Archerium Wroe and Mackness, 2000

Louys, Julien & Price, Gilbert J., 2015, The Chinchilla Local Fauna: An exceptionally rich and well-preserved Pliocene vertebrate assemblage from fluviatile deposits of south-eastern Queensland, Australia, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 60 (3), pp. 551-572 : 560-562

Genus Archerium Wroe and Mackness, 2000

Type species: Archerium chinchillaensis Wroe and Mackness, 2000 , Chinchilla, Pliocene.

Archerium chinchillaensis Wroe and Mackness, 2000 Fig. 7E .

Material.— QM F39847 (holotype, left maxillary fragment) from Chinchilla Rifle Range , Australia, Pliocene .

Remarks.—A new genus and species of dasyurid, Archerium chinchillaensis , was erected by Wroe and Mackness (2000b) on the basis of Chinchilla material.

Stratigraphic and geographic range.—Pliocene; eastern Australia.

Family Thylacinidae Bonaparte, 1838

Genus Thylacinus Temmink, 1824

Type species: Thylacinus cynocephalus (Harris, 1808) , Tasmania, Recent .

Thylacinus cynocephalus (Harris, 1808) Fig. 7K .

Material.—QM F3741 (right maxillary fragment) and QM F9476 (right mandibular fragment) from Chinchilla Rifle Range, Australia, Pliocene.

Remarks.— De Vis (1894a) described two specimens of thylacine from Chinchilla (namely Cat. No. 12,029 = QM F 726 in part, and Cat. No. 12,031 = QM F3744) which he attributed to a new species, Thylacinus rostralis . Ride (1964) referred an additional specimen (QM F2159) to that species. Thylacinus rostralis was later considered a junior synonym of the modern species T. cynocephalus by Dawson (1982). Mackness et al. (2002) reviewed the history and occurrence of Thylacinus at Chinchilla, and concluded that QM F726 and Cat. No. 12,026 were not from Chinchilla, but rather from the Darling Downs, on the basis of label information and preservation. However, they did not realise that Cat. No. 12,026 was also registered as QM F726, and that Cat. No. 12,026 and 12,029 are very likely part of the same specimen. It is worth citing the complete label information attached with QM F726: “Only the anterior portion of this specimen was listed by de Vis (1894[a]) as being in the Museum collections. He claimed that it came from the?Pliocene Chinchilla Sand at Chinchilla, N.W. Darling Downs. It bears the de Vis number 12029. Preservation indicates it has been derived from the Pleistocene fluviatile deposits [of the eastern Darling Downs]. The posterior portion of the ramus was associated during the early period of Longman’s time and I think there will be no hesitation about accepting the association. This portion bears the de Vis number 12026 but was not listed in de Vis’ (1894[a]) paper. The numbering indicates that he most certainly had the specimen. Longman noted that the posterior portion was from Pilton, S.E. Darling Downs and registered the specimen as such. Remains of the purchase number are still visible on the posterior portion, and this locality represents a much more likely source for the ramus” (Alan Bartholomai, undated). Mackness et al. (2002) did not discuss the other specimen described by de Vis (QM F3744); its label information indicates that it was recovered from the?Pliocene Chinchilla Sand. They also suggest that the specimen described by Ride (1964) was not derived from the Chinchilla Sand on the basis of preservation. Mackness et al. (2002) described material from Chinchilla (registered WPC), but suggested that it was only attributable to Thylacinus sp. However, two additional specimens in the QM collection, recovered in 1962 and 1977, and identified as T. rostralis (= T. cynocephalus ) are definitely from Chinchilla.

Stratigraphic and geographic range.— Pliocene–Holocene; mainland Australia and New Guinea (fossil only), and Tasmania.

Order Peramelemorphia Kirsch, 1968

Family Peramelidae Gray, 1825

Genus Perameles Geoffroy, 1804

Type species: Perameles nasuta Geoffroy, 1804 , New South Wales, Recent .

Figures

Fig.7. Non-macropodid marsupials from Chinchilla Sand,Australia, Pliocene.A. Dasyurus dunmalli Bartholomai,1971, QM F6579,Chinchilla Rifle Range, left mandibular ramus. B. Koobor notabilis (de Vis, 1889), QM F691, unspecified locality near Chinchilla, left maxillary fragment. C. Phascolarctidae gen. et sp. indet., QM F52287, Chinchilla Rifle Range, left dentary fragment.D. Phascolarctos?stirtoni Bartholomai, 1968, QM F52289, Chinchilla Rifle Range, isolated RM1, RM2 or RM3 fragment.E. Archerium chinchillaensis Wroeand Mackness, 2000, QM F39847,Chinchilla Rifle Range, left maxillary fragment. F. Thylacoleo crassidentatus Bartholomai, 1962, QM F3565, right mandibular ramus. G. Euryzygoma dunense (de Vis, 1888), QM F376, unspecified locality near Chinchilla, left mandible. H. Vombatus ursinus (Shaw, 1800), QM F743, unspecified locality near Chinchilla, proximal right tibia. I. Palorchestes parvus de Vis, 1895, QM F783, unspecified locality near Chinchilla, left mandibular fragment. J. Euowenia grata (de Vis, 1887), QM F519, north bank of Condamine River, mandible. K. Thylacinus cynocephalus (Harris, 1808), QM F9476, Chinchilla Rifle Range, right mandibular fragment.