Priscileo

Taxobox
name = "Priscileo"
fossil_range = Oligocene - Early Miocene
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
infraclassis = Marsupialia
ordo = Diprotodontia
familia = Thylacoleonidae
genus = "Priscileo"
genus_authority = Rauscher, 1987
subdivision_ranks = Paleospecies
subdivision = "Priscileo pitikantensis"
"Priscileo roskellyae"

"Priscileo" ("Ancient Lion") was the basal-most genus of Thylacoleonidae. Fossils of this genus have been found in Oligocene and Miocene strata of South Australia and Queensland. It was about the size of a possum and was less powerful than the other marsupial lions. The two species have crushing molar teeth (as in omnivorous kangaroos) as well as carnassial blades (large, flesh cutting teeth derived from the first lower molar and last upper molar). The Early Miocene species of "P. roskellyae" may have been an arboreal species.

References

Wildlife of Gondwana, By Patricia Vickers-Rich and Thomas Hewett Rich 1993 ISBN 0-7301-0315-3 Reed.

External links

* [http://www.naturalworlds.org/thylacoleo/species/GS_tertiary.htm Priscileo species]
* [http://www.angellis.net/Web/DFG-mam/Priscileo.htm Drawing]
* [http://www.austmus.gov.au/fossil_sites/publications.htm External References]