Nimbadon
Extinct genus of marsupials
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nimbadon is an extinct genus of marsupial, that lived from the Oligocene to the Miocene.[1] Many fossils have been found in the Riversleigh World Heritage property in north-western Queensland. It is thought to have an arboreal lifestyle.[2]
| Nimbadon Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| |
| Composite N. lavarackorum skeleton from the Riversleigh site | |
 | |
| N. lavarackorum mother and juvenile (reconstruction) by Peter Schouten | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Marsupialia |
| Order: | Diprotodontia |
| Superfamily: | †Diprotodontoidea |
| Genus: | †Nimbadon Hand, Archer, Godthelp, Rich & Pledge, 1993.[1] |
| Species | |
|
†Nimbadon lavarackorum | |
In 1990, skulls were unearthed in a previously unknown cave in the region. Researchers estimate that the first species of Nimbadon first appeared around 25 million years ago[1] and went extinct around 12 million years ago, perhaps from climate change-induced habitat loss.
Description
Nimbadon lavarackorum is described as being koala-like. It is known from at least 24 well-articulated specimens. The species was a tree-dweller, mainly feeding on stems and leaves. The feet and claws were large, being superficially similar to those of the koala.[3]
Phylogeny
While originally classified as a member of the family Diprotodontidae, a primarily terrestrial group,[1][2] some later studies suggested a more basal position within the Diprotodontoidea.[4]
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