Marsupial Lion skeleton in Naracoorte Caves, South Australia.

Australian megafauna is a term used to describe a number of comparatively large animal species in Australia, often defined as species with body mass estimates of greater than 30 kilograms, or equal to or greater than 30% greater body mass than their closest living relatives. These species became extinct during the Pleistocene (16,100±100 - 50,000 years before present)^[1] , but exact dates for their extinction have been lacking until recently. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (3488 × 2616 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (3488 × 2616 pixel, file size: 2. ... Binomial name Thylacoleo carnifex (Owen, 1858) The Marsupial Lion (Thylacoleo carnifex) is an extinct species of carnivorous marsupial, (the largest Austrailan mammalian predator at that time) that lived in Australia from about 24 million years ago, during the late Oligocene, and became extinct about 50,000 years ago, during the... Naracoorte Caves is a national park in South Australia (Australia). ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Species (disambiguation). ... The Pleistocene epoch (IPA: ) on the geologic timescale is the period from 1,808,000 to 11,550 years BP. The Pleistocene epoch had been intended to cover the worlds recent period of repeated glaciations. ...

The cause of the extinction is an active and contentious field of research. It is hypothesised that with the arrival of humans (around 48,000-60,000 years ago), hunting and the use of fire to manage their environment may have contributed to the extinction of the megafauna.^[2] Increased aridity during peak glaciation (about 18,000 years ago) may have also contributed to the extinction of the megafauna. Some proponents claim climate change alone caused extinction of the megafauna, but these arguments have to account for the fact that megaufaunal species comfortably survived two million years of climatic oscillations, including a number of arid glacial periods, before their sudden extinction. Fire-stick farming is a term coined by Australian archeologist Rhys Jones in 1969 to describe the practice of Indigenous Australians where fire was used regularly to burn vegetation to facilitate hunting and to change the composition of plant and animal species in an area. ... It has been suggested that Charismatic megafauna be merged into this article or section. ... a term used to define dryness of an environment, [ie, an organic structure (eg plant or animal) will have more of its moisture removed more quickly when in an environment of high aridity. ... In general terms, the climate of a locale or region is said to be arid when it is characterized by a severe lack of available water, to the extent of hindering or even preventing the growth and development of plant and animal life. ...

New evidence based on accurate optically stimulated luminescence and Uranium-thorium dating of megafaunal remains suggests that humans were the ultimate cause of the extinction of megafauna in Australia.^[3] The dates derived show that all forms of megafauna became extinct in the same rapid timeframe — approximately 47,000 years ago — the period of time in which humans first arrived in Australia. The dates derived suggest the main mechanism for extinction was human burning of a then much less fire-adapted landscape; analysis of oxygen and carbon isotopes from teeth of megafauna indicate sudden, drastic, non-climate-related changes in vegetation and the diet of surviving marsupial species, as well as the loss of megafaunal species. Further analysis of oxygen and carbon isotopes from teeth of megafauna indicate the arid regional climates at the time of extinction were similar to arid regional climates of today, and that the megafauna were well adapted to arid climates. Optical dating is a method of determining how long ago minerals were last exposed to daylight. ... Uranium-thorium dating, also often referred to as thorium-230 dating, uranium-series disequilibrium dating or uranium-series dating, is a radiometric dating technique commonly used to determine the age of carbonate materials such as speleothem or coral. ...

Living Australian megafauna

Mammals

Red Kangaroo.

• Red Kangaroo (Macropus rufus) This species is a very large kangaroo with short, red-brown fur, fading to pale buff below and on the limbs. It has long, pointed earlobes and a squared-off muzzle. Females are smaller than males and are blue-grey with a brown tinge, pale grey below, although arid zone females are coloured more like males. It has two appendages with small claws (much like arms), two muscular legs, which are used for jumping, and a tail, which is often used like a third leg for balance.

Red Kangaroos' legs work much like a rubber band. The male Red Kangaroo can leap in full force approximately 30 feet (9.14 meters) in one leap. Males grows up to 1.8m (6ft) tall and weigh up to 85 kg (187lbs). Females grow up to 1.1m (3.6ft) tall and weigh up to 35kg (77lbs). Tails can be up to 1m (3ft) along.

• Eastern Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) is a marsupial found in southern and eastern Australia, with a population of several million. Although a big Eastern Grey male typically weighs around 66 kg (145 lb.) and stands almost 2 m (6 ft.) tall, the scientific name, Macropus giganteus (gigantic large-foot), is misleading, as the Red Kangaroo of the semi-arid inland is larger.

