Ancient bone-crunching Territory thylacine femur uncovered near Alice Springs
Palaeontologists have discovered an intact femur of a 'Territory tiger' (Thylacinus potens) at the Alcoota fossil beds in Central Australia. This 8-million-year-old fossil provides new insights into the size and biology of this extinct, dog-like marsupial.
Why it matters
This discovery helps scientists better understand the prehistoric ecosystem of Central Australia and the evolutionary history of thylacines.
The femur bone has been lying at the Alcoota fossil beds for 8 million years. ( Supplied: Kirsti Abbott )
An intact Territory tiger ( Thylacinus potens) femur has been discovered for the first time at the Alcoota Scientific Reserve near Alice Springs.
The Territory tiger, which is a distant relative of the Tasmanian tiger, lived in the region about 8 million years ago.
The thigh bone will provide valuable insights into the size of the dog-like animal.
Link copied Share Share article The red sandy desert of Central Australia was once home to flightless giant birds, flamingos, crocodiles and the Northern Territory's biggest known species of thylacine, Thylacinus potens , a distant relative of the Tasmanian tiger, Thylacinus cynocephalus .
The climate was drastically different to what it is now.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in