The dietary niche of the extinct Australian marsupial lion: Thylacoleo carnifex Owen

Abstract

Nedin, C. 1991 01 15: The dietary niche of the extinct Australian marsupial lion: Thylacoleo carnifex Owen. Lethaia, Vol. 24. pp. 115–118. Oslo. ISSN 0024–1164. Ever since the first systematic descriptions of the extinct Australian marsupial lion. Thylacoleo carnifex (Marsupialia: Thylacoleonidae). by the famous palaeontologist Sir Richard Owen in 1859. controversy has surrounded its dietary niche. This controversy, fuelled by the unique dentition of T. carnifex. with its huge, trenchant, third premolars prompted the suggestion of a variety of dietary niches. In order to ascertain the actual niche, the bones of various adult marsupials. including Thylacoleo. Thylacinus (the marsupial tiger), Marcropus and Sthenurus. were analysed for strontium and zinc. The results show a close correlation between Thylacoleo, Thylacinus and the insectivorous bandicoot Perameles. indicating a carnivorous diet for Thylacoleo, whilst confirming the leaf‐eating niche of Sthenurus. Also, the results confirm the usefulness of strontium bone analysis in ascertaining palaeodietary information whilst showing the value of a divariant over a monovariant analysis. Thylacoleo, palaeodiet. strontium, zinc.

Stable‐isotope studies on the collagenic and hydroxylapatite components of fossils: Palaeoecological implications

“…More recently, studies on dental morphology and the nature of the manus have suggested a carnivorous niche (Wells & Nicholl 1977;Finch 1982;Wells et al 1982;Wells 1985). Subsequent strontium and zinc geochemical analyses have also strongly supported suggestions of a carnivorous niche for T. carnifa (Nedin 1991). Therefore, T. carnifex can be used with some confidence as a carnivore (Owen 1859) with which to assess the appropriateness of biogeochemical analyses, specifically carbon-and nitrogen-isotope ratios of 'collagenic' material in determining the dietary niche of extinct megafauna in Australia.…”

Ecomorphological determinations in the absence of living analogues: the predatory behavior of the marsupial lion (Thylacoleo carnifex) as revealed by elbow joint morphology

“…In contrast, other contemporaneous researchers raised doubts about Owen’s hypothesis (e.g., Krefft 1866; Flower 1868; Cope 1882; De Vis 1883; Lydekker 1894), in particular because the angle, orientation, and morphology of its caniniform incisors raised doubts about their use for killing prey (e.g., Anderson 1929; Gill 1954). However, all of the evidence obtained during the last few decades, from both adaptive (Finch 1982; Wells et al 1982; Wroe et al 2005, 2008) and ecophysiological (Nedin 1991; Gröcke 1997; Wells et al 1982) approaches, indicates that Thylacoleo was indeed a hypercarnivorous animal. Thylacoleo thus represents an extinct hypercarnivorous species without living analogues (Wroe 2000), as all living diprotodontids are omnivores or herbivores (e.g., Finch 1982; Wells et al 1982, 2009; Case 1985; Wroe et al 2000; Wroe 2003).…”

“…However, all of the evidence obtained during the last few decades, from both adaptive (Finch 1982;Wells et al 1982;Wroe et al 2005;Wroe et al 2008) and ecophysiological (Nedin 1991;Gröcke 1997;Wells et al 1982) …”

Skull mechanics and implications for feeding behaviour in a large marsupial carnivore guild: the thylacine, Tasmanian devil and spotted‐tailed quoll

“…Dental and biogeochemical evidence suggests that T. cynocephalus was a hypercarnivore restricted to eating vertebrate flesh (Nedin, 1991;Wroe, Brammall & Cooke, 1998;Wroe, Lowry & Anton, 2008). The total energetic expenditure and time spent hunting by carnivorous mammals increases with body mass (Carbone et al, 1999).…”