Ekaltadeta

Ekaltadeta
Temporal range: Late Oligocene–Miocene
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Diprotodontia
Family: Hypsiprymnodontidae
Subfamily: Propleopinae
Genus: Ekaltadeta
Species
  • †E. ima
  • †E. jamiemulvaneyi

Ekaltadeta is an extinct genus of giant marsupials related to modern rat-kangaroos.[1] Ekaltadelta was present in what is today the Riversleigh formations in Northern Queensland from the Late Oligocene to the Miocene.[2][3]

They are hypothesized to have been either exclusively carnivorous, or omnivorous with a fondness for meat, based on their chewing teeth.[3] This conclusion is based mainly on the size and shape of a large buzz-saw-shaped cheek-tooth, the adult third premolar, which is common to all Ekaltadeta.[4] A few specimens actually did also have long predatory "fangs".

Fossils of the animals include two near complete skulls, and numerous upper and lower jaws.

References

  1. ↑ "Potoroidae". 2007-06-11. Archived from the original on 2007-06-11. Retrieved 2017-08-23.
  2. ↑ "Fossilworks: Ekaltadeta". fossilworks.org. Retrieved 2017-08-22.
  3. 1 2 "Killer Kangaroo". www.wakaleo.net. Retrieved 2017-08-22.
  4. ↑ "Mammals - Fossil Mammals - The Killer Rat-Kangaroo's Tooth". 2008-09-19. Archived from the original on 2008-09-19. Retrieved 2017-08-22.


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