Yamila Gurovich | The University of New South Wales (original) (raw)
Papers by Yamila Gurovich
Journal of Anatomy, Jun 15, 2017
Newborn marsupials can be arranged into three grades of developmental complexity based on their e... more Newborn marsupials can be arranged into three grades of developmental complexity based on their external form, as well as based on their organ systems and their cytology. The dasyurids are considered the least developed marsupials at birth, while didelphids and peramelids are intermediate, and macropods are the most developed. Currently there is still little information on caenolestid and microbiotherid development at birth. Developmental stages can be graded as G1, G2 and G3, with G1 being the least developed at birth, and G3 the most developed. Marsupials are also characterized by having an extremely developed craniofacial region at birth compared with placentals. However, the facial region is also observed to vary in development between different marsupial groups at birth. The oral shield is a morphological structure observed in the oral region of the head during late embryological development, which will diminish shortly after birth. Morphological variation of the oral shield is observed and can be arranged by developmental complexity from greatly developed, reduced to vestigial. In its most developed state, the lips are fused, forming together with the rhinarium, a flattened ring around the buccal opening. In this study, we examine the external oral shield morphology in different species of newborn marsupials (dasyurids, peramelids, macropods and didelphids), including the newborn monito del monte young (Dromiciops gliroides – the sole survivor of the order Microbiotheria). The adaptive value of the oral shield structure is reviewed, and we discuss if this structure may be influenced by developmental stage of newborn, pouch cover, species relatedness, or other reproductive features. We observe that the oral shield structure is present in most species of Marsupialia and appears to be exclusively present in this infraclass. It has never been described in Monotremata or Eutherians. It is present in unrelated taxa (e.g. didelphids, dasyurids and microbiotherids). We observe that a well‐developed oral shield may be related to ultra altricial development at birth, large litter size (more than two), and is present in most species that lack a pouch in reproductive adult females or have a less prominent or less developed pouch with some exceptions. We try to explore the evolution of the oral shield structure using existing databases and our own observations to reconstruct likely ancestral character states that can then be used to estimate the evolutionary origin of this structure and if it was present in early mammals. We find that a simple to develop oral shield structure (type 2–3) may have been present in marsupial ancestors as well as in early therians, even though this structure is not present in the extant monotremes. This in turn may suggest that early marsupials may have had a very simple pouch or lacked a pouch as seen in some living marsupials, such as some dasyurids, didelphids and caenolestids. The study's results also suggest that different morphological stages of the oral shield and hindlimb development may be influenced by species size and reproductive strategy, and possibly by yet unknown species‐specific adaptations.
ABSTRACT Dromiciops gliroides es un marsupial endémico del Bosque templado austral. Las hembras d... more ABSTRACT Dromiciops gliroides es un marsupial endémico del Bosque templado austral. Las hembras de esta especie tienen en promedio mayor peso que los machos. El objetivo de este trabajo fue estudiar las diferencias en las variaciones en el peso y tamaño entre los sexos durante los meses de verano y entre años. Se realizó un seguimiento poblacional de 4 años (2009-2013) con métodos de captura recaptura. Los individuos fueron capturados con trampas tipo Tomahawk durante 4 noches por mes. Los ejemplares fueron marcados (pit tag) y se les registró edad, sexo, peso, largo total, ancho de la cola y alto de la cola (ambas en la región de la cloaca). En total se capturaron 191 individuos, de los cuales 53 fueron recapturados en diferentes meses y 24 en diferentes años. Se encontraros diferencias significativas entre los sexos en la variación mensual del peso siendo las hembras las que presentan mayores variaciones en el peso. Sin embargo no se observaron diferencias entre los años en la variación de los pesos en los ejemplares adultos. Tampoco hubo diferencias significativas en la variación en el perímetro de la cola, ni en la longitud total (ni entre meses, ni entre años). Estos resultados indican que la variación del peso de las hembras se manifiesta en el cuerpo y no en la cola como en la mayoría de los marsupiales. La variación mensual y el incremento en el peso de las hembras podrían estar relacionados con su ciclo reproductivo.
