Prehistoric mammals of Australia

Diprotodon, from Ancient Greek δί- (dí-), meaning "two", πρῶτος (prôtos), meaning "first", and ὀδούς (odoús), meaning "tooth", is an extinct genus of diprotodontid marsupial from the Pleistocene of Australia containing one species, D. optatum. The earliest finds date to 1.77 million to 780,000 years ago, but most specimens are dated to after 110,000 years ago. Its remains were first unearthed in 1830, in Wellington Caves, New South Wales, and contemporary paleontologists guessed they belonged to rhinos, elephants, hippos or dugongs.

Procoptodon is an extinct genus of giant short-faced (sthenurine) kangaroos that lived in Australia during the Pleistocene Epoch. P. goliah, the largest known kangaroo species that ever existed, stood at about . They weighed about . Other members of the genus were smaller, however; Procoptodon gilli was the smallest of all of the sthenurine kangaroos, standing approximately tall.

Thylacoleonidae is a family of extinct carnivorous diprotodontian marsupials from Australia, referred to as marsupial lions. The best known is Thylacoleo carnifex, also called the marsupial lion. The clade ranged from the Late Oligocene to the Late Pleistocene, with some earlier species the size of a possum, while the youngest members of the family belonging to the genus Thylacoleo reached sizes comparable to living big cats.

Thylacoleo ("pouch lion") is an extinct genus of carnivorous marsupials that lived in Australia from the late Pliocene to the Late Pleistocene (until around 40,000 years ago), often known as marsupial lions. They were the largest and last members of the family Thylacoleonidae, occupying the position of apex predator within Australian ecosystems. The largest and last species, Thylacoleo carnifex, had an estimated average weight of , approaching the weight of a modern lioness (Panthera leo).

Steropodon is a genus of prehistoric platypus-like monotreme, or egg-laying mammal. It contains a single species, Steropodon galmani, that lived about 100.2–96.6 million years ago during the Cretaceous period, from early to middle Cenomanian. It is one of the oldest monotremes discovered, and is one of the oldest Australian mammal discoveries. Several other monotremes are known from the Griman Creek Formation, including Dharragarra, Kollikodon, Opalios, Parvopalus, and Stirtodon.

species of mammal (fossil)

Palorchestes ("ancient leaper") is an extinct genus of large terrestrial, herbivorous Australian marsupial of the family Palorchestidae, living from the Miocene through to the Late Pleistocene. Like other palorchestids, it had highly retracted nasal region suggesting that it had a prehensile lip, as well as highly unusual clawed forelimbs that were used to grasp vegetation.

left|thumb|Alternative angle of AMNH cast Phascolonus is an extinct genus of giant wombat known from the Pliocene and Pleistocene of Australia. There is only a single known species, Phascolonus gigas, the largest wombat ever known to have existed, estimated to weigh as much as 200 kg (450 lb) or . It was described by Richard Owen in 1859. Phascolomys magnus is a probable junior synonym. P. gigas is distinguished from other wombats by its strap-shaped upper incisors. The cranial roof also is noticeably inwardly depressed. The species was abundant across Australia, with remains having been

species of mammal (fossil)

Sthenurus ("strong tail") is an extinct genus of kangaroos. With a length around 3 m (10 ft), some species were twice as large as modern extant species. Sthenurus was related to the better-known Procoptodon. The subfamily Sthenurinae is believed to have separated from its sister taxon, the Macropodinae (kangaroos and wallabies), halfway through the Miocene, and then its population grew during the Pliocene.

Propleopus is an extinct genus of marsupials. The genus contains three species: P. chillagoensis from the Plio-Pleistocene, and P. oscillans and P. wellingtonensis from the Pleistocene.

Nototherium, from Ancient Greek νότος (nótos), meaning "south", and θηρίον (thēríon), meaning "beast", is an extinct genus of diprotodontid marsupial from Australia and New Guinea. This marsupial had hypsodont molars and weighed around 500 kg. It was a relative of the larger Diprotodon and a distant kin to modern wombats.

