Biology:Dorcopsoides

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Short description: Extinct genus of marsupials

Dorcopsoides
Temporal range: Late Miocene - Pliocene
Scientific classification edit
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Diprotodontia
Family: Macropodidae
Genus: Dorcopsoides
Woodburne, 1967
Species:
D. fossilis
Binomial name
Dorcopsoides fossilis
Woodburne, 1967

Dorcopsoides is a genus of extinct species of kangaroo from the Pliocene of Australia .[1]

Description

Dorcopsoides was described in 1967 from the well-preserved lower jaw, skull fragments and occipital found in the Upper Miocene Alcoota Fossil Beds north-east of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. It was part of the Alcoota local fauna, which also included zygomaturine diprotodonts, a type of mihirung (Ilbandornis), a crocodile (Baru) and the giant thylacine, Thylacinus potens.[2]

It was about the size of a gray and black four-eyed opossum. The generic name (Dorcopsoides) indicates a resemblance to forest wallabies (Dorcopsis) now living in New Guinea and neighboring islands.[3]

References

Wikidata ☰ Q21078788 entry