• Antilopine Kangaroo (Macropus antilopinus), sometimes called the Antilopine Wallaroo or the Antilopine Wallaby, is a species of macropod found in northern Australia: in Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, the Top End of the Northern Territory, and the Kimberley region of Western Australia. It is a locally common, gregarious grazer.^[4]

Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1600x1067, 622 KB) Red Kangaroo, Melbourne Zoo If you are a (commercial) publisher and you want me to write you an email or paper mail giving you an authorization to use my works in your products or a license with the... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1600x1067, 622 KB) Red Kangaroo, Melbourne Zoo If you are a (commercial) publisher and you want me to write you an email or paper mail giving you an authorization to use my works in your products or a license with the... Binomial name Desmarest, 1822 The Red Kangaroo (Macropus rufus) is the largest of all kangaroos, the largest mammal native to Australia, and the largest surviving marsupial. ... Binomial name Shaw, 1790 The Eastern Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) is a marsupial found in southern and eastern Australia, with a population of several million. ... This article is about mammals. ... Kg redirects here. ... Look up pound in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article is about the unit of length. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... Binomial name Desmarest, 1822 The Red Kangaroo (Macropus rufus) is the largest of all kangaroos, the largest mammal native to Australia, and the largest surviving marsupial. ... Binomial name Macropus antilopinus (Gould, 1842) The Antilopine Kangaroo (Macropus antilopinus), sometimes called the Antilopine Wallaroo or the Antilopine Wallaby, is a species of macropod found in northern Australia: in Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, the Top End of the Northern Territory, and the Kimberley region of Western Australia. ... Genera Lagostrophus Dendrolagus Dorcopsis Dorcopsulus Lagorchestes Macropus Onychogalea Petrogale Setonix Thylogale Wallabia Tree kangaroos have smaller ears for easier maneuvering between tree branches, and much longer tail. ... This article is about the peninsula located in the Australian state of Queensland; it should not be confused with either Yorke Peninsula in South Australia, or Cape York, Greenland. ... For other uses, see Queensland (disambiguation). ... The Top End is, Cape York Peninsula aside, the northernmost part of Australia. ... For similar terms, see Northern Territories (disambiguation) Slogan or Nickname: The Territory, The NT, The Top End Motto(s): none Other Australian states and territories Capital Darwin Government Constitutional monarchy Administrator Ted Egan Chief Minister Clare Martin (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 2  - Senate seats 2 Gross Territorial Product (2004... The Kimberley is one of the nine regions of Western Australia, consisting of the local government areas of Broome, Derby-West Kimberley, Halls Creek and Wyndham-East Kimberley. ... Slogan or Nickname: Wildflower State or the Golden State Other Australian states and territories Capital Perth Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Ken Michael Premier Alan Carpenter (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 15  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2005-06)  - Product ($m)  $107,910 (4th)  - Product per capita  $53,134/person...

Birds

Cassowary

• Emu The emu was first described under the name of the New Holland Cassowary in Arthur Phillip's Voyage to Botany Bay, published in 1789.[4] The species was named by ornithologist John Latham, who collaborated on Phillip's book and provided the first descriptions of and names for many Australian bird species; its name is Latin for "fast-footed New Hollander". The etymology of the common name Emu is uncertain, but is thought to have come from an Arabic word for large bird that was later used by Portuguese explorers to describe the related Cassowary in New Guinea.[5] In Victoria, some terms for the emu were Barrimal in the Djadja wurrung language, myoure in Gunai, and courn in Jardwadjali.[6]

In his original 1816 description of the emu, Vieillot used two generic names; first Dromiceius, then Dromaius a few pages later. It has been a point of contention ever since which is correct; the latter is more correctly formed, but the convention in taxonomy is that the first name given stands, unless it is clearly a typographical error.[7] Most modern publications, including those of the Australian government,[8] use Dromaius, with Dromiceius mentioned as an alternative spelling. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 550 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1654 × 1804 pixel, file size: 3. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 550 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1654 × 1804 pixel, file size: 3. ... For other uses, see EMU. Binomial name (Latham, 1790) The Emu has been recorded in the areas shown in orange. ...

