Protemnodon

Pro-tem-noe-don.
By Nisha Yadav
Published on

Nisha Yadav

Physicist

Nisha Yadav is a dedicated physicist whose work bridges the gap between physics and paleontology. With a deep interest in the processes that preserve ancient life, she explores how physical principles govern fossilization and the preservation of extinct species.

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Yadav, N. (2016, February 15). Protemnodon. Prehistoric-wildlife. https://www.prehistoric-wildlife.com/species/protemnodon/

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Name

Protemnodon.

Phonetic

Pro-tem-noe-don.

Named By

Richard Owen‭ ‬1873.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Mammalia,‭ ‬Marsupialia,‭ ‬Diprotodontia,‭ ‬Macropodidae,‭ ‬Macropodinae.

Diet

Herbivore.

Species

P.‭ ‬anak,‭ ‬P.‭ ‬antaeus,‭ ‬P.‭ ‬buloloensis,‭ ‬P.‭ ‬goliah,‭ ‬P.‭ ‬hopei,‭ ‬P.‭ ‬nombe,‭ ‬P.‭ ‬otibandus,‭ ‬P.‭ ‬parvus,‭ ‬P.‭ ‬snewiki,‭ ‬P.‭ ‬tumbuna

Size

Smallest species‭ (‬P.‭ ‬hopei‭) ‬were‭ ‬45‭ ‬kg in weight,‭ ‬larger species approaching‭ ‬110‭ ‬kg in weight.

Known locations

Australia,‭ ‬New South Wales,‭ ‬Queensland,‭ ‬South Australia,‭ ‬Victoria‭ ‬-‭ ‬Jemmys Point Formation,‭ ‬Nelson Bay Formation,‭ ‬Whaler's Bluff Formation.‭ ‬Additionally Papua New Guinea‭ ‬-‭ ‬Otibanda Formation,‭ ‬and Tasmania.

Time Period

Zanclean of the Pliocene through to the Tarantian of the Pleistocene.

Fossil representation

Multiple individuals.

In Depth

       Protemnodon was in essence very much like a wallaby,‭ ‬though much larger in physical size.‭ ‬Protemnodon fossils are also known from Papua New Guinea making this genus one of the most geographically wide ranging genera of wallaby.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬Ecological and evolutionary significance of sizes of giant extinct kangaroos‭ ‬-‭ ‬Australian Journal of Zoology‭ ‬54‭ (‬4‭)‬:‭ ‬293‭–‬303‭ ‬-‭ ‬K.‭ ‬M.‭ ‬Helgen,‭ ‬R.‭ ‬T.‭ ‬Wells,‭ ‬B.‭ ‬P.‭ ‬Kear,‭ ‬W.‭ ‬R.‭ ‬Gerdtz‭ & ‬T.‭ ‬F.‭ ‬Flannery‭ ‬-‭ ‬2006.- Late Pleistocene Australian marsupial DNA clarifies the affinities of extinct megafaunal kangaroos and wallabies. – Molecular Biology and Evolution. 32: 574–584. – Bastien Llamas, Paul Brotherton, Kieren J. Mitchell, Jennifer E.L. Templeton, Vicki A. Thomson, Jessica L. Metcalf, Kyle N. Armstrong, Marta Kasper, Stephen M. Richards, Aaron B. Camens, Michael S.Y. Lee & Alan Cooper – 2014.

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