Revision in the diprotodontid marsupial genus Neohelos: Systematics and biostratigraphy

• Autorzy: Black K.H. , Archer M. , Hand S. J. , Godthelp H.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

Neohelos is a geographically and temporally widespread genus of Cenozoic diprotodontid marsupials commonly used to biocorrelate otherwise undated Australian fossil deposits. Here, we revise the genus and describe two new species from the Riversleigh World Heritage Area of northwestern Queensland. Neohelos solussp. nov. is a small, relatively abundant, plesiomorphic form, while the rarer, larger Neohelos davidridei sp. nov. is the most derived species of the genus with an upper premolar morphology that is structurally antecedant to members of the Late Miocene genus Kolopsis. Additional material of Neohelos tirarensis and Neohelos stirtoni is described. A chronological morphocline is evidenced by a gradual change in morphology accompanied by an increase in size from Ne. tirarensis through Ne. stirtoni to Ne. davidridei, and is generally consistent with the biostratigraphic distribution of Neohelos species throughout Riversleigh’s faunal zones A to D. Stage of evolution biocorrelation of Neohelos species confirms that some of Riversleigh’s Faunal Zone A deposits are Late Oligocene in age and predate the Wipajiri Formation of South Australia. Strong faunal correlations exist between Riversleigh’s topographically low to middle Faunal Zone C deposits and the Northern Territory’s Middle Miocene Bullock Creek Local Fauna. The presence of the highly derived N. davidridei in the Jaw Junction Local Fauna of Riversleigh’s Upper Faunal Zone C suggests a later Middle Miocene (post−Bullock Creek) age for this deposit.

• Wydawca: -
• Czasopismo: Acta Palaeontologica Polonica
• Rocznik: 2013
• Tom: 58
• Numer: 4
• Opis fizyczny: p.679-706,fig.,ref.

Twórcy

autor

Black K.H.

• School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052 Australia

autor

Archer M.

• School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052 Australia

autor

Hand S. J.

• School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052 Australia

autor

Godthelp H.

• School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052 Australia

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