• Cassowary The Northern and Dwarf Cassowaries are not well known. All cassowaries are usually shy, secretive birds of the deep forest, adept at disappearing long before a human knows they are there. Even the more accessible Southern Cassowary of the far north Queensland rain forests is not well understood.

The Southern Cassowary is the largest bird in Australia and the second largest remaining bird in the world (after the ostrich).^{[citation needed]} Species Casuarius casuarius Casuarius unappendiculatus Casuarius bennetti Cassowaries (genus Casuarius) are very large flightless birds native to the tropical forests of New Guinea and northeastern Australia. ... For other uses, see Queensland (disambiguation). ... A rainforest is a forested biome with high annual rainfall. ...

Adult Southern Cassowaries are 1.5 to 1.8 m (5 to 6 feet) tall, although some may reach 2 m (6 feet 8 inches), and weigh about 60 kilograms (130 pounds).^{[citation needed]} Females are bigger and more brightly coloured.^{[citation needed]} This article is about the unit of length. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... Kg redirects here. ... Look up pound in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Reptiles

• Goanna

Perentie

Being predatory lizards, goannas are often quite large, or at least bulky, with sharp teeth and claws. The largest is the Perentie (Varanus giganteus), which can grow over 2m in length. They prey on all manner of small animals; insects, lizards, snakes, mammals, birds, eggs. Meals are often eaten whole, and thus the size of their meals depends on the size of the animal itself. However, the Perentie has been observed killing a young kangaroo, and then biting out chunks of flesh like a dog. Goannas have even been blamed for the death of sheep by farmers, though most likely erroneously, as goannas are also eaters of carrion and are attracted to rotting meat. For other uses, see Goanna (disambiguation). ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (2418x1882, 1707 KB) Perentie Lizard at Perth Zoo in September 2005. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (2418x1882, 1707 KB) Perentie Lizard at Perth Zoo in September 2005. ... This snapping turtle is trying to make a meal of a Canada goose, but the goose is too wary. ... Teeth redirects here. ... Cat claw A claw is a curved pointed appendage, found at the end of a toe or finger or, in arthropods, of the tarsus. ... Binomial name Varanus giganteus (Gray, 1845) The Perentie is the largest monitor lizard or goanna native to Australia. ... This article is about the unit of length. ... Orders Subclass Apterygota Archaeognatha (bristletails) Thysanura (silverfish) Subclass Pterygota Infraclass Paleoptera (Probably paraphyletic) Ephemeroptera (mayflies) Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) Infraclass Neoptera Superorder Exopterygota Grylloblattodea (ice-crawlers) Mantophasmatodea (gladiators) Plecoptera (stoneflies) Embioptera (webspinners) Zoraptera (angel insects) Dermaptera (earwigs) Orthoptera (grasshoppers, etc) Phasmatodea (stick insects) Blattodea (cockroaches) Isoptera (termites) Mantodea (mantids) Psocoptera... For other uses, see Snake (disambiguation). ... Subclasses & Infraclasses Subclass †Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass †Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria For the folk-rock band see The Mammals. ... For other uses, see Bird (disambiguation). ... Chicken egg (left) and quail eggs (right), the types of egg commonly used as food An egg is a body consisting of an ovum surrounded by layers of membranes and an outer casing of some type, which acts to nourish and protect a developing embryo. ... Species Macropus rufus Macropus giganteus Macropus fuliginosus Macropus antilopinus A kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning large foot). In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the Red Kangaroo, the Antilopine Kangaroo, and the Eastern and Western Grey Kangaroo... Trinomial name Canis lupus familiaris The dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domestic subspecies of the wolf, a mammal of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. ... Species See text. ... An American Black Vulture feeding on squirrel carrion For other uses, see Carrion (disambiguation). ...

Not all goannas are gargantuan. Pygmy goannas may be smaller than a man's arm. The smallest of these, the short-tailed monitor (Varanus brevicuda) reaches only 20 cm in length. They survive on smaller prey such as insects and mice. // Introduction The short tailed moniter, or as it is also known, the pigmy goanna, is originally from South-East Asia but have migrated in recent years to the northern parts of Australia as well as Indonesia. ... A centimetre (American spelling centimeter, symbol cm) is a unit of length that is equal to one hundredth of a metre, the current SI base unit of length. ...

