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Durudawirines, a new group of phalangeroid marsupials from the Miocene of Riversleigh, northwestern Queensland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 May 2016

Kirsten Crosby  and
Michael Archer
Kirsten Crosby
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of New South Wales, NSW 2052, Australia
Michael Archer
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of New South Wales, NSW 2052, Australia Australian Museum, 6 College St, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia,
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Abstract

The early Miocene Durudawiri inusitatus new genus and species (Marsupialia: Phalangeroidea) is described from the Riversleigh World Heritage Property in northwestern Queensland. It appears to represent the plesiomorphic sister group of the late Oligocene species of Miralina from South Australia. Its molar morphology is not as complex as that of species of Miralina or ektopodontids, but it is more complex than that of phalangerids. The degree of morphological difference between species of Durudawiri and Miralina suggests subfamilial distinction for the two groups. Strange cusps on the upper molars could be interpreted as either large neometaconules and paraconules, or lingually-displaced metacones and paracones with very large stylar cusps on the buccal shelf.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Paleontology , Volume 74 , Issue 2 , March 2000 , pp. 327 - 335
Copyright
Copyright © The Paleontological Society 2000

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