Journal of Mammalian Evolution
Mastozoología Neotropical
Journal of Mammalian Evolution
Background: Dromiciops gliroides is a small nocturnal marsupial found in the temperate forests of... more Background: Dromiciops gliroides is a small nocturnal marsupial found in the temperate forests of Southern Chile
and Argentina. It is the only living member of the order Microbiotheria. Here, we describe the discovery and first
account of live trapping of D. gliroides in Parque Nacional Los Alerces (Los Alerces National Park) in the province
of Chubut, Argentina. This account extends the distribution of this cryptic species south to Parque Nacional Los
Alerces (PNLA). The study provides a description of the habitat they were captured in after a recent bamboo
flowering and seeding event and subsequent rodent irruption, the first in 70 years in PNLA.
Results: Four adult D. gliroides were captured during the study period, and both adult females captured had pouch
young present, suggesting birth occurred in late October or early November. Habitat surveys revealed D. gliroides
inhabited Nothofagus forest. A lack of fruiting plants in PNLA during the trapping period (spring) suggests their diet
is likely restricted to insects at this time. No dreys were detected during habitat surveys, and hence, it is likely D.
gliroides utilises tree hollows as refuges and nesting sites in PNLA. Significant threats to the population in PNLA
were identified including introduced predators and human-related impacts due to farming and tourism.
Conclusions: There is a breeding population of D. gliroides present in Parque Nacional Los Alerces. The newly
discovered population now represents the most southern location for D. gliroides in Argentina
En Patagonia, Argentina viven cuatro especies de marsupiales, que corresponden a tres órdenes: Pa... more En Patagonia, Argentina viven cuatro especies de marsupiales, que corresponden a tres órdenes: Paucituberculata, Didelphimorphia y Microbiotheria. Dromiciops gliroides, la única especie viviente de Microbiotheria, se encuentra más relacionada filogenéticamente con los marsupiales de Australasia debido a su morfología, estudios moleculares y análisis de evidencia total. Dromiciops ocupa ambientes de selvas Valdiviana de Chile y provincias de Neuquén, Río Negro y Chubut, Argentina. El ciclo reproductivo de Dromiciops y el desarrollo y morfología de las crías se encuentran escasamente estudiado. El objetivo es estudiar la morfología de las crías de Dromiciops de Argentina y compararlas con crías de Chile. Se estudiaron tres crías de dos camadas diferentes del Parque Municipal Llao Llao, Río Negro. Se observó la morfología externa del cuerpo y la cabeza de las crías con un microscopio binocular de disección y macrofotografía digital. En la cabeza se observan vibrisas misticiales que est...
Dromiciops gliroides is a small nocturnal marsupial found in the temperate forests of Southern Ch... more Dromiciops gliroides is a small nocturnal marsupial found in the temperate forests of Southern Chile and Argentina. It is the only living member of the order Microbiotheria. Here we describe the first account of live trapping of D. gliroides in Parque Nacional Los Alerces (Los Alerces National Park) in the Province of Chubut, Argentina. This account extends the distribution of this cryptic species south to Parque Nacional Los Alerces (PNLA). The study provides a description of the habitat they were captured in after a recent bamboo flowering and seeding event and subsequent rodent irruption, the first in 70 years in PNLA. Four adult D. gliroides were captured during the study period, and both adult females captured had pouch young present, suggesting birth occurred in late October or early November. Habitat surveys revealed a lack of fruiting plants in PNLA, suggesting their diet is largely restricted to insects during early Spring. No dreys were detected, and hence it is likely D. ...
Dromiciops gliroides is a small nocturnal marsupial found in the temperate forests of Southern Ch... more Dromiciops gliroides is a small nocturnal marsupial found in the temperate forests of Southern Chile and Argentina. It is the only living member of the order Microbiotheria. Here we describe the first account of live trapping of D. gliroides in Parque Nacional Los Alerces (Los Alerces National Park) in the Province of Chubut, Argentina. This account extends the distribution of this cryptic species south to Parque Nacional Los Alerces (PNLA). The study provides a description of the habitat they were captured in after a recent bamboo flowering and seeding event and subsequent rodent irruption, the first in 70 years in PNLA. Four adult D. gliroides were captured during the study period, and both adult females captured had pouch young present, suggesting birth occurred in late October or early November. Habitat surveys revealed a lack of fruiting plants in PNLA, suggesting their diet is largely restricted to insects during early Spring. No dreys were detected, and hence it is likely D. ...
