Nimbadon
Temporal range:
Composite N. lavarackorum skeleton from the Riversleigh site
N. lavarackorum mother and juvenile (reconstruction) by Peter Schouten
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Diprotodontia
Superfamily: †Diprotodontoidea
Genus: †Nimbadon
Hand, Archer, Godthelp, Rich & Pledge, 1993.[1]
Species

†Nimbadon lavarackorum
†Nimbadon scottorrorum
†Nimbadon whitelawi

Nimbadon is an extinct genus of marsupial, that lived from the Late Oligocene to the Miocene epoches.[1] Many fossils have been found in the Riversleigh World Heritage property in north-western Queensland. It is thought to have an arboreal lifestyle.[2]

In 1990, skulls were unearthed in a previously unknown cave in the region. Researchers estimate that the first species of Nimbadon first appeared about 25 million years ago[1] and died out about 12 million years ago, perhaps from climate change-induced habitat loss.

Nimbadon lavarackorum is described as being koala-like. It is known from as many as 24 well-articulated specimens. The species was a tree-dweller, mainly feeding on stems and leaves. The feet and claws were large, being superficially similar to those of the koala. They retracted their claws when walking.[3]

While originally classified as a member of the family Diprotodontidae, a primarily terrestrial group,[1][2] some later studies suggested a more basal position within the Diprotodontoidea.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Hand, S.J.; Archer, M.; Godthelp, H.; Rich, T.H.; Pledge, N.S. (1993). "Nimbadon, a new genus and three new species of Tertiary zygomaturines (Marsupialia: Diprotodontidae) from northern Australia, with a reassessment of Neohelos". Memoirs of the Queensland Museum. 33: 193–210.
  2. 1 2 Black, Karen H.; Camens, Aaron B.; Archer, Michael; Hand, Suzanne J. (21 November 2012). Evans, Alistair Robert (ed.). "Herds Overhead: Nimbadon lavarackorum (Diprotodontidae), Heavyweight Marsupial Herbivores in the Miocene Forests of Australia". PLOS ONE. 7 (11): e48213. Bibcode:2012PLoSO...748213B. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0048213. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 3504027. PMID 23185250.
  3. ↑ Ancient tree-wombat behaved like a koala - By Anna Salleh - Australian Broadcasting Corporation - Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  4. ↑ Beck, Robin M. D.; Louys, Julien; Brewer, Philippa; Archer, Michael; Black, Karen H.; Tedford, Richard H. (25 June 2020). "A new family of diprotodontian marsupials from the latest Oligocene of Australia and the evolution of wombats, koalas, and their relatives (Vombatiformes)". Scientific Reports. 10 (1): 9741. Bibcode:2020NatSR..10.9741B. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-66425-8. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 7316786. PMID 32587406.


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