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Maradidae: a new family of vombatomorphian marsupial from the late Oligocene of Riversleigh, northwestern Queensland

2007; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 31; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/03115510601123601

1752-0754

Karen H. Black,

Bat Biology and Ecology Studies

Abstract Black, K., March 2007. Maradidae: a new family of vombatomorphian marsupial from the late Oligocene of Riversleigh, northwestern Queensland. Alcheringa 31, 17-32. ISSN 0311-5518. Marada arcanum gen. et sp. nov. is described from the late Oligocene Hiatus Site, Riversleigh World Heritage Property, northwestern Queensland. Although known from only a single dentary, it is assigned to a new family Maradidae, based on a unique combination of both plesiomorphic and apomorphic features. Of the known vombatomorphians, Marada is most similar to primitive wynyardiids and diprotodontoids (palorchestids and diprotodontids). Further clarification of the phylogenetic position of Maradidae within Vombatomorphia requires discovery of upper dentitions and crania. Karen Black [k.black@unsw.edu.au], Vertebrate Palaeontology Laboratory, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, 2052, Australia; received 17.1.2005, revised 1.6.2005. Key words: Maradidae Marada arcanum VombatomorphiaVombatiformesMarsupialiaRiversleigh Acknowledgements The author would like to thank Anna Gillespie and Henk Godthelp for their advice and support and access to comparative material. Thanks to Mike Archer, Sue Hand, Peter Murray, and Neville Pledge, who critically read a draft of this manuscript and provided many useful comments. Vital support for research at Riversleigh has come from the Australian Research Grant Scheme (grants to M. Archer); the National Estate Grants Scheme (Queensland) (grants to M. Archer and A. Bartholomai); the University of New South Wales; the Commonwealth Department of Environment, Sports and Territories; the Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service; the Commonwealth World Heritage Unit; ICI Australia Pty Ltd; the Australian Geographic Society; the Queensland Museum; the Australian Museum; the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales; the Linnean Society of New South Wales; Century Zinc Pty Ltd; the Riversleigh Society Inc.; and private supporters including Elaine Clark, Margaret Beavis, Martin Dickson, Sue & Jim Lavarack, and Sue & Don Scott-Orr. Vital assistance in the field has come from many hundreds of volunteers together with staff and postgraduate students of the University of New South Wales.