Zaglossus robustus
Encyclopedia
Zaglossus robustus is an extinct species of long-beaked echidna
known from the middle Miocene
(about 13 or 14 million years ago) of Gulgong, New South Wales
, Australia. It may belong in the genus Megalibgwilia
. The supposed fossil platypus
Ornithorhynchus maximus was based on a humerus
of this species.
Long-beaked echidna
The long-beaked echidnas make up one of the two genera of echidnas, spiny monotremes that lives in New Guinea. There are three living species and two extinct species in this genus...
known from the middle Miocene
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...
(about 13 or 14 million years ago) of Gulgong, New South Wales
Gulgong, New South Wales
Gulgong is a 19th century gold rush town in the Central-West of the Australian state of New South Wales. The town is located about north west of Sydney, and about 30 km north of Mudgee along the Castlereagh Highway. At the 2006 census, Gulgong had a population of 1,907 people...
, Australia. It may belong in the genus Megalibgwilia
Megalibgwilia
Megalibgwilia is a genus of echidna known only from Australian fossils that incorporates the oldest known echidna species. It lived during the Pleistocene, becoming extinct about 50,000 years ago....
. The supposed fossil platypus
Platypus
The platypus is a semi-aquatic mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. Together with the four species of echidna, it is one of the five extant species of monotremes, the only mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young...
Ornithorhynchus maximus was based on a humerus
Humerus
The humerus is a long bone in the arm or forelimb that runs from the shoulder to the elbow....
of this species.
Literature cited
- Hall, B.K. 1999. The paradoxical platypus (subscription required). BioScience 49(3):211–218.
- Musser, A.M. 1999. Diversity and relationships of living and extinct monotremes. Australian Mammalogy 21:8–9.
- Musser, A.M. 2003. Review of the monotreme fossil record and comparison of palaeontological and molecular data (subscription required). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A 136:927–942.
Further reading
- Australia's Lost World: Prehistoric Animals of Riversleigh by Michael Archer, Suzanne J. Hand, and Henk Godthelp (page 162)
- Echidna: Extraordinary Egg-Laying Mammal (Australian Natural History Series) by Michael Augee, Brett Gooden, and Anne Musser (page 19)