Palorchestidae

Palorchestidae
Temporal range: Late Oligocene–Late Pleistocene
Palorchestes azael
Skull of Propalorchestes
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Diprotodontia
Superfamily: †Diprotodontoidea
Family: †Palorchestidae
Tate, 1948
Genera

See text

Skull of Palorchestes

Palorchestidae is an extinct family of vombatiform marsupials whose members are sometimes referred to as marsupial tapirs due to the retracted nasal region of their skulls causing them to superficially resemble those of true tapirs. The idea that they had a tapir-like trunk has been contested, with other authors contending that it is more likely that they had a prehensile lip and protrusible tongue instead.[1] While earlier representatives like Propalorchestes had relatively unspecialsed forelimbs, the last member of the family, Palorchestes developed unusual clawed forelimbs with a morphology unlike that of any living animal, which were likely used to tear vegetation. They are suggested to have been browsers. The group experienced an increase in body size over time, with Propalorchestes weighing around 150 kilograms (330 lb), while the last known species, Palorchestes azael may have exceeded a ton.[2] They are considered to be members of Diprotodontoidea, most closely related to the also extinct Diprotodontidae. Their closest living relatives are wombats.[3]

  1. ^ Richards, Hazel L.; Wells, Rod T.; Evans, Alistair R.; Fitzgerald, Erich M. G.; Adams, Justin W. (2019-09-13). Louys, Julien (ed.). "The extraordinary osteology and functional morphology of the limbs in Palorchestidae, a family of strange extinct marsupial giants". PLOS ONE. 14 (9): e0221824. Bibcode:2019PLoSO..1421824R. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0221824. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 6744111. PMID 31518353.
  2. ^ Richards, Hazel L.; Rovinsky, Douglass S.; Adams, Justin W.; Evans, Alistair R. (March 2023). "Inferring the palaeobiology of palorchestid marsupials through analysis of mammalian humeral and femoral shape". Journal of Mammalian Evolution. 30 (1): 47–66. doi:10.1007/s10914-022-09640-6. ISSN 1064-7554. S2CID 255081555.
  3. ^ Beck, Robin M. D.; Louys, Julien; Brewer, Philippa; Archer, Michael; Black, Karen H.; Tedford, Richard H. (2020-06-25). "A new family of diprotodontian marsupials from the latest Oligocene of Australia and the evolution of wombats, koalas, and their relatives (Vombatiformes)". Scientific Reports. 10 (1): 9741. Bibcode:2020NatSR..10.9741B. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-66425-8. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 7316786. PMID 32587406.