Maximucinus muirheadae
| Maximucinus muirheadae Temporal range: Lower Oligocene–Middle Miocene | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Marsupialia |
| Order: | Dasyuromorphia |
| Family: | †Thylacinidae |
| Genus: | †Maximucinus |
| Species: | †M. muirheadae |
| Binomial name | |
| Maximucinus muirheadae | |
Maximucinus muirheadae lived during the middle Miocene and is the largest thylacine species known to have lived in Australia from the late Oligocene to the middle Miocene.
M. muirheadae was a quadrupedal marsupial predator, that in appearance looked similar to a dog with a long snout. Its molar teeth were specialized for carnivory; the cups and crest were reduced or elongated to give the molars a cutting blade. It is estimated to have weighed about 18 kilograms.
The holotype and only specimen is a second upper molar found in Riversleigh. The species is named after Jeanette Muirhead because of her work on thylacinids.
External links
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