Ancient Large Kangaroo Moved Mostly on Four Legs, New Study Finds - PDF

7/11/24, 10:55 PM Ancient large kangaroo moved mostly on four legs, new study finds - Teruelcapitaleconomiasocial close Ancient large kangaroo moved mostly on four legs, new study fi...

7/11/24, 10:55 PM Ancient large kangaroo moved mostly on four legs, new study finds - Teruelcapitaleconomiasocial close Ancient large kangaroo moved mostly on four legs, new study finds Home / Ancient large kangaroo moved mostly on four legs, new study finds Ancient large kangaroo moved mostly on four legs, new study finds  Orange.N cmdosal July 10, 2024  0 Comments A new rendition of Protemnodon shown next to a human and the largest living kangaroo, the red kangaroo (Osphranter rufus). Credit: Billie Jones, Science Graphic Design An extinct species of kangaroo that lived in the Pleistocene epoch around two and a half to ten thousand years ago, known as the “giant wallaby”, was a poor jumper, according to a study by scientists at the University of Bristol. It was previously thought that several key species of large kangaroos, all larger than modern kangaroos and known as Protemnodon, could jump, despite their size. However, results published in Journal of Mammalian Evolution show that they were primarily quadrupedal and probably used four legs to move around most of the time. Lead author Billie Jones, a former master’s student on Bristol’s palaeobiology programme, explained: “There had been speculation in a final year thesis at Uppsala University that it might have been more quadrupedal in its habits compared to modern kangaroos. https://www.teruelcapitaleconomiasocial.es/2024/07/10/ancient-large-kangaroo-moved-mostly-on-four-legs-new-study-finds/ 1/4 7/11/24, 10:55 PM Ancient large kangaroo moved mostly on four legs, new study finds - Teruelcapitaleconomiasocial “This new paper builds on some previous quantitative studies that examined the anatomy of the humerus (upper arm bone) in a variety of mammals and concluded that Protemnodon typically put more weight on its forelimbs than modern kangaroos.” close Previous research has shown that Protemnodon’s ankle bones were not adapted to withstand the stresses of jumping. The team showed that the proportions of Protemnodon’s limbs were quite different from those of any living kangaroo, particularly the short feet, supporting the hypothesis that it was primarily quadrupedal, rather than a dedicated jumper like large living kangaroos. This paper is a quantitative study of limb proportions, together with a more qualitative discussion of some other aspects of anatomy, with the aim of confirming the locomotion of this extinct animal. These results provide further evidence that the taxonomic diversity of large Pleistocene kangaroos in Australia corresponded with locomotor diversity. Professor Christine Janis from Bristol’s School of Earth Sciences, who led the study, had previously shown that extinct sthenurines – a distinct subfamily of kangaroos – were bipedal hoppers rather than leapers. This locomotor diversity suggests a greater variety of habitats in the Australian Pleistocene than previously thought, as the continent was not as arid as it is today. Professor Janis added: “A study of the limb bones and the proportions of the bones to each other shows that the extinct so-called ‘giant wallaby’, Protemnodon, was probably a poor jumper at best and probably moved mainly on all fours, perhaps hopping on all fours as tree kangaroos do on the ground.” More information: Billie Jones et al., Hop, Walk, or Leap? Kangaroo Limb Proportions and Probable Locomotion of the Extinct Genus Protemnodon, Journal of Mammalian Evolution (2024). DOI: 10.1007/s10914-024-09725-4  Provided by the University of Bristol Quote:Ancient large kangaroos moved mainly on four legs, new study finds (2024, July 9) retrieved July 9, 2024 from This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without written permission. The content is provided for informational purposes only. Orange.N Having LeBron James As Team USA Teammate Is ‘Surreal’ After Sebastian Vettel, another world champion Lewis Hamilton calls F1 ‘GOAT’ https://www.teruelcapitaleconomiasocial.es/2024/07/10/ancient-large-kangaroo-moved-mostly-on-four-legs-new-study-finds/ 2/4