New material and reconstruction of Thylacoleo

[Halichoeres]

Just in time for the first realistic figure of the genus, here's a new study based on some additional fossils of Thylacoleo carnifex:



Open access paper with some comparisons with the Tasmanian devil: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0208020

And a write-up from phys.org: https://phys.org/news/2018-12-first-ever-skeleton-thylacoleo-australia-extinct.html

[Flaffy]

Old thread I know but relevant for anyone brave enough to tackle an updated Thylacoleo model:

Source: Alex James @Paleosculpts

"Three faces for Thylacoleo. Thread for why I reconstructed these three faces the way I did below:"



"Left: based on extant phylogenetic bracket (EPB). Problematic due to the the proposition that thylacoleonids were early-diverging wombats (Beck et al. 2020), and are craniofacially similar to more primitive living diprotodonts. Additionally, modern wombats are derived herbivores.

Right: based heavily on eutherian ecological analogues (Panthera sp., especially jaguar) - problematic due to lack of close relation, and different evolutionary histories. Looks nice though.

Centre: based on animals which are both related and slightly similar ecologically (mixed-diet diprotodonts, e.g. bear cuscus). Most ideal, as basal thylacoleonids were craniofacially similar to other basal diprotodonts (namely pygmy possums), and they are quite closely related."

[Faelrin]

Southlands was like the wombat based one right?

[Flaffy]

Southlands was like the wombat based one right?

Nah, the sculpt was rather feline in appearance.

[Faelrin]

@Flaffy I see now. It would be good to see another figure done based on the modern diprotodont reconstruction. Never mind the fact that was the sole figure made and it has been long retired at this point.