Tag Archive for 'Wombat'

Palorchestes azael. Image credit: Nellie Pease / CABAH / CC BY-SA 4.0.

Paleontologists Find New Biomarkers to Identify Megafauna Species in Australia’s Fossil Record

Jun 3, 2025 by News Staff

Paleontologists have identified peptide markers for three species of extinct Australian megafauna — a hippo-sized wombat, a giant kangaroo, and a...

Travouillon et al. examined the phenomenon of mammalian fluorescence to determine the extent of apparent fluorescence among mammals and to identify the anatomical regions most likely to fluoresce. The images show mammal taxidermy under UV light: (a) polar bear, (b) southern marsupial mole, (c) greater bilby, (d) mountain zebra, (e) bare-nosed wombat, (f) six-banded armadillo, (g) orange leaf-nosed bat, (h) quenda, (i) leopard, (j) Asian palm civet, (k) red fox, (l) dwarf spinner dolphin. Image credit: Travouillon et al., doi: 10.1098/rsos.230325.

At Least 125 Species of Mammals Glow under Ultraviolet Light, New Study Reveals

Oct 4, 2023 by Natali Anderson

Fluorescence — the absorption of short wavelengths of light and re-emission of longer wavelengths of light — is widely distributed among mammals...

An artist’s impression of Mukupirna nambensis living in central Australia that was much greener 25 million years ago. Image credit: Peter Schouten.

Strange Wombat Relative Once Lived in Australia

Mar 30, 2023 by Enrico de Lazaro

Mukupirna fortidentata looked a bit like a modern wombat crossed with a marsupial lion (Thylacoleo carnifex). An artist’s impression of Mukupirna nambensis...

Life reconstruction of Ramsayia magna. Image credit: Eleanor Pease.

Giant Wombat Species with Large, Fleshy Nose Once Lived in Australia

Dec 13, 2022 by Enrico de Lazaro

Paleontologists have discovered and examined the fossilized craniodental remains of Ramsayia magna, an extinct large-bodied wombat species that lived in...

Bare-nosed wombats (Vombatus ursinus). Image credit: Scott Carver.

Biologists Discover Why Wombat Feces are Square Shaped

Feb 3, 2021 by News Staff

The bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus) is an herbivorous Australian marsupial, renowned for its cubic feces. However, the ability of the wombat’s intestine...

Giant Wombat-Like Marsupials Roamed Australia 25 Million Years Ago

Jun 26, 2020 by News Staff

Paleontologists have identified a giant wombat-like marsupial that lived 25 million years ago (Oligocene epoch) in what is now Australia. Named Mukupirna...