Image: Reconstruction of the marsupial lion, Thylacoleo carnifex. Credit, Andrey Atuchin, Rochelle Lawrence & Scott Hocknull © 2020 Queensland Museum.
Thylacoleo, often referred to as the marsupial ‘lion’ is related to koalas and wombats. Learn more about Thylacoleo:
- Lived 4 million – 40,000 years ago
- Large pointed incisors adapted to piercing flesh
- Large cutting premolars adapted to cutting flesh and cracking bone
- Meat eater, both predator and scavenger
- Controversially thought to be a frugivore, feeding on fruits
- Found throughout Australia
- Three species known:
Thylacoleo crassidentatus (4 - 3.5 million years ago)
Thylacoleo hilli (3 million – 280,000 years ago)
Thylacoleo carnifex (1 million – 40,000 years ago)
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