Simosthenurus, also referred to as the short-faced kangaroo, is an extinct genus of megafaunal macropods that existed in Australia during the Pleistocene. Analysis of Simosthenurus fossils has contributed to the finding that there are three lineages of macropods: Sthenurinae, Macropodinae, and Lagostrophinae. The genus Simosthenurus was among the sthenurines.

left|thumb|Skull of Palorchestes Palorchestidae is an extinct family of vombatiform marsupials whose members are sometimes referred to as marsupial tapirs due to the retracted nasal region of their skulls causing them to superficially resemble those of true tapirs. The idea that they had a tapir-like trunk has been contested, with other authors contending that it is more likely that they had a prehensile lip and protrusible tongue instead. While earlier representatives like Propalorchestes had relatively unspecialised forelimbs, the last member of the family, Palorchestes developed unusual cla

Extinct carnivorous marsupial from Australia.

Nimbadon is an extinct genus of marsupial, that lived from the Oligocene to the Miocene. Many fossils have been found in the Riversleigh World Heritage property in north-western Queensland. It is thought to have an arboreal lifestyle.

Pyramios is an extinct genus of diprotodont from the Miocene of Australia. It was very large, reaching a length of about 2.5 m (8.2 feet) and a height of about 1.5 m (4.92 feet). Pyramios is estimated to have weighed 700 kg (1102-1543 pounds). It was comparable in size to its cousin Diprotodon, which is also in the family Diprotodontidae.

Mutpuracinus archibaldi is an extinct carnivorous, quadrupedal marsupial that lived during the middle Miocene and is the smallest known thylacinid at approximately 1.1 kilograms, the size of a quoll, though, more closely related to the recently extinct thylacine.

The Balbaridae are an extinct family of basal macropods. The synapomorphies are divided into two areas, the dental and cranial. The dental area of this taxa can be described as having the molar lophodont and brachyodont with a hypolophid formed by lingually displaced component of posthypocristid and linked to a buccal crest from the entoconid. Molars have a hypocingulid, first lower molar compressed with the "forelink" absent. First incisor with lingual and dorsal enamel ridgelets. The third lower premolar of some taxa have a posterobuccal cusp (cusp at the back close to the cheek). The skull

Brachalletes was an early marsupial from the Pliocene deposits of Australia. Its relationship with other marsupial species is under debate. The genus is extinct. The species was assigned to the order Diprotodontia by McKenna and Bell in 1997, though it is placed in its own order by other authorities. The species is described as an omnivore.

Maximucinus is an extinct genus of thylacinid that lived during the Middle Miocene in what is now Queensland, Australia. It is known only a second upper molar found at the Riversleigh World Heritage Area. It was the largest thylacinid of its time, attaining a body size of 18 kg (40 lbs). The genus is monotypic, containing only one species, Maximucinus muirheadae.

Barinya is a fossil genus from the marsupial family Dasyuridae, which contains the oldest known undoubted dasyurid. It is the only genus in the subfamily Barinyainae.

Muribacinus is an extinct genus of thylacinid that lived during the middle Miocene in what is now northwestern Queensland, Australia. It was described in 1995 from remains collected at the Riversleigh World Heritage Area. Only one species is known, M. gadiyuli.

Hadronomas is a genus of kangaroo in the subfamily Sthenurinae. There is only one described species, Hadronomas puckridgi, known from various fossil material from the Alcoota Fauna site, and an undescribed species from Lake Kanunka.

Muramura williamsi is an extinct Australian wynardiid marsupial, related to the modern koala and wombat. Around the size of a dog at in length, it was a herbivore. Fossils range in age from the Late Oligocene to the Pliocene in age.

Perikoala is an extinct genus of marsupials, related to the modern koala. The genus diverged from a common ancestor of the other koala genera Nimiokoala, Litokoala, and Phascolarctos, which contains the living koala.

Ngamalacinus is an extinct genus of thylacinid that lived in Australia from about 26 to 16 million years ago. Its fossils are solely known from the Riversleigh World Heritage Area in Queensland. Two species are currently known, the Early Miocene N. timmulvaneyi and the Late Oligocene N. nigelmarveni. In appearance it resembled 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.

species of mammal

Malleodectes is an extinct genus of unusual marsupial, first discovered in 2011 at Riversleigh, Queensland, Australia.