Riversleigh fauna
Riversleigh fauna is the collective term for any species of animal identified in fossil sites located in the Riversleigh World Heritage Area.
Faunal zones
The Riversleigh fauna from the Oligo-Miocene has been exceptionally well-preserved. Such fossils have been classified into four "faunal zones",:- Faunal Zone A : late Oligocene, a period 23.03–28.4 million years before present
- