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Riversleigh fauna facts for kids

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"Riversleigh fauna" is the name for all the amazing animal species found as fossils in the Riversleigh World Heritage Area. This special place in Australia is famous for its incredible collection of ancient animal remains. These fossils help scientists learn about life on Earth millions of years ago.

Discovering Ancient Life: Riversleigh's Time Zones

The fossils at Riversleigh are incredibly well-preserved. They come from different time periods, which scientists have grouped into "faunal zones." Think of these zones as chapters in a very old history book!

  • Faunal Zone A (FZA): This is the oldest, from the late Oligocene period. That was about 23 to 28 million years ago.
  • Faunal Zone B (FZB): From the early Miocene period, around 16 to 23 million years ago.
  • Faunal Zone C (FZC): From the middle Miocene period, about 11 to 16 million years ago.
  • Faunal Zone D (FZD): This is the most recent Miocene zone, from about 5 to 11 million years ago.

Scientists have also found more recent fossils from these periods:

  • Pliocene (PLIO): About 2.5 to 5 million years ago.
  • Pleistocene (PLEIS): From about 11,700 years to 2.5 million years ago.
  • Holocene (HOLO): This is the period from 11,700 years ago to today.

Who Lived Here? Riversleigh's Animal Lists

Scientists from the University of New South Wales and Queensland have put together lists of the animals found at Riversleigh. Before 2006, they had already described over 290 different species!

The animals found include many types of placental mammals, especially bats. There are also many different kinds of marsupials. Because some of these animals are so unique, scientists are still working to figure out exactly where they fit in the animal family tree.

One interesting group found is the Yingabalanaridae family. Scientists are still trying to understand their exact classification.

Ancient Bats of Riversleigh

Marsupials and Monotremes: Unique Australian Animals

  • Badjcinus: An early relative of the thylacine (Tasmanian tiger).
  • Balbaroo: An ancient kangaroo.
  • Barinya: A meat-eating marsupial.
  • Bettongia: A type of rat-kangaroo.
  • Bulungamaya: An ancient kangaroo.
  • Bulungu: A mouse-sized bandicoot that ate insects.
  • Burramys: The mountain pygmy possum.
  • Cercartetus: An ancient possum.
  • Chunia: An ancient possum.
  • Djaludjangi: An ancient gliding possum.
  • Djilgaringa: An ancient possum.
  • Durudawiri: An ancient possum.
  • Ekaltadeta: A meat-eating rat-kangaroo.
  • Ektopodon: An ancient possum.
  • Galadi: A meat-eating bandicoot.
  • Galanarla: An ancient kangaroo.
  • Ganawamaya: An ancient kangaroo.
  • Ganbulanyi: A meat-eating marsupial.
  • Ganguroo: An ancient kangaroo.
  • Gawinga: An ancient ringtail possum.
  • Gumardee: A rat-kangaroo.
  • Hypsiprymnodon: A rat-kangaroo that ate fruit.
  • Joculusium muizoni: A meat-eating marsupial.
  • Kuterintja: An extinct marsupial from the Ilariidae family.
  • Malleodectes: A marsupial with teeth made for eating snails.
  • Marada: A marsupial that grazed like a sheep.
  • Marlu: An ancient ringtail possum.
  • Maximucinus: An early relative of the thylacine.
  • Mayigriphus: A meat-eating marsupial.
  • Muribacinus: An early relative of the thylacine.
  • Mutpuracinus: An early relative of the thylacine.
  • Nambaroo: An ancient kangaroo.
  • Namilamadeta: An extinct marsupial from the Wynyardiidae family.
  • Naraboryctes: A marsupial mole.
  • Neohelos: A marsupial that grazed like a sheep.
  • Ngamalacinus: An early relative of the thylacine.
  • Ngapakaldia: A marsupial tapir.
  • Nimbacinus: An early relative of the thylacine.
  • Nimbadon: A marsupial that grazed like a sheep.
  • Nimiokoala: An ancient koala.
  • Obdurodon: A giant platypus.
  • Onirocuscus: An ancient brushtail possum.
  • Paljara: An ancient ringtail possum.
  • Palorchestes: A marsupial tapir.
  • Phascolarctos: An ancient koala.
  • Pildra: An ancient ringtail possum.
  • Priscakoala: An ancient koala.
  • Priscileo: A marsupial lion.
  • Propalorchestes: A marsupial tapir.
  • Rhinonicteris tedfordi: A microbat.
  • Rhizophascolonus: An ancient wombat.
  • Rhizosthenurus: An ancient kangaroo.
  • Silvabestius: A marsupial that grazed like a sheep.
  • Thylacinus: An early relative of the thylacine.
  • Trichosurus: An ancient brushtail possum.
  • Wabulacinus: An early relative of the thylacine.
  • Wabularoo: An ancient kangaroo.
  • Wakaleo: A marsupial lion.
  • Wakiewakie: A rat-kangaroo.
  • Wanburoo: An ancient kangaroo.
  • Warendja: An ancient wombat.
  • Wururoo: An ancient kangaroo.
  • Wyulda: An ancient brushtail possum.
  • Yalkaparidon: A very unusual marsupial.
  • Yarala: A tube-nosed bandicoot.
  • Yingabalanara richardsoni: A mysterious mammal from Faunal Zone B.

Birds of the Past

  • Australlus: A rail that could not fly.
  • Barawertornis: A giant mihirung bird.
  • Cacatua: A cockatoo.
  • Ciconia: A stork.
  • Collocalia: A swiftlet.
  • Corvitalusoides: An ancient passerine (perching bird).
  • Emuarius: An emuwary, a bird similar to an emu.
  • Eoanseranas: A magpie-goose.
  • Kurrartapu: A cracticid bird.
  • Longmornis: An Old World oriole.
  • Melopsittacus: A budgerigar.
  • Menura: A lyrebird.
  • Orthonyx: A logrunner.
  • Pengana: A bird of prey with flexible feet.
  • Pinpanetta: A stiff-tailed duck.
  • Primophaps: A bronzewing pigeon.

Ancient Reptiles

Amphibians from Long Ago

Fish Fossils

  • Mioceratodus: A lungfish.
  • Neoceratodus: A lungfish.
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