Thylacoleonidae

For the species Thylacoleo carnifex, see Marsupial lion.

Thylacoleonidae Temporal range: Late Oligocene–Pleistocene PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Thylacoleo
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Infraclass:	Marsupialia
Order:	Diprotodontia
Family:	†Thylacoleonidae Gill, 1872
Genera
†Priscileo †Wakaleo †Thylacoleo

The Thylacoleonidae are a family of extinct meat-eating marsupials from Australia, referred to as marsupial lions. The best known is Thylacoleo carnifex, also called the marsupial lion. The clade ranged from the Late Oligocene to the Pleistocene, with some species the size of a possum and others as large as a leopard.

Classification

Three genera are currently accepted as belonging to this family:

• Genus †Priscileo
  • †Priscileo pitikantensis (Upper Oligocene)
  • †Priscileo roskellyae (Middle Miocene)
• Subfamily Wakaleoninae
  • Genus †Wakaleo
    • †Wakaleo alcootaensis (Upper Miocene)
    • †Wakaleo oldfieldi (Lower—Upper Miocene)
    • †Wakaleo vanderleueri (Middle—Upper Miocene)
• Subfamily Thylacoleoninae
  • Genus †Thylacoleo
    • †Thylacoleo carnifex (Pleistocene)
    • †Thylacoleo crassidentatus (Pliocene)
    • †Thylacoleo hilli (Pliocene)

See also

• Thylacinidae