Lekaneleo facts for kids

Lekaneleo roskellyae was a type of ancient meat-eating marsupial that lived in Australia a very long time ago. This was during the early Miocene epoch, about 16 to 25 million years ago. We know about it from its fossils, which are the preserved remains of ancient life.

This animal was once thought to be part of a different group called Priscileo. Later, scientists realized it was unique enough to have its own special group, or genus, called Lekaneleo.

Discovering Lekaneleo

How Lekaneleo Was Found

Scientists first described Lekaneleo roskellyae in 1997. The person who described it was a paleontologist named Anna Gillespie. Paleontologists are scientists who study fossils.

The fossils were found at a special place in Australia called the Riversleigh World Heritage Area. This area is famous for having many amazing fossils. The discovery included a nearly complete skull and upper jaw with some teeth.

Changing Its Name

When Lekaneleo roskellyae was first found, it was put into a group called Priscileo. At that time, Priscileo was only known from a few tooth fragments and a small part of an upper jaw.

As more fossils were found at Riversleigh, scientists learned more. In 2017, they realized that the original Priscileo species was actually part of the Wakaleo group. So, it was renamed Wakaleo pitikantensis.

Then, in 2020, Anna Gillespie and other scientists, Mike Archer and Suzanne Hand, decided that Lekaneleo roskellyae was very different. They gave it its own new genus, Lekaneleo. This means it's a unique type of marsupial.

Honoring Ros Kelly

The second part of the animal's name, roskellyae, honors Ros Kelly. She was a minister in the Australian government. She helped support the important fossil research happening at Riversleigh.

What Lekaneleo Looked Like

Size and Teeth

Lekaneleo roskellyae was a medium-sized marsupial. Scientists estimate it weighed about 2.7 kilograms (around 6 pounds). This is roughly the size of a small dog.

Its teeth tell us a lot about what it ate. Like many meat-eaters, it had strong teeth for biting and tearing. Its upper jaw had a specific pattern of incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. One of its premolar teeth, called P3, was similar to the large teeth found in other ancient marsupial lions called Wakaleo.

A Strong Bite

Scientists have studied the bite force of Lekaneleo roskellyae. They believe it had one of the strongest bites of any known mammal, especially for its size! This powerful bite suggests it was a fierce predator. It could likely take down animals larger than itself.

Another larger ancient marsupial lion, Thylacoleo carnifex, also had an incredibly strong bite. This shows that these ancient marsupial predators were very effective hunters.

How It Hunted

Scientists think that a related, larger species, P. pitikantensis, might have been an arboreal ambush predator. This means it probably lived in trees and would wait to surprise its prey from above. While we don't know for sure about Lekaneleo roskellyae, it gives us an idea of how these ancient marsupial lions might have hunted.