• Carpet Python

There are many further species in the carpet python complex, including the ochre-red Bredl's or Centralian python (Morelia bredli). This python, which is native to a small area around the MacDonnell Ranges and the town of Alice Springs in Australia's Northern Territory, is a unique member of the complex, having many more smaller scales, so that the body more closely resembles a skin. In captivity, striped, spotted and hypomelanistic specimens have been observed. Bredl's python is a medium sized carpet python, averaging around 5 feet, however it is noted for its thicker girth. Adults can breed at a later age than most carpet pythons. Binomial name Morelia spilota (La Cépède, 1804) Subspecies Morelia spilota cheynei Morelia spilota imbricata Morelia spilota mcdowelli Morelia spilota metcalfei Morelia spilota spilota Morelia spilota variegata The carpet python (Morelia spilota), is a species of medium to large semi-arboreal pythons. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The MacDonnell Ranges of the Northern Territory, are a 644 km (400 mile) long mountain range located in the center of Australia (23°42′S 132°30′E), and consist of parallel ridges running to the east and west of Alice Springs. ... Alice Springs on a large scale map Alice Springs is a large town in the Northern Territory of Australia located at 23°42′ S 133°52′ E. Its population of 28,178 (2001 Census) makes it the second-largest settlement in the Territory (the only other towns of significant size... For similar terms, see Northern Territories (disambiguation) Slogan or Nickname: The Territory, The NT, The Top End Motto(s): none Other Australian states and territories Capital Darwin Government Constitutional monarchy Administrator Ted Egan Chief Minister Clare Martin (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 2  - Senate seats 2 Gross Territorial Product (2004...

• Saltwater Crocodile

A healthy adult male saltwater crocodile is typically 4.8 to 7 metres (15.75 to 21.6 ft) long, and weighs up to 770 kg (1697 lb), with many exceptions being much larger than this. Many large sizes have been reported[1][2], [1] Females are much smaller than males, with typical female body lengths in the range of 2.5–3 meters. A 28 foot (8.5 meters) individual was reportedly shot on the Norman River of Queensland in 1957 and a cast was made of this animal (which can be viewed and is quite the popular tourist attraction), but due to the time since the occurrence and lack of rock hard evidence (other than the plaster) it is not considered "official". The saltwater crocodile has fewer armor plates on its neck than other crocodilians, and its broad body contrasts with most other lean crocodiles, leading to early unverified assumptions the reptile was an alligator.[2]Crocodylus porosus (Schneider, 1801), by Adam Britton from the Crocodilian Species List. Binomial name (Schneider, 1801) Range of the Saltwater Crocodile in black The Saltwater or Estuarine Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is the largest of all living crocodilians and reptiles. ...

Extinct Australian megafauna: pre-1788

The following is an incomplete list of Australian megafauna, in the format:

• Latin name, (common name, period alive), and a brief description.

Mammals

The diprotodon was a hippopotamus-sized marsupial, most closely related to the wombat.

• Procoptodon goliah (the Giant Short-faced Kangaroo) is the largest kangaroo to have ever lived. It grew 2-3 metres (7-10 feet) tall, and weighed up to 230 kilograms. It had a flat shortened face with jaw and teeth adapted for chewing tough semi-arid vegetation, and forward-looking eyes providing stereoscopic vision. Procoptodon was one of seventeen species in three genera in the Sthenurine subfamily, of whom all are extinct. Sthenurines inhabited open woodlands in central Northern Australia as the tropical rainforests were beginning to retreat. All sthenurines had an extremely developed, almost hoof-like, fourth toe on the hindlimbs, with other toes vestigial. Additionally, elastic ligaments between the toe bones gave this group improved spring and speed compared to modern kangaroos. Sthenurine forelimbs were long with two extra-long fingers and claws compared with the relatively small, stiff arms of modern macropods. These may have been used for pulling branches nearer for eating and for quadrupedal movement for short distances.
• Simosthenurus occidentalis (another Sthenurine) was about as tall as a modern Eastern Grey Kangaroo, but much more robust. It is one of the nine species of leaf-eating kangaroos identified in fossils found in the Naracoorte Caves National Park.
  

