Mutpuracinus archiboldi
Encyclopedia
Mutpuracinus archibaldi lived during the middle Miocene
and is the smallest known thylacinid at approximately 1.1 kilograms, the size of a quoll
.
M. archibaldi was a carnivorous, quadrupedal marsupial in Australia. In appearance it resembled a dog with a long snout. Its molar teeth were specialized for carnivory, the cups and crest were reduced or elongated to give the molars a cutting blade.
M. archibaldi has been discovered in deposits at Bullock Creek
in the northern territory and in the same deposits as N. richi. It is named in honor of Ian Archibald for his contributions to the northern territory. Fossil records that exist of M. archibaldi are a premaxilla with alveoli for four incisors, and a holotype left maxilla. Skull fossils from Thylacinidae
are exceedingly rare and M. archiboldi is one of only three species known from fossil crania.
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
and is the smallest known thylacinid at approximately 1.1 kilograms, the size of a quoll
Quoll
The quoll, or native cat, is a carnivorous marsupial native to mainland Australia, New Guinea and Tasmania. It is primarily nocturnal and spends most of the day in its den. There are six species of quoll; four are found in Australia and two in New Guinea...
.
M. archibaldi was a carnivorous, quadrupedal marsupial in Australia. In appearance it resembled a dog with a long snout. Its molar teeth were specialized for carnivory, the cups and crest were reduced or elongated to give the molars a cutting blade.
M. archibaldi has been discovered in deposits at Bullock Creek
Bullock Creek
The Bullock Creek Fossil site is one of three known vertebrate fossil sites in the Australia's Northern Territory, along with the Alcoota Fossil Beds on Alcoota Station and the Kangaroo Well site on Deep Well Station. It is located about 550km south-southeast of Darwin, on Camfield Station...
in the northern territory and in the same deposits as N. richi. It is named in honor of Ian Archibald for his contributions to the northern territory. Fossil records that exist of M. archibaldi are a premaxilla with alveoli for four incisors, and a holotype left maxilla. Skull fossils from Thylacinidae
Thylacinidae
The animals in the Thylacinidae family were all carnivorous marsupials from the order Dasyuromorphia. The only recent member was the Thylacine , which became extinct in 1936...
are exceedingly rare and M. archiboldi is one of only three species known from fossil crania.