Three new Miocene species of musky rat-kangaroos (Hypsiprymnodontidae, Macropodoidea) : description, phylogenetics and paleoecology

Bates, H; Travouillon, KJ; Cooke, B; Beck, RMD; Hand, SJ; Archer, M

Abstract

Three new species of the macropodoid genus Hypsiprymnodon are described from early to middle Miocene fossil deposits in the Riversleigh World Heritage Area, northwestern Queensland. A phylogenetic analysis of macropodoid relationships that includes these new taxa is presented. Monophyly of Macropodinae + Sthenurinae is recovered, as is a clade comprising macropodines, sthenurines, bulungamyines, and potoroids to the exclusion of hypsiprymnodontids and balbarids. Monophyly of Balbaridae is also supported, but hypsiprymnodontids are unresolved at the base of Macropodoidea, rather than forming a clade; this is probably because the new Hypsiprymnodon species described here are currently known from relatively incomplete material (isolated maxillae and dentaries). On the assumption that these extinct forms were ecologically similar to the living species H. moschatus (as suggested by close similarities in dental morphology), their presence in Riversleigh Faunal Zones B and C corroborates previous interpretations of a wet rainforest environment in northwestern Queensland during the early to middle Miocene of Australia.

Citation

Bates, H., Travouillon, K., Cooke, B., Beck, R., Hand, S., & Archer, M. (2014). Three new Miocene species of musky rat-kangaroos (Hypsiprymnodontidae, Macropodoidea) : description, phylogenetics and paleoecology. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 34(2), 383-396. https://doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2013.812098

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 30, 2013
• Online Publication Date: Mar 4, 2014
• Publication Date: Mar 4, 2014
• Deposit Date: Jan 30, 2015
• Journal: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology
• Print ISSN: 0272-4634
• Electronic ISSN: 1937-2809
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 34
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 383-396
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2013.812098
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2013.812098
• Related Public URLs: http://vertpaleo.org/publications/journal-of-vertebrate-paleontology.aspx
• Additional Information: Grant Number: DP0453262; Grant Number: LP0453664; Grant Number: LP0989969; Grant Number: DE120100957; Grant Number: SAS/30110