnivorous marsupial from the late miocene alcoota local fauna of central australia
topic Miocene
Australia
Thylacinidae
Thylacinus potens
Alcoota
Body size
url https://peerj.com/articles/547.pdf
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