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| {{Taxobox | |||
| | fossil_range = Early - Late ] | |||
| | image = Thylacoleo BW.jpg | |||
| | image_caption = | |||
| | name = Marsupial Lion | |||
| | regnum = ]ia | |||
| | phylum = ] | |||
| | classis = ]ia | |||
| | infraclassis = ] | |||
| | ordo = ] | |||
| | familia = ] | |||
| | genus = '']'' | |||
| | species = '''''T. carnifex''''' | |||
| | binomial = ''Thylacoleo carnifex'' | |||
| | binomial_authority = ], 1859 | |||
| }} | |||
| The '''Marsupial Lion''' (''Thylacoleo carnifex'', the "murderous (or 'meat-cutting') marsupial lion" from ''thylakos'' - pouch, ''leo'' - lion, ''carnifex'' - murderer, tormentor, 'butcher') is an ] species of ] ] mammal that lived in ] from the early to the late ] (1,600,000–46,000 years ago).<ref></ref> Despite its name it is not closely related to ]s but is instead, like most ] (living) marsupials, a member of the ] ]. | |||
| ==Description== | |||
| ], ].]] | |||
| The Marsupial Lion is the largest meat-eating ] known to have ever existed in Australia, and one of the largest marsupial carnivores from anywhere in the world (although see ] and ]). Individuals ranged up to around 75 ] (29.5 in) high at the shoulder and about 150 cm (60 in) from head to tail. Measurements taken from a number of specimens show that they averaged 100 to 130 ] (220 to 285 lb) in weight although individuals heavier than 160 kg (350 lb) may not have been uncommon.<ref>{{cite journal|author = Wroe, S., Myers, T. J., Wells, R. T., and Gillespie, A. | year = 1999 | title = Estimating the weight of the Pleistocene marsupial lion, ''Thylacoleo carnifex'' (Thylacoleonidae : Marsupialia): implications for the ecomorphology of a marsupial super-predator and hypotheses of impoverishment of Australian marsupial carnivore faunas | journal = Australian Journal of Zoology | volume = 47 | pages = 489–498|doi = 10.1071/ZO99006}}</ref> This would make them quite comparable to female Lions and ]s in general size. | |||
| The animal was extremely robust with powerfully built jaws and very strong forelimbs. It possessed retractable claws, a unique trait among marsupials. This would have allowed the claws to remain sharp by protecting them from being worn down on hard surfaces. The claws were well-suited to securing prey and for climbing trees. The first digits ("]") on each hand were semi-opposable and bore an enlarged claw. ]s believe that this would have been used to grapple with and slash at its intended ] as well as providing it with a sure footing on tree trunks and branches. The hind feet had four functional toes, the first digit being much reduced in size but possessing a roughened pad similar to that of ]s, which may have assisted with climbing. It is unclear whether Marsupial Lions exhibited ] (fused second and third toes) like other diprotodonts. | |||
| The Marsupial Lion's hindquarters were also well-developed although to a lesser extent than the front of the animal. Remains of the animal show that it had a relatively thick and strong tail and that the ]e possessed ]s on their undersides where the tail would have contacted the ground. These would have served to protect critical elements such as nerves and blood vessels if the animal used its tail to support itself when on its hind legs, much like present day ] do. Taking this stance would free up its forelimbs to tackle or slash at its intended victim.<ref></ref> | |||
| ===Dentition=== | |||
| The Marsupial Lion was a highly specialised carnivore and this is reflected in its dentition (]). Like other diprotodonts, it possessed enlarged ]s on both the upper (]e) and lower (]s) jaws. However, these teeth (the lower in particular) were shaped much more like the pointed ] teeth of animals such as ]s and ]s than those of Kangaroos. It is not known whether the incisors would have been used to simply stab at and pierce the flesh of its prey or whether they had more specialied functions such as separating neck vertebrae, severing the ], or lacerating major ]s such as the ] or ]s. | |||
| However, the most unusual feature of the creature's dentition were the huge blade-like ] ]s on either side of its jaws. The top and bottom carnassials worked together like ] and would have been very effective at slicing off chunks of flesh from ]es and cutting through bone. | |||
| The jaw ]s of Marsupial Lions were exceptionally large for its size, giving it an extremely powerful bite. ] calculations show that, pound for pound, it had the strongest bite of any known mammal, living or extinct — a 100 kg (220 lb) individual would have had a bite comparable with that of a 250 kg (550 lb) African Lion. <ref>Wroe, S., McHenry, C., Thomason, J. (2005) Bite club: comparative bite force in big biting mammals and the prediction of predatory behaviour in fossil taxa, Proceedings of the Royal Society 272, p. 619-625</ref> | |||
