One species – P. viator – would have weighed up to 170 kilograms (375 pounds), making it around twice as heavy as the largest male red kangaroos living today.
Flinders UniversityThe largest specimens would have stood more than 2 meters (6.6 feet) tall, Kerr told CNN on Monday.
By around 40,000 years ago Protemnodon had become extinct on mainland Australia, despite the differences between the various species.
This extinction, however, did not affect similar animals such as wallaroos and grey kangaroos, for reasons scientists do not fully understand.
“There is a species of Protemnodon present in the formation we’ll be digging at, Protemnodon otibandus, and I’m hoping for a complete skull of this very interesting species,” he said.
Persons:
Isaac Kerr, South Australia Aaron Camens, viator, Kerr, ”, “, ’, Thylacoleo, mamkurra, ” Kerr, Protemnodon, Protemnodon otibandus
Organizations:
CNN —, Flinders University, Volunteers, CNN
Locations:
South Australia, Lake Callabonna, Australia, Callabonna, Tasmania, New Guinea, Papua New Guinea