Functional-Morphology of the Limbs of Thylacoleo-Carnifex Owen (Thylacoleonidae, Marsupialia)

The limb bones and girdles of an almost complete specimen of the extinct 'marsupial lion' Thylacoleo carnifex, from Moree, New South Wales, have been fully described pictorially, metrically and in text. To investigate limb function, intra- and inter-limb segment indices and limb proportions standardised against the presacral vertebral column, were calculated for 11 samples of extant Australian marsupials. Comparisons were made between these values, those for Thylacoleo and published data for extant placental carnivores. The Thylacoleo fore- and hindlimbs were almost equal in length (FL/HL, 94%) and relatively long compared to the vertebral column (79% and 84%). In the forelimb the radius was clearly longer than the humerus (115%), and the hindlimb the tibia was considerably shorter than the femur (82%). Amongst the marsupials, the main Thylacoleo indices were most similar to those of Sarcophilus, but with some significant differences, notably in propodial/epipodial length ratios. Compared to Panthera leo there were many marked similarities. Morphologically, the Thylacoleo scapula conforms to that found in walking and trotting, rather than climbing, viverrids; the pelvis similarly agrees with that of ambulators and cursors. It was concluded that Thylacoleo carnifex was a slow- medium cursor, possibly capable of leaping. There was also a series of adaptations such as the length of the radius, the stout olecranon, the blade-like fifth metatarsal and the massive terminal phalanx of digit I, clearly implying a carnivorous habit.

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Distribution and identity of species in the Antechinus stuartii - A. flavipes group (Marsupialia : Dasyuridae) in south-eastern Australia

Australian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1071/zo94055 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 46 (1) ◽

pp. 27 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

J. Sumner ◽

C. R. Dickman

Keyword(s):

New South ◽

New South Wales ◽

Annual Rainfall ◽

Published Data ◽

South Eastern ◽

Mean Annual Rainfall ◽

South Wales ◽

Eastern Australia ◽

Antechinus Stuartii ◽

South Eastern Australia

This study describes genetical differences between three morphologically similar species of Antechinus in south-eastern Australia, and uses the climatic model BIOCLIM to clarify their expected geographical distributions. Allozyme electrophoresis revealed Nei’s distances of >0.2 between A. flavipes and A. stuartii and A. flavipes and A. agilis, the latter a newly recognised species in south-eastern Australia. Fixed allele differences were determined in five proteins between A. stuartii and A. flavipes from an area of sympatry in northern New South Wales, confirming their genetic distinctness. A smaller distance (0.08) separated A. stuartii from A. agilis, but fixed allele differences in albumin and mannose phosphate isomerase distinguished these species clearly. Locality records for the three species were compiled from the electrophoretic results, museum specimen records and published data, and used to generate expected distributions for each species. A. flavipes is predicted to occur primarily in warm, inland areas of south- eastern Australia with a mean annual rainfall of 785 mm, but to occur along the coast in South Australia and southern Queensland. In contrast, the distributions of A. stuartii and A. agilis are predicted to be broadly coastal, with the former occurring in northern New South Wales and southern Queensland in areas with high mean annual rainfall (1430 mm) and temperature (16.0°C), the latter in southern New South Wales and Victoria in cooler areas (11.8°C annual mean) with intermediate rainfall (1071 mm). Sympatry appears to be limited between A. flavipes and its two congeners; A. stuartii and A. agilis are predicted to be parapatric with only two small areas of overlap being evident.

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Biogeography of Ordovician sponges

Journal of Paleontology ◽

10.1017/s0022336000027517 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 73 (1) ◽

pp. 26-37 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Marcelo G. Carrera ◽

J. Keith Rigby

Keyword(s):

North American ◽

New South ◽

New South Wales ◽

Late Ordovician ◽

Published Data ◽

Middle Ordovician ◽

Biogeographic Patterns ◽

Early Ordovician ◽

South Wales ◽

Argentine Precordillera

Sponges have an unrealized potential importance in biogeographic analysis. Biogeographic patterns determined from our analysis of all published data on distribution of Ordovician genera indicate Early Ordovician sponge faunas have relatively low diversity and are completely dominated by demosponges. Early Ordovician (Ibexian) faunas are characterized by the widespread co-occurrence ofArchaeoscyphiaand the problematicCalathium.This association is commonly found in biohermal structures. Middle Ordovician faunas show an increase in diversity, and two broad associations are differentiated: Appalachian faunas (including Southern China and the Argentine Precordillera) and Great Basin faunas.Late Ordovician faunas show important changes in diversity and provincialism. Hexactinellid and calcareous sponges became important and new demosponge families appeared. Four Mohawkian-Cincinnatian associations are recognized here, including: 1) Midcontinent faunas; 2) Baltic faunas; 3) New South Wales faunas; and 4) Western North American (California and Alaska) faunas. However, two separate biogeographic associations are differentiated based on faunal differences. These are a Pacific association (western North American and New South Wales) and an Atlantic association (Midcontinent Laurentia and Baltica).Distribution of sponge genera and migration patterns are utilized to consider paleogeographic dispositions of the different continental plates, climatic features, and oceanic currents. Such an analysis points to close paleogeographic affinities between the Argentine Precordillera and Laurentian Appalachian faunas. However, significant endemicity and the occurrence of extra-Laurentian genera suggest a relative isolation of the Precordillera terrane during the Late Ibexian-Whiterockian. The study also shows a faunal migration from the Appalachian region to South China during the Middle Ordovician and the migration of faunas from Baltica to Laurentia in the Late Ordovician. The occurrence of Laurentian migrants in New South Wales during the Late Ordovician could be related to inferred oceanic current circulation between these two areas, although other paleogeographic features may be involved.

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