The estimated period in which human colonization of Madagascar began has expanded recently to 5000–1000 y B.P., six times its range 1990, prompting revised thinking about early migration sources, routes, maritime capability and environmental changes. Cited evidence age includes anthropogenic palaeoecological data 2500–2000 megafaunal butchery marks 4200–1900 B.P. OSL dating 4400 the Lakaton'i Anja occupation site. Using large samples newly-excavated bone from sites was earlier dated >2000 we...

Species of the kangaroo genus Protemnodon were common members late Cenozoic communities across Australia and New Guinea until their extinction in Pleistocene. However, since was first raised 150 years ago, it has proven difficult to diagnose, as have species allocated it. This is due primarily incompleteness type material a heavy reliance on cheek tooth size slight variations premolar form. Along with rare association between cranial postcranial material, this hampered understanding...

The Australian pre-Pleistocene fossil record of Accipitridae (eagles, hawks, old-world vultures) comprises one latest Oligocene or early Miocene and middle species, each represented by partial bones. Globally, most accipitrids are based on single recent discovery an older considerably more complete accipitrid from late sediments in Australia is therefore significant. It derived the Pinpa Local Fauna Namba Formation at Lake Pinpa, South (~26–24 Ma). fossil, described as Archaehierax...

The evolutionary history of kangaroos and their relatives cannot be understood without considering the origins diverse locomotor behaviours, especially hopping. As most primitive extant macropodoid, musky rat-kangaroo, Hypsiprymnodon moschatus, can offer insight into evolution within group, including origin bipedal hopping locomotion. Adult H. moschatus individuals were filmed in wild to study behaviour. Quantitative analysis temporal footfall patterns showed that uses exclusively asymmetric...

The emerging molecular evolutionary tree for placental mammals differs greatly from morphological trees, leading to repeated suggestions that morphology is uninformative at this level. This view here refuted empirically, using an extensive and dataset totalling 17 431 characters. When analysed alone, indeed highly misleading, contradicting nearly every clade in the preferred (obtained or combined data). Widespread homoplasy overrides historical signal. However, when added data, surprisingly...

Understanding the evolution of Australia's extinct marsupial megafauna has been hindered by a relatively incomplete fossil record and convergent or highly specialized morphology, which confound phylogenetic analyses. Further, harsh Australian climate early date most megafaunal extinctions (39–52 ka) means that vast majority remains are unsuitable for ancient DNA Here, we apply cross-species capture to fossils from high latitude, altitude caves in Tasmania. Using low-stringency hybridization...

The marsupial family Diprotodontidae (Diprotodontia, Vombatiformes) is a group of extinct large-bodied (60–2500 kg) wombat-like herbivores that were common and geographically widespread in Cenozoic fossil deposits Australia New Guinea. Typically they are regarded to be gregarious, terrestrial quadrupeds have been likened body form among placental groups sheep, rhinoceros hippopotami. Arguably, one the best represented species zygomaturine diprotodontid Nimbadon lavarackorum which known from...

The late Oligocene taxa Marada arcanum and Mukupirna nambensis (Diprotodontia, Vombatiformes) are the only known representatives of families Maradidae Mukupirnidae, respectively. was described from a partial skeleton, including cranium but no dentary, reconstructed as sister taxon to Vombatidae (wombats). By contrast, Ma. is single preventing direct comparison between two. Here, we describe new species, Mu. fortidentata sp. nov., based on craniodental postcranial specimens Pwerte Marnte...

The Ektopodontidae are an enigmatic group of phalangeroid marsupials known from the late Oligocene to Early Pleistocene Australia. Although represented date only by isolated teeth and several partial dentaries maxillae, their highly distinctive dental morphology has allowed three genera nine species be distinguished. Here, we describe possibly geologically oldest ektopodontid, Chunia pledgei sp. nov., Pwerte Marnte fossil locality central Phylogenetic analyses Phalangeroidea, using 80...