  

  Zygomaturus trilobus
• Diprotodon optatum was the largest species of Diprotodontid. Approximately three metres long, two metres high at the shoulder and weighing up to two tonnes, it resembled a giant wombat. It is the largest marsupial currently known.
• Zygomaturus trilobus was a smaller (bullock-sized, about two metres long by one metre high) Diprotodontid that may have had a short trunk. It appears to have lived in wetlands, using two fork-like incisors to shovel up reeds and sedges for food.
• Palorchestes azael (the Marsupial Tapir) was a Diprotodontid of a similar size to Zygomaturus, with long claws and a longish trunk. It lived in the Miocene.
• Phascolarctos stirtoni was a koala similar to the modern form, but one third larger.
• Thylacoleo carnifex, (the Marsupial Lion), was the size of a leopard, and had a cat-like skull with large slicing pre-molars. It had a retractable thumb-claw and massive forelimbs. It was almost certainly carnivorous and a tree-dweller.
• Sarcophilus harrisii laniarius was a large form of the Tasmanian Devil.
• Zaglossus hacketti was a sheep-sized echidna uncovered in Mammoth Cave in Western Australia, and is the largest monotreme so far uncovered.
• Megalibgwilia ramsayi was a large, long-beaked echidna with powerful forelimbs for digging. Its diet would probably have included worms and grubs rather than ants.
• Propleopus oscillans (the Carnivorous Kangaroo), from the Miocene and Pliocene epochs, was a large (~70 kilogram) rat-kangaroo with large shearing and stout grinding teeth that indicate it may have been an opportunistic carnivore able to eat insects, vertebrates (possibly carrion), fruits, and soft leaves. Grew to about 1.5 - 3 metres in height.
• Protemnodon a form of giant wallaby with 4 species.^[5]
• Congruus congruus a wallaby from Naracoorte.
• Warrendja wakefieldi a wombat from Naracoorte.

Photo of a cast of a composite diprotodon skeleton excavated from Lake Callabonna, and on display at the Queensland Museum, photo taken by Erich Schulz This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Photo of a cast of a composite diprotodon skeleton excavated from Lake Callabonna, and on display at the Queensland Museum, photo taken by Erich Schulz This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Species Diprotodon opatum Diprotodon minor Diprotodon loderi Diprotodon annextans Cast of a Diprotodon skeleton at Queensland Museum. ... For other uses, see Wombat (disambiguation). ... Species Procoptodon was a genus of giant short-faced kangaroo living in Australia during the Pleistocene epoch. ... Species Macropus rufus Macropus giganteus Macropus fuliginosus Macropus antilopinus A kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning large foot). In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the Red Kangaroo, the Antilopine Kangaroo, and the Eastern and Western Grey Kangaroo... Binomial name Lagostrophus fasciatus (Péron & Lesueur, 1807) The Banded Hare-wallaby (Lagostrophus fasciatus) is a marsupial that is currently found on the Islands of Bernier and Dorre off western Australia. ... A ligament is a short band of tough fibrous connective tissue composed mainly of long, stringy collagen molecules. ... Genera Lagostrophus Dendrolagus Dorcopsis Dorcopsulus Lagorchestes Macropus Onychogalea Petrogale Setonix Thylogale Wallabia Tree kangaroos have smaller ears for easier maneuvering between tree branches, and much longer tail. ... The Zebra is an example of a quadruped. ... Species Simosthenurus maddocki Simosthenurus occidentalis Simosthenurus is a genus of megafaunal macropods that existed in Australia in the Pleistocene. ... Binomial name Shaw, 1790 The Eastern Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) is a marsupial found in southern and eastern Australia, with a population of several million. ... In Zoology, a folivore is an animal that specializes in eating leaves. ... Naracoorte Caves is a national park in South Australia (Australia). ... Species Diprotodon opatum Diprotodon minor Diprotodon loderi Diprotodon annextans Cast of a Diprotodon skeleton at Queensland Museum. ... For other uses, see Wombat (disambiguation). ... This article is about mammals. ... Incisors are the first kind of tooth in heterodont mammals. ... Binomial name Palorchestes azael Palorchestes azael is an extinct species of marsupial. ... The Miocene Epoch is a period of time that extends from about 23. ... This page meets Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... For other uses, see Koala (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Thylacoleo carnifex (Owen, 1858) The Marsupial Lion (Thylacoleo carnifex) is an extinct species of carnivorous marsupial, (the largest Austrailan mammalian predator at that time) that lived in Australia from about 24 million years ago, during the late Oligocene, and became extinct about 50,000 years ago, during the... This article is about the big cat. ... Type species Sarcophilus laniarius Owen, 1838 Species S. harrisii † † Sarcophilus is a genus of carnivorous marsupial best known for its only living member the Tasmanian Devil. ... For other uses, see Tasmanian Devil (disambiguation). ... Species Zaglossus attenboroughi Zaglossus bartoni Zaglossus bruijnii Zaglossus hacketti (extinct) Zaglossus robustus (extinct) Zaglossus is the genus of the echidna, a spiny monotreme that lives in New Guinea. ... For other senses of this word, see echidna (disambiguation). ... Mammoth Caves Mammoth Cave National Park is a U.S. National Park in south-central Kentucky, encompassing portions of Mammoth Cave, the most extensive cave system known in the world. ... Slogan or Nickname: Wildflower State or the Golden State Other Australian states and territories Capital Perth Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Ken Michael Premier Alan Carpenter (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 15  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2005-06)  - Product ($m)  $107,910 (4th)  - Product per capita  $53,134/person... Families †Kollikodontidae Ornithorhynchidae Tachyglossidae †Steropodontidae Monotremes (from the Greek monos single + trema hole, referring to the cloaca) are mammals that lay eggs (Prototheria) instead of giving birth to live young like marsupials (Metatheria) and placental mammals (Eutheria). ... Species † (Owen, 1884) † (Dun, 1896) Megalibgwilia is a genus of echidna only known from fossils from Australia, it incorporates the oldest known echidna species. ... Paleospecies † † † † † † † † † † Protemnodon is a genus of megafaunal macropods that existed in Australia in the Pleistocene. ...

