Phascolonus

Phascolonus
Phascolonus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Diprotodontia
Suborder: Vombatiformes
Family: Vombatidae
Genus: Phascolonus
Owen, 1872
Species
  • P. gigas (Owen, 1859)
  • P. lemleyi (Archer & Wade, 1976)[1]

Phascolonus was a genus of prehistoric Australian marsupials in the wombat family. The largest species, Phascolonus gigas, weighed as much as 200 kg (450 lb).[2] Phascolonus existed alongside an even larger marsupial, Diprotodon, which weighed as much as three tons and was distantly related to wombats.[3] Both disappeared at the end of the Late Pleistocene in a Quaternary extinction event together with many other large Australian animals.

Phascolonus

At Tea Tree Cave, a two-million-year-old Phascolonus fossil was found alongside that of the crocodilian Quinkana.[4]

References

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