Balbaridae facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Balbaridae Temporal range: Late Oligocene–Middle Miocene PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Infraclass:	Marsupialia
Order:	Diprotodontia
Suborder:	Macropodiformes
Family:	†Balbaridae Kear and Cooke, 1999
Genera
Subfamily indet †Galanarla Subfamily Nambarinae  †Nambaroo  †Wururoo  †Ganawamaya Subfamily Balbarinae  †Balbaroo

The Balbaridae were an extinct group of ancient marsupials, like early kangaroos and wallabys. They lived a long time ago, from the Oligocene epoch (about 33.9 to 23 million years ago) to the Miocene epoch (about 23 to 5.3 million years ago).

Scientists know about the Balbaridae by studying their fossils. These animals had special features in their teeth and skulls. These unique traits helped researchers understand that they were a distinct family of marsupials. For example, their molars had a special shape, and their skulls had large air spaces called sinuses.

Types of Balbaridae

The Balbaridae family included several different groups, or subfamilies, and many different types of animals, called genera. Here are some of the known groups:

Subfamily Indeterminate

This group includes animals that scientists are still studying to figure out their exact place in the family tree.

• †Galanarla

Subfamily Nambarinae

This subfamily includes several ancient kangaroo-like animals.

•  †Nambaroo
•  †Wururoo
  • W. dayamayi
•  †Ganawamaya

Subfamily Balbarinae

This group is named after the Balbaridae family itself and contains one of the most well-known genera.

•  †Balbaroo
  • †Balbaroo fangaroo