Birds

Dromornis stirtoni

• Family Dromornithidae: this group of birds was more closely related to waterfowl than modern ratites.
  • Dromornis stirtoni, (Stirton's Thunder Bird, Miocene epoch) was a flightless bird three metres tall that weighed about 500 kilograms. It is one of the largest birds so far discovered. It inhabited subtropical open woodlands and may have been carnivorous. It was heavier than the Moa and taller than the Aepyornis.
  • Bullockornis planei (the 'Demon Duck of Doom') was another huge member of the Dromornithidae. It was up to 2.5 metres tall and weighed up to 250 kilograms, and was probably carnivorous.
  • Genyornis newtoni (the Mihirung) was related to Dromornis, and was about the height of an ostrich. It was the last survivor of the Dromornithidae. It had a large lower jaw and was probably omnivorous.
• Leipoa gallinacea (formerly Progura) was a giant malleefowl.

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Genera Dromornis Barawertornis Bullockornis Ilbandornis Genyornis Dromornithidae were a family of large, flightless birds that lived in Australia until the end of the Pleistocene, but are now extinct. ... Families Struthionidae (ostriches) Rheidae (rheas) Casuariidae (emus etc. ... Binomial name Dromornis stirtoni , Dromornis stirtoni, or Stirtons Thunder Bird, a member of the family of Dromornithidae, is the largest flightless bird found through fossil evidence. ... Genera Anomalopteryx (bush moa) Euryapteryx Megalapteryx (upland moa) Dinornis (giant moa) Emeus Pachyornis Moa were giant flightless birds native to New Zealand. ... Species Aepyornis hildebrandti Aepyornis medius Aepyornis maximus Aepyornis is an extinct genus of flightless bird. ... Binomial name Bullockornis planei Rich, 1979 Bullockornis, nicknamed the Demon Duck of Doom, is an extinct flightless bird that lived approximately 15 million years ago in what is now Australia. ... Binomial name Genyornis newtoni Stirling & Zietz, 1896 Genyornis (Genyornis newtoni) was a genus of large, flightless bird that lived in Australia until about 50,000 years ago. ... Mihirungs are extinct flightless birds found in Australian Australian Aborigines stories where they are related to the dreamtime. ... Binomial name Gould, 1840 The Malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata) is a stocky ground-dwelling Australian bird about the size of a domestic chicken (to which it is distantly related). ...

Reptiles

Megalania

• Varanus priscus (formerly Megalania prisca) was a giant, carnivorous goanna that might have grown to as long as seven metres, and weighed up to 1,940 kilograms (Molnar, 2004).
• Wonambi naracoortensis was a non-venomous snake of five to six metres in length, an ambush predator at waterholes which killed its prey by constriction.
• Quinkana sp., was a terrestrial crocodile which grew from five to possibly 7 metres in length. It had long legs positioned underneath its body, and chased down mammals, birds and other reptiles for food. Its teeth were blade-like for cutting rather than pointed for gripping as with water dwelling crocodiles. It belonged to the Mekosuchine subfamily (all now extinct). It was discovered at Bluff Downs in Queensland.
• Liasis sp., (Bluff Downs Giant Python), lived during the Pliocene epoch, grew up to ten metres long, and is the largest Australian snake known. It hunted mammals, birds and reptiles in riparian woodlands. It is most similar to the extant Olive Python (Liasis olivacea).^[6]
• Meiolania was a genus of huge terrestrial cryptodire turtle measuring 2.5 m (8 ft 4 inches) in length, with a horned head and spiked tail.

