Djarthia facts for kids

Djarthia murgonensis was a very old type of marsupial that is now extinct. It is super important because its fossils are the oldest marsupial remains ever found in Australia. Scientists discovered it at a special place called the Murgon fossil site in south-eastern Queensland.

Quick facts for kids Djarthia Temporal range: Early Eocene
Isolated petrosals of Djarthia murgonensis
Scientific classification

Comparison of isolated tarsals of Djarthia murgonensis with an extant australidelphian marsupial and an extant non-australidelphian (‘ameridelphian’) marsupial

Discovering Djarthia murgonensis

Djarthia murgonensis is an ancient genus of marsupial. It was first described by scientists in 1999. They found its fossils at the Murgon fossil site. This site is in south-eastern Queensland, Australia.

What makes it special?

This marsupial is very special because it is the oldest one ever found in Australia. Its fossils help us understand how marsupials spread around the world. It lived during the Early Eocene epoch. This was about 56 to 48 million years ago.

The Tingamarra Fauna

The fossils of Djarthia murgonensis are part of what scientists call the Tingamarra fauna. This group includes many ancient animals found at the Murgon site. They give us clues about life in Australia millions of years ago.

What did Djarthia look like?

Scientists have found several parts of Djarthia murgonensis. These include a molar tooth. They also found parts of its inner ear, called the cochlea. Pieces of its ankle bone, known as the tarsal bone, were also discovered.

Clues from its bones

Even from these few bones, scientists can learn a lot. The shape of its molar tooth tells us about its diet. The ear and ankle bones give clues about how it moved and heard. These small pieces help us imagine what this ancient marsupial was like.

Djarthia and Australidelphia

Djarthia murgonensis belongs to a group of marsupials called Australidelphia. This is a very important group. It includes almost all marsupials that live in Australia today. It also includes some marsupials found in South America.

A journey across continents

Scientists believe that marsupials in the Australidelphia group spread out from a supercontinent. This supercontinent was called Gondwana. It broke apart millions of years ago. This explains why we find similar marsupials in Australia and South America. Djarthia helps us understand this ancient journey.