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A NEW SPECIES OF THE WOMBAT WARENDJA FROM LATE MIOCENE DEPOSITS AT RIVERSLEIGH, NORTH‐WEST QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA
Author(s) -
BREWER PHILIPPA,
ARCHER MICHAEL,
HAND SUZANNE,
GODTHELP HENK
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
palaeontology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.69
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1475-4983
pISSN - 0031-0239
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-4983.2007.00678.x
Subject(s) - paleontology , premolar , genus , molar , geology , enamel paint , late miocene , biology , zoology , dentistry , medicine , structural basin
Abstract: A new species of the plesiomorphic wombat Warendja is described. Warendja encorensis sp. nov., the second species to be attributed to this genus, is known from a single fossil locality (Encore Site) at Riversleigh, north‐west Queensland. Specimens of W. encorensis are limited to isolated teeth, two mandibular fragments and a maxillary fragment. Two molars preserve the unworn crown morphology. Encore Site has been estimated to be late Miocene in age, making these the only known specimens of Warendja to be clearly older than Pleistocene. Warendja encorensis is also the first described species of wombat from Miocene deposits to which hypselodont teeth have been attributed. It differs from W. wakefieldi in its larger size, distribution of enamel, and in details of the incisor and premolar morphology.