Image File history File links Megalania_Melb_Museum_email. ... Image File history File links Megalania_Melb_Museum_email. ... Binomial name Megalania prisca (Richard Owen, 1860) Megalania prisca is an extinct giant monitor lizard. ... For other uses, see Goanna (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Snake (disambiguation). ... Species Molnar, 1981 (type) Willis & Mackness, 1996 Megirian, 1994 Willis, 1997 Quinkana is an extinct genus of mekosuchine crocodile that lived in Australia from ~24 million years ago to ~40,000 years ago (in the Pleistocene). ... For other uses, see Crocodile (disambiguation). ... Genera Australosuchus Baru Kambara Mekosuchus Pallimnarchus Quinkana Triphosuchus A Mekosuchine crocodiles are an extinct group of crocodiles from Australia and the South Pacific. ... For other uses, see Queensland (disambiguation). ... Liasis is a genus of pythons. ... A riparian zone schematic from the Everglades. ... Synonyms Miolania Meiolania is an extinct genus of cryptodire turtle from the Pleistocene period. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... For other uses, see Turtle (disambiguation). ...

Extinct Australian megafauna: post 1788

The Thylacine

• Thylacinus cynocephalus (Tasmanian Tiger)- became extinct in 1936. Officially extinct in 1989.
• Dromaius novaehollandiae diemenensis (Tasmanian Emu) - exact date of extinction unknown. Possibly became extinct in 1850.
• Dromaius baudinianus (Kangaroo Island Emu) - exact date of extinction unknown. Possibly became extinct in 1827.
• Dromaius ater (King Island Emu) - became extinct in 1822.
• Lagorchestes leporides (Eastern Hare-Wallaby) - last specimen recorded in 1889.
• Caloprymnus campestris (Desert Rat-Kangaroo) - last sighted 1935.
• Perameles eremiana (Desert Bandicoot) - last known specimen recorded in 1943.
• Onychogalea lunata (Crescent Nail-Tail Wallaby) - last specimen recorded in 1928.
• Potorous platyops (Broad-faced Potoroo) - last specimen recorded in 1875.
• Macropus greyi (Toolache Wallaby) - extinct by 1939.
• Chaeropus ecaudatus (Pig-footed Bandicoot) - extinct around the 1950's.

Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1134x831, 183 KB) Original caption: Beutelwolf (Thylacinus cynocephalus) Translation (partly): Thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus) Size: 3. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1134x831, 183 KB) Original caption: Beutelwolf (Thylacinus cynocephalus) Translation (partly): Thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus) Size: 3. ... Binomial name Thylacinus cynocephalus (Harris, 1808) The Tasmanian Tigers is the name of the Tasmanian state cricket team. ... Trinomial name Dromaius novaehollandiae diemenensis Le Souef, 1907 Synonyms Dromaeius diemenensis (lapsus) Le Souef, 1907 The Tasmanian Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae diemenensis) is an extinct subspecies of the Emu. ... Binomial name Dromaius baudinianus Shane A. Parker, 1984 Synonyms Dromaius minor Kangaroo Island Emu (Dromaius baudinianus) is an extinct bird, a member of the family Casuariidae. ... Binomial name Dromaius ater (Vieillot, 1817) Synonyms Dromaius novaehollandiae minor Spencer, 1906 Dromaius bassi Legge, 1907 Dromaius spenceri (partim) Mathews, 1912 Dromaius novaehollandiae ater The King Island Emu or Black Emu (Dromaius ater) is an extinct ratite species which occurred on King Island between Australia and Tasmania. ... Binomial name Lagorchestes leporides (Gould, 1841) The Eastern Hare Wallaby (Lagorchestes leporides) is an extinct species of wallaby. ... Binomial name Caloprymnus campestris (Gould, 1843) The Desert Rat-Kangaroo (Caloprymnus campestris) lived in the driest, hottest and most desolate environments in Central Australia. ... Binomial name Parameles eremiana Spencer, 1897 The Desert Bandicoot (Parameles eremiana) was a small bandicoot of the arid country in the centre of Australia. ... Binomial name Onychogalea lunata (Gould, 1841) The Crescent Nail-tailed Wallaby (Onychogalea lunata) was a wallaby that lived in the woodlands and scrubs of the west and centre of Australia. ... Binomial name Potorous platyops The extinct Broad-faced Potoroo (Potorous platyops) was first collected in 1839 and described by John Gould in 1844, but even then it was rare and only a handful of specimens were ever collected, the last in 1875. ... Binomial name Macropus greyi Waterhouse, 1846 The Toolache Wallaby (Macropus greyi) is an extinct species of wallaby from South-western South Australia and South-western Victoria. ... Binomial name Chaeropus ecaudatus Ogilby, 1838 The Pig-footed Bandicoot (Chaeropus ecaudatus) was a small, mostly herbivorous bandicoot of the arid and semi_arid plains of inland Australia. ...