| ==Behaviour== | |||
| The Marsupial Lion's limb proportions and muscle mass distribution indicate that although it was a powerful animal it was not a particularly fast runner. Palaeontologists conjecture that it was an ], either sneaking up and then leaping upon its prey, or dropping down on it from overhanging tree branches not unlike the mythical ]. It is thought to have hunted large animals such as the ]-sized '']'' and giant ] ]s like '']'' and '']''. Despite its size it may not have been a true ] as it shared at least part of its range with the 6 ] (20 feet) long ] ]. The Marsupial Lion may have cached kills in trees in a manner similar to the modern ].<ref></ref> Like many predators, it was probably also an opportunistic ], feeding off ] and driving off less powerful predators from their kills. | |||
| ] scans of a well-preserved ] have allowed scientists to study internal structures and create a brain ] showing the surface features of the animal's brain. The ]s, ], and ]s of the ] were enlarged indicating that the Marsupial Lion had a good sense of hearing, sight, and smell, as might be expected of an active predator. There were also a pair of blind canals within the ] which were probably associated with detecting ]s as in the ]. This indicates that it most likely had ] ] habits and would "sniff out" a mate when in season.<ref></ref> | |||
| ==Palaeoecology== | |||
| Numerous fossil discoveries indicate that the Marsupial Lion was distributed across much of the ]n ]. A large proportion of its environment would have been similar to the southern third of Australia today - ] open ] and ] punctuated by ]s and water courses. | |||
| It would have co-existed with many of the so-called ] such as the previously-mentioned Diprotodon, giant kangaroos, and Megalania, as well as giant ] like '']'', the giant ] '']'', and the ] '']''.<ref></ref> | |||
| Many of these animals would have been prey for adult Marsupial Lions. The Marsupial Lion was especially ] for hunting large animals but was not particularly suited to catching smaller prey. The relatively quick reduction in the numbers of its primary food source around 40 to 50 thousand years ago probably led to the decline and eventual extinction of the Marsupial Lion. There now appears to be little doubt that these events were precipitated by the arrival of ]s in Australia and the use of ].<ref>]</ref> | |||
| ==Classification== | |||
| The Marsupial Lion is classified in the order Diprotodontia along with many other well-known marsupials such as kangaroos, ]s, and the ]. It is further classified in its own ], the ], of which 3 ] and 11 ] are recognised, all extinct. The term ''marsupial lion'' (lower case) is often applied to other members of this family. The Marsupial Lion's closest living relatives are the ] Koala and ]s. | |||
| ==Fossils== | |||
| ].]] | |||
| ]s of the Marsupial Lion have been found at a number of sites in Australia since the mid-]. However, it was only recently that a complete articulated skeleton was discovered in ] caves under the ] in 2002. The ends of the limb bones were not fully fused indicating that the animal was a sub-adult and not fully-grown. | |||
| Unlike most fossils, these bones were not mineralised and had been preserved in this state for approximately 500,000 years by the low ] and cool temperature of the cave. The partial remains of ten other individuals were found in this or nearby caves, along with hundreds of other specimens of other animals.<ref></ref> | |||
| It is believed the animals fell to their death tens of metres below, through narrow openings in the roof of the caves known as ]s. The caves and sinkholes were formed by groundwater slowly dissolving and eroding the limestone forming the bed of the plain (once a shallow sea).<ref></ref> | |||
| ==References== | |||
| <references/> | |||
| * Prideaux, G.J. 2007. Megafauna, caves and climate: records from Southern Australia, Selwyn Symposium 2007 GSA Victoria Division, Geological Socitey of Autstralia, Abstracts 79, p. 11-18. | |||
| * Prideaux, G.J. 2007. Mid-Pleistocene vertebrate records - Australia. In S.A. Elias (ed.), Encyclopedia of Quaternary Science, pp.1518-1537. Elsevier Science. | |||
| * Rich, P.V., van Tets, G.F., Knight, F. (1990) Kadimakara: Extinct Vertebrates of Australia, 2nd Edition, Princeton University Press, Princeton | |||
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