Patagonia (Argentina) is a unique region where two orders of American marsupials (Paucituberculat... more Patagonia (Argentina) is a unique region where two orders of American marsupials (Paucituberculata and Didelphimorphia) and one order of Australasian marsupials (Microbiotheria) are currently found. Dromiciops gliroides (Microbiotheria) is one of four species of marsupials living in southern Argentina as well as southern Chile. Dromiciops (monito del monte) reproduces between September and October and the young are born between early and late November in both Chile and Argentina. The exact time of gestation is unknown but is approximately in the range of 3 to 4 weeks. The monito has four teats and can give birth up to four pouch young. So far no pouch young have been gathered at birth (day 0) and studied over a consecutive period. Here preserved pouch young from two different litters from Argentina were obtained. Measurements (head length, tail, crown-rump and pes length) were taken and morphology compared with pouch young from Chile and other pouch young from Australian marsupials ...
Dromiciops gliroides es un marsupial endémico del Bosque templado austral. Las hembras de esta es... more Dromiciops gliroides es un marsupial endémico del Bosque templado austral. Las hembras de esta especie tienen en promedio mayor peso que los machos. El objetivo de este trabajo fue estudiar las diferencias en las variaciones en el peso y tamaño entre los sexos durante los meses de verano y entre años. Se realizó un seguimiento poblacional de 4 años (2009-2013) con métodos de captura recaptura. Los individuos fueron capturados con trampas tipo Tomahawk durante 4 noches por mes. Los ejemplares fueron marcados (pit tag) y se les registró edad, sexo, peso, largo total, ancho de la cola y alto de la cola (ambas en la región de la cloaca). En total se capturaron 191 individuos, de los cuales 53 fueron recapturados en diferentes meses y 24 en diferentes años. Se encontraros diferencias significativas entre los sexos en la variación mensual del peso siendo las hembras las que presentan mayores variaciones en el peso. Sin embargo no se observaron diferencias entre los años en la variación de...
Naturwissenschaften, 2012
Journal of Systematic Palaeontology
We describe Bulungu palara gen. et sp. nov., a new fossil peramelemorphian (bandicoot), based on ... more We describe Bulungu palara gen. et sp. nov., a new fossil peramelemorphian (bandicoot), based on a single well-preserved
skull and additional dental specimens from Late Oligocene toMiddleMiocene (Faunal Zones A–C) limestone deposits at the
Riversleigh World Heritage Property, Queensland, and two dental specimens from the Early–Middle Miocene Kutjamarpu
Local Fauna, South Australia. This is the first fossil peramelemorphian species to be reported from more than a single
fossil fauna, with its inferred distribution extending from north-western Queensland (modern latitude ∼19◦S) to northeastern
South Australia (modern latitude ∼28◦S). The presence of Bulungu palara in Riversleigh Faunal Zones A, B and
C and in the Kutjamarpu Local Fauna supports the current interpretation that these faunas span similar ages, namely Late
Oligocene–Middle Miocene. Phylogenetic analyses of an expanded 74 morphological character dataset using maximum
parsimony and Bayesian approaches, both with and without a molecular scaffold, consistently place Bulungu and the
Oligo-Miocene forms Galadi and Yarala outside crown-group Peramelemorphia. These analyses also fail to support a close
relationship between the Pliocene Ischnodon australis (previously considered the oldest known representative of the extant
peramelemorphian family Thylacomyidae) and the modern thylacomyid genus Macrotis. With an estimated body mass of
∼130 g, Bulungu palara is smaller than any known Recent bandicoot from Australia, although some modern New Guinean
species are similar in size. The small size and craniodental morphology of B. palara suggest that it was predominantly or
exclusively insectivorous, perhaps ecologically similar to small New Guinean dasyurids such as Murexechinus melanurus.
Together with the small-bodied (< 100 g), insectivorous Yarala burchfieldi and large-bodied (∼900 g), faunivorous Galadi
speciosus, Bulungu palara demonstrates that Oligo-Miocene Australian peramelemorphians filled ecological niches that
today are mostly occupied by dasyurids, and that a major faunal turnover event occurred at some point after the Middle
Miocene.
Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Jan 8, 2013
We describe three new bandicoot species of the genus Galadi from theMiocene of Riversleigh WorldH... more We describe three new bandicoot species of the genus Galadi from theMiocene of Riversleigh WorldHeritage
Area in northern Australia. The first species, which is represented by a complete dentary and several isolated upper molars,
is restricted to Riversleigh’s Faunal Zone B. It is the largest bandicoot as yet known from Riversleigh. The second species
is represented by 19 specimens, including a partial skull and several maxillae and dentaries, from Riversleigh’s Faunal Zone
C. Several features distinguishing this species from the similarly sized type species G. speciosus are of interest, notably the
presence of larger maxillopalatine fenestrae and additional maxillary fenestrae, incomplete centrocrista on all upper molars,
a more complete posterior cingulum on upper molars, and higher degree of dental wear, which together suggest a more
omnivorous diet. The third species is represented by a single maxillary, which exhibits a quite different combination of dental
features compared with other Galadi species. All Galadi species appear to be restricted to Riversleigh’s Faunal Zones B and
C, which are interpreted to be early and middle Miocene in age, respectively, with rainforest habitats persisting throughout.
Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 2010
We describe Galadi speciosus, gen. et sp nov., the second peramelemorphian (Yarala burchfieldi be... more We describe Galadi speciosus, gen. et sp nov., the second peramelemorphian (Yarala burchfieldi being the first) to be described from Oligo-Miocene deposits of Riversleigh World Heritage Property, northwestern Queensland. G. speciosus is represented by relatively complete craniodental material, including an exceptionally well-preserved skull. This taxon exhibits several apomorphies that clearly place it in the order Peramelemorphia, but it appears to be more plesiomorphic than any modern bandicoot. We present the first morphological phylogenetic analyses of Peramelemorphia, using 51 craniodental characters. Our analyses recover Yarala and Galadi speciosus outside crown group Peramelemorphia, with G. speciosus weakly supported as the sister taxon of the crown group. The craniodental morphology of G. speciosus, particularly its robust skull and proportionately short and broad snout, suggests that it filled a different ecological niche to extant bandicoots. We hypothesize that G. speciosus occupied a predominantly faunivorous, dasyurid-like niche in the Oligo-Miocene rainforests of Riversleigh, at a time when dasyurids appear to have been relatively rare.
Journal of Anatomy, Jun 15, 2017
Newborn marsupials can be arranged into three grades of developmental complexity based on their e... more Newborn marsupials can be arranged into three grades of developmental complexity based on their external form, as well as based on their organ systems and their cytology. The dasyurids are considered the least developed marsupials at birth, while didelphids and peramelids are intermediate, and macropods are the most developed. Currently there is still little information on caenolestid and microbiotherid development at birth. Developmental stages can be graded as G1, G2 and G3, with G1 being the least developed at birth, and G3 the most developed. Marsupials are also characterized by having an extremely developed craniofacial region at birth compared with placentals. However, the facial region is also observed to vary in development between different marsupial groups at birth. The oral shield is a morphological structure observed in the oral region of the head during late embryological development, which will diminish shortly after birth. Morphological variation of the oral shield is observed and can be arranged by developmental complexity from greatly developed, reduced to vestigial. In its most developed state, the lips are fused, forming together with the rhinarium, a flattened ring around the buccal opening. In this study, we examine the external oral shield morphology in different species of newborn marsupials (dasyurids, peramelids, macropods and didelphids), including the newborn monito del monte young (Dromiciops gliroides – the sole survivor of the order Microbiotheria). The adaptive value of the oral shield structure is reviewed, and we discuss if this structure may be influenced by developmental stage of newborn, pouch cover, species relatedness, or other reproductive features. We observe that the oral shield structure is present in most species of Marsupialia and appears to be exclusively present in this infraclass. It has never been described in Monotremata or Eutherians. It is present in unrelated taxa (e.g. didelphids, dasyurids and microbiotherids). We observe that a well‐developed oral shield may be related to ultra altricial development at birth, large litter size (more than two), and is present in most species that lack a pouch in reproductive adult females or have a less prominent or less developed pouch with some exceptions. We try to explore the evolution of the oral shield structure using existing databases and our own observations to reconstruct likely ancestral character states that can then be used to estimate the evolutionary origin of this structure and if it was present in early mammals. We find that a simple to develop oral shield structure (type 2–3) may have been present in marsupial ancestors as well as in early therians, even though this structure is not present in the extant monotremes. This in turn may suggest that early marsupials may have had a very simple pouch or lacked a pouch as seen in some living marsupials, such as some dasyurids, didelphids and caenolestids. The study's results also suggest that different morphological stages of the oral shield and hindlimb development may be influenced by species size and reproductive strategy, and possibly by yet unknown species‐specific adaptations.
