Man-sized "super koala" found

Adam Khor

Doing some research, it seems that Nimbadon was already known since the 90s but this is the first time I read about it. The news are about the finding of a series of skulls that reveal information on Nimbadon's life history.

http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2012/05/03/Fossils-of-ancient-super-koala-found/UPI-86411336086449/

Galvasean

It really makes you wonder if there is anything that does not have a giant prehistoric version of itself...

Adam Khor

Galvasean wrote: »

It really makes you wonder if there is anything that does not have a giant prehistoric version of itself...

That's why I strongly believe there must be some truth to the giant human fossils. Or others yet to be found.

Capt'n Midnight

Thylarctos plummetus

Identification

Around the size of a leopard or very large dog with coarse orange fur with some darker mottled patterning (as seen in most Koalas). It is a heavily built animal with powerful forearms for climbing and holding on to prey. It lacks canines, using broad powerful premolars as biting tools instead.

Size range

120kg, 130cm long, 90 cm at the shoulder.

Habitat

Closed canopy forest as well as open woodland on the margins of dense forest.

Galvasean

Well, that's not scary at all

Kess73

Galvasean wrote: »

It really makes you wonder if there is anything that does not have a giant prehistoric version of itself...

Galloping in with an answer

Was going to stick up Mr Ed, but BB had a great theme tune.

Galvasean

Hopefully this guy can buck that trend.

Capt'n Midnight

what were those hoofed predators ?

carnivorous horses

Adam Khor

Proboscidipparion was not the only large prehistoric horse, there's also Equus giganteus (once estimated to have weighed up to 1.600 kgs) and Equus capensis (probably more like a giant zebra up to 800 kgs).As far as I know, the heaviest draft horse was 1.500 kgs, but was exceptional- on average, modern horses are much smaller than either giganteus or capensis, and other less known fossil horses.

Galvasean

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

what were those hoofed predators ?

carnivorous horses

Pristichampsus? :pac:

Adam Khor

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

what were those hoofed predators ?

carnivorous horses

I've never heard of truly carnivorous horses, except for the Mares of Diomedes from Greek mythology which were fed on travelers by their master:



Real life hoofed predators, other than Pristichampsus and kin, I can only think of entelodonts and mesonychids, the latter related to modern day artiodactyls:





But they didn´t look like horses at all...

Adam Khor

A new article on Nimbadon this time with cool pic:

http://theconversation.edu.au/fossils-reveal-australias-tree-top-heavyweight-herbivore-10888