Australian researchers have discovered the remains of a new species of primitive marsupial, the huge animal that lived 3.5 million years ago and could weigh up to 250 kilograms and was able to travel long distances in search of water and food.
The remains discovered in central Australia in 2017 were analyzed using a 3D imaging device and, in a study published Wednesday, determined that they are a new species compared to those known so far, the largest marsupials ever to live.
The Flinders University researchers hypothesize that the closest living relative of the dioecious animal called Ambulator keanei may be the wombat. The primitive marsupial lived in the Pliocene, 2.5-5.3 million years ago, a period when Australia became drier and grasslands became more widespread.
Most herbivores alive today, such as elephants and rhinos, are tiptoeers, meaning that their heels don’t touch the ground when they walk. On the other hand, animals belonging to the order Diprotodontia walk on their feet, that is, like humans, their heel bones touch the ground when walking, said Jacob van Zoelen, one of the authors of the study that presented the new primates. He added that thanks to this design, the weight is distributed evenly on the legs while walking, but at the same time it consumes more energy while running.