The extinct Thylacine Thylacinus cynocephalus, also known as the marsupial wolf or Tasmanian Tiger, is an iconic part of Australia's natural history.The latest surviving member diverse family Thylacinidae, thylacine was widespread across mainland Australia during Pleistocene but by 3200 ybp it restricted to Tasmania.Persecuted farmers, thylacines are thought have gone in wild 1930s, and last captive animal died 1936.Despite much public interest numerous popular accounts, ecology this...

The extinct marsupial 'lion' Thylacoleo carnifex was Australia's largest mammalian carnivore. Despite being the topic of more discussion than any other Australian (excepting perhaps Thylacine), basic aspects its palaeobiology, including locomotory repertoire, remain poorly understood. Recent discoveries allowed first reconstruction an entire skeleton complete tail and hitherto-unrecognised clavicles. Here we describe these elements re-assess biomechanics postcranial via comparisons with a...

The diverse living Australian lizard fauna contrasts greatly with their limited Oligo-Miocene fossil record. New vertebrates from the Namba Formation (south of Lake Frome, South Australia) were uncovered multiple expeditions 2007 to 2018. Abundant disarticulated material small was concentrated in shallow lenses along palaeolake edges, now exposed on western Pinpa also known Billeroo Creek 2 km northeast. fossiliferous lens within hosting abundant aquatic (such as fish, platypus Obdurodon and...

Diprotodontids were the largest marsupials to exist and an integral part of Australian terrestrial ecosystems until last members group became extinct approximately 40 000 years ago. Despite frequency with which diprotodontid remains are encountered, key aspects their morphology, systematics, ecology evolutionary history remain poorly understood. Here we describe new skeletal Pliocene taxon Zygomaturus keanei from northern South Australia. This is only third partial skeleton a late Cenozoic...

Abstract Diprotodontians are the morphologically and ecologically most diverse order of marsupials. However, an approximately 30-million-year gap in Australian terrestrial vertebrate fossil record means that first half diprotodontian evolution is unknown. Fossil taxa from immediately either side this therefore critical for reconstructing early order. Here we report likely oldest-known koala relatives (Phascolarctidae), late Oligocene Pwerte Marnte Local Fauna (central Australia). These...

ABSTRACT The first Pliocene marsupial fossil trackways from Australia are described. trackways, attributed to Euowenia grata (De Vis) (Diprotodontoidea, Marsupialia), occur in the middle Tirari Formation, Warburton River, northern South Australia. were formed as animals made their way across a soft claypan. Pad impressions, subsequently infilled by gypsum-cemented clay, indicate how weight was distributed within pes.

The remarkable fauna of Australia evolved in isolation from other landmasses for millions years, yet understanding the evolutionary history endemic avian lineages on continent is confounded by ability birds to disperse over geographical barriers even after vicariance events. Plains‐wanderer Pedionomus torquatus (Charadriiformes) an enigmatic, predominantly sedentary, quail‐like bird that occurs exclusively sparse native grasslands southeastern Australia. It only known species its family...

The tetrapod trace fossil record of Australia has, until recently, been poorly studied relative to records on other continents. In the last few decades, a series studies have revealed that these traces are more common than was previously thought. They provided evidence taxa for which no skeletal fossils known and found in areas country where occur. We describe footprints from Main Body Tirari Formation Lake Eyre Basin representing first avian published Australian Pliocene. Skeletal this...

Abstract Vertebrate fossils showing pathological lesions are incredibly rare, and even more so is the identification of an ailment affecting multiple individuals in a population. However, unique Lake Callabonna fossil deposit South Australia has produced several such from single species giant bird. Examination Genyornis newtoni , extinct Pleistocene dromornithid, representing at least 34 individuals, resulted six osseous pathologies. These typical bone infection osteomyelitis, affect...

Abstract The giant accipitrid Dynatoaetus gaffae gen. et sp. nov. is described from existing and newly collected material. Initial fossil remains were Mairs Cave (Flinders Ranges, South Australia) in 1956 1969, comprised a sternum, distal humerus two ungual phalanges. A further 28 bones this individual—including the neurocranium, vertebrae, furculum, additional wing leg bones, most of which incomplete—were discovered at site 2021. This allowed identification fossils same species collections...