Bettongia moyesi facts for kids

Bettongia moyesi is an ancient type of marsupial, similar to a small kangaroo or wallaby, that is now extinct. We only know about it from fossils found in Australia. It was a fascinating creature that lived millions of years ago.

Discovering the Ancient Bettong

What is Bettongia moyesi?

Bettongia moyesi was a species of Bettong, which are small, hopping marsupials. It lived during a time called the Middle Miocene, which was about 11 to 16 million years ago. This ancient bettong was part of a group of animals called potoroids.

How We Know About It

Scientists Tim Flannery and Mike Archer first described Bettongia moyesi in 1987. They found its fossils at a very important place called the Riversleigh World Heritage Area in Australia. This area is famous for having many amazing fossils.

The scientists named this species after Allan Moyes. He was a chairman of IBM Australia. IBM helped a lot by moving large amounts of fossil-rich rock from Riversleigh to Sydney so scientists could study them.

Life of the Ancient Bettong

What It Looked Like and Where It Lived

Bettongia moyesi lived in thick rainforests that covered the Riversleigh area millions of years ago. The main fossil found, called the holotype, is a nearly complete skull and lower jaw. It was discovered at a site called Two Trees at Riversleigh. Another jawbone was found nearby at Henk's Hollow.

This ancient bettong was about the size of a small dog, weighing around five kilograms (about 11 pounds).

What It Ate

Like modern bettongs, Bettongia moyesi was an omnivore. This means it ate both plants and small animals. Its diet included special truffle-like fungi, which are a type of mushroom that grows underground. It also ate plant roots and small creatures without backbones, like insects or worms. It would find these foods by searching through the forest floor.