Marada arcanum facts for kids

Marada arcanum is a unique type of ancient marsupial. It's part of a group called Vombatiformes, which includes animals like wombats and koalas. Scientists found the first fossil of Marada arcanum in 2001 at a special place called the Oligocene Hiatus Site in Riversleigh, Australia.

This animal is the only known member of its group, called Marada. It's quite special because it has a mix of very old features, like those seen in its distant ancestors, and newer, unique features. This mix makes it tricky for scientists to figure out exactly where it fits in the family tree of marsupials. Because of this, it has been placed in its very own family, called Maradidae.

What We Know About Marada arcanum

The only fossil found of Marada arcanum is a part of its right lower jawbone. This jawbone includes its first front tooth (though the very top part of that tooth is missing). The main part of the jawbone is complete, and it still has three of its premolar teeth and all four molar teeth.

Missing Pieces of the Jaw

However, some parts of the back of the jawbone are missing. These include the coronoid process, which is a part that helps muscles attach, the articular condyle, which connects the jaw to the skull, and the angular process, another part at the back of the jaw. Even with these missing pieces, the fossil gives us important clues about this ancient animal.

Who Discovered Marada arcanum?

The new species, its genus (Marada), and its family (Maradidae) were officially described in 2007. This important work was done by an Australian scientist named Karen Black. As a palaeontologist, she studies fossils to learn about life from long ago.