ABSTRACT Dromiciops gliroides es un marsupial endémico del Bosque templado austral. Las hembras d... more ABSTRACT Dromiciops gliroides es un marsupial endémico del Bosque templado austral. Las hembras de esta especie tienen en promedio mayor peso que los machos. El objetivo de este trabajo fue estudiar las diferencias en las variaciones en el peso y tamaño entre los sexos durante los meses de verano y entre años. Se realizó un seguimiento poblacional de 4 años (2009-2013) con métodos de captura recaptura. Los individuos fueron capturados con trampas tipo Tomahawk durante 4 noches por mes. Los ejemplares fueron marcados (pit tag) y se les registró edad, sexo, peso, largo total, ancho de la cola y alto de la cola (ambas en la región de la cloaca). En total se capturaron 191 individuos, de los cuales 53 fueron recapturados en diferentes meses y 24 en diferentes años. Se encontraros diferencias significativas entre los sexos en la variación mensual del peso siendo las hembras las que presentan mayores variaciones en el peso. Sin embargo no se observaron diferencias entre los años en la variación de los pesos en los ejemplares adultos. Tampoco hubo diferencias significativas en la variación en el perímetro de la cola, ni en la longitud total (ni entre meses, ni entre años). Estos resultados indican que la variación del peso de las hembras se manifiesta en el cuerpo y no en la cola como en la mayoría de los marsupiales. La variación mensual y el incremento en el peso de las hembras podrían estar relacionados con su ciclo reproductivo.
Journal of Mammalian Evolution
Mastozoología Neotropical
Journal of Mammalian Evolution
Background: Dromiciops gliroides is a small nocturnal marsupial found in the temperate forests of... more Background: Dromiciops gliroides is a small nocturnal marsupial found in the temperate forests of Southern Chile
and Argentina. It is the only living member of the order Microbiotheria. Here, we describe the discovery and first
account of live trapping of D. gliroides in Parque Nacional Los Alerces (Los Alerces National Park) in the province
of Chubut, Argentina. This account extends the distribution of this cryptic species south to Parque Nacional Los
Alerces (PNLA). The study provides a description of the habitat they were captured in after a recent bamboo
flowering and seeding event and subsequent rodent irruption, the first in 70 years in PNLA.
Results: Four adult D. gliroides were captured during the study period, and both adult females captured had pouch
young present, suggesting birth occurred in late October or early November. Habitat surveys revealed D. gliroides
inhabited Nothofagus forest. A lack of fruiting plants in PNLA during the trapping period (spring) suggests their diet
is likely restricted to insects at this time. No dreys were detected during habitat surveys, and hence, it is likely D.
gliroides utilises tree hollows as refuges and nesting sites in PNLA. Significant threats to the population in PNLA
were identified including introduced predators and human-related impacts due to farming and tourism.
Conclusions: There is a breeding population of D. gliroides present in Parque Nacional Los Alerces. The newly
discovered population now represents the most southern location for D. gliroides in Argentina
En Patagonia, Argentina viven cuatro especies de marsupiales, que corresponden a tres órdenes: Pa... more En Patagonia, Argentina viven cuatro especies de marsupiales, que corresponden a tres órdenes: Paucituberculata, Didelphimorphia y Microbiotheria. Dromiciops gliroides, la única especie viviente de Microbiotheria, se encuentra más relacionada filogenéticamente con los marsupiales de Australasia debido a su morfología, estudios moleculares y análisis de evidencia total. Dromiciops ocupa ambientes de selvas Valdiviana de Chile y provincias de Neuquén, Río Negro y Chubut, Argentina. El ciclo reproductivo de Dromiciops y el desarrollo y morfología de las crías se encuentran escasamente estudiado. El objetivo es estudiar la morfología de las crías de Dromiciops de Argentina y compararlas con crías de Chile. Se estudiaron tres crías de dos camadas diferentes del Parque Municipal Llao Llao, Río Negro. Se observó la morfología externa del cuerpo y la cabeza de las crías con un microscopio binocular de disección y macrofotografía digital. En la cabeza se observan vibrisas misticiales que est...
