Ilariidae
Encyclopedia
The family Ilariidae consists of 3 species of extinct marsupial
in two genera. They are all found in the middle tertiary
assemblage of South Australia
. Closely related to Koobor of family Phascolarctidae
, which was found in Hamilton
Victoria. I. illumidens is the best preserved representative of this extinct clade of vombatiforms. The species is found in the Namba Formation of late Oligocene age, Lake Pinpa, South Australia. The material consists of a partial cranium and mandibular fragments with most of the dentition, together with parts of the postcranial skeleton. The other species in this family are known from a few jaw fragments and intact molars attached, they are categorised in a separate family because their teeth structure is unique among Diprotodontia, in having a complicated folding pattern. Ilariids are hypothesised to be the largest marsupials of their time in the Lake Eyre
and Tarkarooloo basin and lived along with Wynyardiidae
, Obdurodon
, and thylacoleonids (marsupial lion
s) like Priscileo
and Wakaleo
.
Marsupial
Marsupials are an infraclass of mammals, characterized by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young. Close to 70% of the 334 extant species occur in Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands, with the remaining 100 found in the Americas, primarily in South America, but with thirteen in Central...
in two genera. They are all found in the middle tertiary
Tertiary
The Tertiary is a deprecated term for a geologic period 65 million to 2.6 million years ago. The Tertiary covered the time span between the superseded Secondary period and the Quaternary...
assemblage of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. Closely related to Koobor of family Phascolarctidae
Phascolarctidae
Phascolarctidae is a family of marsupials of the order Diprotodontia, consisting of only one extant species, the Koala, six well known fossil species, with another 5 less well known fossil species, and 2 fossil species whose taxonomy is debatable but is put in this group...
, which was found in Hamilton
Hamilton, Victoria
Hamilton is a city in western Victoria, Australia. It is located at the intersection of the Glenelg Highway and the Henty Highway...
Victoria. I. illumidens is the best preserved representative of this extinct clade of vombatiforms. The species is found in the Namba Formation of late Oligocene age, Lake Pinpa, South Australia. The material consists of a partial cranium and mandibular fragments with most of the dentition, together with parts of the postcranial skeleton. The other species in this family are known from a few jaw fragments and intact molars attached, they are categorised in a separate family because their teeth structure is unique among Diprotodontia, in having a complicated folding pattern. Ilariids are hypothesised to be the largest marsupials of their time in the Lake Eyre
Lake Eyre
Lake Eyre is the lowest point in Australia, at approximately below sea level, and, on the rare occasions that it fills, it is the largest lake in Australia and 18th largest in the world...
and Tarkarooloo basin and lived along with Wynyardiidae
Wynyardiidae
Wynyardia bassiana, an extinct possum-like marsupial from the early Miocene of Wynyard in Tasmania has long been considered to display skeletal features intermediate between the primitive polyprotodont and the advanced diprotodont marsupials. The skull examined is missing the right eye socket and...
, Obdurodon
Obdurodon
Obdurodon is an extinct monotreme genus containing three species. Obdurodon differed from modern platypuses in that it had molar teeth .-Obdurodon dicksoni:...
, and thylacoleonids (marsupial lion
Marsupial lion
Thylacoleo is an extinct genus of carnivorous marsupials that lived in Australia from the late Pliocene to the late Pleistocene...
s) like Priscileo
Priscileo
Priscileo was the basal-most genus of Thylacoleonidae. Fossils of this genus have been found in Oligocene and Miocene strata of South Australia and Queensland. It was about the size of a possum and was less powerful than the other marsupial lions...
and Wakaleo
Wakaleo
Wakaleo , was a genus of medium-sized thylacoleonids that lived in Australia in the early to late Miocene. It was approximately 2.5 ft long, or the size of a dog...
.