Mythological Australian megafauna

• Bunyip
• Rainbow Serpent

The bunyip (usually translated as devil or spirit[1]) is a mythical creature from Australian folklore. ... The Rainbow Serpent/Snake is a major mythological being for Aboriginal people across Australia, although the creation stories associated with it are best known from northern Australia. ...

References

1. ^ Vanderwal and Fullager 1989 as cited in Josephine Flood (2004) Archaeology of the Dreamtime, J.B Publishing, Marleston p, 182 ISBN 1 876 62250 4
2. ^ Miller, G. H. 2005. Ecosystem Collapse in Pleistocene Australia and a Human Role in Megafaunal Extinction. Science, 309:287-290 PMID 16002615
3. ^ Prideaux, G.J. et al. 2007. An arid-adapted middle Pleistocene vertebrate fauna from south-central Australia. Nature 445:422-425
4. ^ Menkhorst, Peter (2001). A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia. Oxford University Press, 110. 
5. ^ Helgen, K.M., Wells, R.T., Kear, B.P., Gerdtz, W.R., and Flannery, T.F. (2006). Ecological and evolutionary significance of sizes of giant extinct kangaroos. Australian Journal of Zoology 54, 293–303. doi:10.1071/ZO05077
6. ^ Scanlon JD and Mackness BS. 2001. A new giant python from the Pliocene Bluff Downs Local Fauna of northeastern Queensland. Alcheringa 25: 425-437

• Field, J. H. and J. Dodson. 1999. Late Pleistocene megafauna and archaeology from Cuddie Springs, south-eastern Australia. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 65: 1-27.
• Field, J. H. and W. E. Boles. 1998. Genyornis newtoni and Dromaius novaehollandiae at 30,000 b.p. in central northern New South Wales. Alcheringa 22: 177-188.
• Long, J.A., Archer, M. Flannery, T.F. & Hand, S. 2003. Prehistoric Mammals of Australia and New Guinea -100 Million Years of Evolution. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. 242pp.

• Molnar, R. 2004. Dragons in the Dust: The Paleobiology of the Giant Lizard Megalania. Indiana University Press. Page: 127.
• Murray, P. F. and D. Megirian. 1998. The skull of dromornithid birds: anatomical evidence for their relationship to Anseriformes (Dromornithidae, Anseriformes). Records of the South Australian Museum 31: 51-97.
• Roberts, R. G., T. F. Flannery, L. A. Ayliffe, H. Yoshida, J. M. Olley, G. J. Prideaux, G. M. Laslett, A. Baynes, M. A. Smith, R. Jones, and B. L. Smith. 2001. New ages for the last Australian megafauna: continent-wide extinction about 46,000 years ago. Science 292: 1888-1892.
• Wroe, S., J. Field, and R. Fullagar. 2002. Lost giants. Nature Australia 27(5): 54-61.
• Gavin J Prideaux, Richard G. Roberts, Dirk Megirian, Kira E. Westaway, John C. Hellstrom, John M. Olley. 2007. Mammalian responses to Pleistocene climate change in southeastern Australia. Geology, v. 35, n. 1, p. 33-36.

Science is the academic journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is considered one of the worlds most prestigious scientific journals. ...

External links

• Cuddie Springs
• Interview with Dr John Long, curator at the Museum of Victoria
• Naracoorte caves in South Australia
• Lost Kingdoms