Dromiciops gliroides is a small nocturnal marsupial found in the temperate forests of Southern Ch... more Dromiciops gliroides is a small nocturnal marsupial found in the temperate forests of Southern Chile and Argentina. It is the only living member of the order Microbiotheria. Here we describe the first account of live trapping of D. gliroides in Parque Nacional Los Alerces (Los Alerces National Park) in the Province of Chubut, Argentina. This account extends the distribution of this cryptic species south to Parque Nacional Los Alerces (PNLA). The study provides a description of the habitat they were captured in after a recent bamboo flowering and seeding event and subsequent rodent irruption, the first in 70 years in PNLA. Four adult D. gliroides were captured during the study period, and both adult females captured had pouch young present, suggesting birth occurred in late October or early November. Habitat surveys revealed a lack of fruiting plants in PNLA, suggesting their diet is largely restricted to insects during early Spring. No dreys were detected, and hence it is likely D. ...
Dromiciops gliroides is a small nocturnal marsupial found in the temperate forests of Southern Ch... more Dromiciops gliroides is a small nocturnal marsupial found in the temperate forests of Southern Chile and Argentina. It is the only living member of the order Microbiotheria. Here we describe the first account of live trapping of D. gliroides in Parque Nacional Los Alerces (Los Alerces National Park) in the Province of Chubut, Argentina. This account extends the distribution of this cryptic species south to Parque Nacional Los Alerces (PNLA). The study provides a description of the habitat they were captured in after a recent bamboo flowering and seeding event and subsequent rodent irruption, the first in 70 years in PNLA. Four adult D. gliroides were captured during the study period, and both adult females captured had pouch young present, suggesting birth occurred in late October or early November. Habitat surveys revealed a lack of fruiting plants in PNLA, suggesting their diet is largely restricted to insects during early Spring. No dreys were detected, and hence it is likely D. ...
Patagonia (Argentina) is a unique region where two orders of American marsupials (Paucituberculat... more Patagonia (Argentina) is a unique region where two orders of American marsupials (Paucituberculata and Didelphimorphia) and one order of Australasian marsupials (Microbiotheria) are currently found. Dromiciops gliroides (Microbiotheria) is one of four species of marsupials living in southern Argentina as well as southern Chile. Dromiciops (monito del monte) reproduces between September and October and the young are born between early and late November in both Chile and Argentina. The exact time of gestation is unknown but is approximately in the range of 3 to 4 weeks. The monito has four teats and can give birth up to four pouch young. So far no pouch young have been gathered at birth (day 0) and studied over a consecutive period. Here preserved pouch young from two different litters from Argentina were obtained. Measurements (head length, tail, crown-rump and pes length) were taken and morphology compared with pouch young from Chile and other pouch young from Australian marsupials ...
Dromiciops gliroides es un marsupial endémico del Bosque templado austral. Las hembras de esta es... more Dromiciops gliroides es un marsupial endémico del Bosque templado austral. Las hembras de esta especie tienen en promedio mayor peso que los machos. El objetivo de este trabajo fue estudiar las diferencias en las variaciones en el peso y tamaño entre los sexos durante los meses de verano y entre años. Se realizó un seguimiento poblacional de 4 años (2009-2013) con métodos de captura recaptura. Los individuos fueron capturados con trampas tipo Tomahawk durante 4 noches por mes. Los ejemplares fueron marcados (pit tag) y se les registró edad, sexo, peso, largo total, ancho de la cola y alto de la cola (ambas en la región de la cloaca). En total se capturaron 191 individuos, de los cuales 53 fueron recapturados en diferentes meses y 24 en diferentes años. Se encontraros diferencias significativas entre los sexos en la variación mensual del peso siendo las hembras las que presentan mayores variaciones en el peso. Sin embargo no se observaron diferencias entre los años en la variación de...
