Microleo

Name: Microleo ‭(‬small Leo‭)‬.
Phonetic: My-kro-le-oh.
Named By: Anna K.‭ ‬Gillispie,‭ ‬Michael Archer‭ & ‬Suzanne J.‭ ‬Hand‭ ‬-‭ ‬2016.
Classification: Chordata,‭ ‬Mammalia,‭ ‬Marsupialia,‭ ‬Diprotodontia,‭ ‬Thylacoleonidae.
Species: M.‭ ‬attenboroughi‭ (‬type‭)‬.
Diet: Carnivore/Insectivore.
Size: Uncertain due to lack of remains.
Known locations: Australia,‭ ‬Queensland.
Time period: Burdigalian of the Miocene.
Fossil representation: Partial palate.

       Microleo is a genus of thylacoleonid marsupial that lived in Australia during the early Miocene.‭ ‬Microleo has already become well known as‭ ‬a relative of the fearsome Thylacoleo,‭ ‬however it seems that‭ ‬Microleo was much smaller.‭ ‬Because of the lack of overall fossil remains for the holotype,‭ ‬an exact size for Microleo is near impossible to determine,‭ ‬however,‭ ‬Microleo has been considered to have been roughly possum sized.‭ ‬In terms of ecological niche,‭ ‬Microleo was probably an arboreal hunter that hunted for insects as well as birds and lizards that were in the trees.

Further reading
-‭ ‬A tiny new marsupial lion‭ (‬Marsupialia,‭ ‬Thylacoleonidae‭) ‬from the early Miocene of Australia.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Palaeontologia Electronica.‭ ‬Palaeontological Association‭ ‬19.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Anna K.‭ ‬Gillispie,‭ ‬Michael Archer‭ & ‬Suzanne J.‭ ‬Hand‭ ‬-‭ ‬2016.



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