Recent findings suggest that the extinct kangaroo species Protemnodon, also known as the "giant wallaby," was primarily quadrupedal, walking on all fours most of the time, rather than hopping like modern kangaroos. This conclusion is based on the analysis of their limb proportions, particularly their short feet and arm bones, which were unsuited for the stresses of hopping.
Another subfamily of ancient kangaroos, the sthenurines, were also found to be bipedal striders rather than hoppers, indicating a greater locomotor diversity and variety of habitats in Pleistocene Australia than previously thought.
Three new-found ancient species of giant kangaroos, named Protemnodon mamkurra, Protemnodon dawsonae, and Protemnodon viator, were discovered based on fossils found in Australia and New Guinea, with Protemnodon viator weighing up to 170 kilograms.
The diversity in movement styles of large kangaroos during the Pleistocene suggests a wider range of environments in Australia at that time, with different species adapting to live in different environments and moving in various ways.
Sources: Yahoo News, Phys.org, Tech Explorist, Borneo Bulletin
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.