Naturwissenschaften, 2012
Journal of Systematic Palaeontology
We describe Bulungu palara gen. et sp. nov., a new fossil peramelemorphian (bandicoot), based on ... more We describe Bulungu palara gen. et sp. nov., a new fossil peramelemorphian (bandicoot), based on a single well-preserved
skull and additional dental specimens from Late Oligocene toMiddleMiocene (Faunal Zones A–C) limestone deposits at the
Riversleigh World Heritage Property, Queensland, and two dental specimens from the Early–Middle Miocene Kutjamarpu
Local Fauna, South Australia. This is the first fossil peramelemorphian species to be reported from more than a single
fossil fauna, with its inferred distribution extending from north-western Queensland (modern latitude ∼19◦S) to northeastern
South Australia (modern latitude ∼28◦S). The presence of Bulungu palara in Riversleigh Faunal Zones A, B and
C and in the Kutjamarpu Local Fauna supports the current interpretation that these faunas span similar ages, namely Late
Oligocene–Middle Miocene. Phylogenetic analyses of an expanded 74 morphological character dataset using maximum
parsimony and Bayesian approaches, both with and without a molecular scaffold, consistently place Bulungu and the
Oligo-Miocene forms Galadi and Yarala outside crown-group Peramelemorphia. These analyses also fail to support a close
relationship between the Pliocene Ischnodon australis (previously considered the oldest known representative of the extant
peramelemorphian family Thylacomyidae) and the modern thylacomyid genus Macrotis. With an estimated body mass of
∼130 g, Bulungu palara is smaller than any known Recent bandicoot from Australia, although some modern New Guinean
species are similar in size. The small size and craniodental morphology of B. palara suggest that it was predominantly or
exclusively insectivorous, perhaps ecologically similar to small New Guinean dasyurids such as Murexechinus melanurus.
Together with the small-bodied (< 100 g), insectivorous Yarala burchfieldi and large-bodied (∼900 g), faunivorous Galadi
speciosus, Bulungu palara demonstrates that Oligo-Miocene Australian peramelemorphians filled ecological niches that
today are mostly occupied by dasyurids, and that a major faunal turnover event occurred at some point after the Middle
Miocene.
Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Jan 8, 2013
We describe three new bandicoot species of the genus Galadi from theMiocene of Riversleigh WorldH... more We describe three new bandicoot species of the genus Galadi from theMiocene of Riversleigh WorldHeritage
Area in northern Australia. The first species, which is represented by a complete dentary and several isolated upper molars,
is restricted to Riversleigh’s Faunal Zone B. It is the largest bandicoot as yet known from Riversleigh. The second species
is represented by 19 specimens, including a partial skull and several maxillae and dentaries, from Riversleigh’s Faunal Zone
C. Several features distinguishing this species from the similarly sized type species G. speciosus are of interest, notably the
presence of larger maxillopalatine fenestrae and additional maxillary fenestrae, incomplete centrocrista on all upper molars,
a more complete posterior cingulum on upper molars, and higher degree of dental wear, which together suggest a more
omnivorous diet. The third species is represented by a single maxillary, which exhibits a quite different combination of dental
features compared with other Galadi species. All Galadi species appear to be restricted to Riversleigh’s Faunal Zones B and
C, which are interpreted to be early and middle Miocene in age, respectively, with rainforest habitats persisting throughout.
Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 2010
We describe Galadi speciosus, gen. et sp nov., the second peramelemorphian (Yarala burchfieldi be... more We describe Galadi speciosus, gen. et sp nov., the second peramelemorphian (Yarala burchfieldi being the first) to be described from Oligo-Miocene deposits of Riversleigh World Heritage Property, northwestern Queensland. G. speciosus is represented by relatively complete craniodental material, including an exceptionally well-preserved skull. This taxon exhibits several apomorphies that clearly place it in the order Peramelemorphia, but it appears to be more plesiomorphic than any modern bandicoot. We present the first morphological phylogenetic analyses of Peramelemorphia, using 51 craniodental characters. Our analyses recover Yarala and Galadi speciosus outside crown group Peramelemorphia, with G. speciosus weakly supported as the sister taxon of the crown group. The craniodental morphology of G. speciosus, particularly its robust skull and proportionately short and broad snout, suggests that it filled a different ecological niche to extant bandicoots. We hypothesize that G. speciosus occupied a predominantly faunivorous, dasyurid-like niche in the Oligo-Miocene rainforests of Riversleigh, at a time when dasyurids appear to have been relatively rare.