By Isobel Williams via SWNS
Giant kangaroos twice the size of today’s largest once hopped across Australia, analysis of enormous fossils has revealed.
Paleontologists have uncovered three unusual species of giant fossil kangaroo from Australia and Papua New Guinea, which are much more diverse in shape, range and hopping method than previously thought.
These new species are from an extinct type of mammal called Protemnodon, which lived from around five million to 40,000 years ago.
These extinct mega-kangaroos would have looked similar to a more muscular grey kangaroo and would have been much larger than any living kangaroo today.
The study, published in Megataxa, used the discoveries of multiple complete fossil kangaroo skeletons from Lake Callabonna in 2013, 2018 and 2019 to solve a historical puzzle on the nature of these extinct animals.
The researchers discovered that the three species were very different from each other, having adapted to different environments, and even hopped in different ways.
One of the species, Protemnodon viator, was found to be the largest weighing up to 170 kg—double the size of the largest male red kangaroos—and was a long-limbed kangaroo that could hop fairly quickly.
The name Viator is Latin for ‘traveler’ or ‘wayfarer’, to represent their efficient hopping skills.
The second species, Protemnodon mamkurra, was large and thick boned which made it slow-moving. The researchers estimate that it would have rarely hopped, perhaps only moving when startled.
The name mamkurra was chosen by elders from the Boandik people—a clan of indigenous Australians– and means “great kangaroo”.
The third of the new species, Protemnodon dawsonae, is known from fewer fossils than the other two, and is more of a mystery, but was likely similar to a swamp wallaby.
The species was named in honor of Australian paleontologist Dr. Lyndall Dawson, who discovered most of what is known about them.
For this study Dr. Isaac Kerr from Flinders University, Australia, visited the collections of 14 museums in four countries to study “just about every piece of Protemnodon there is”.
He said: “We photographed and 3D-scanned over 800 specimens collected from all over Australia and Papua New Guinea, taking measurements, comparing and describing them. It was quite the undertaking.
“It feels so good to finally have it out in the world, after five years of research, 261 pages and more than 100,000 words.
“I really hope that it helps more studies of Protemnodon happen, so we can find out more of what these kangaroos were doing.
“Living kangaroos are already such remarkable animals, so it’s amazing to think what these peculiar giant kangaroos could have been getting up to.”
The research has provided some much-needed clarity on a mass of evidence surrounding these historic hoppers.
Flinders Professor Gavin Prideaux added: “It’s great to have some clarity on the identities of the species of Protemnodon.
“The fossils of this genus are widespread and they’re found regularly, but more often than not you have no way of being certain which species you’re looking at.
“This study may help researchers feel more confident when working with Protemnodon.”
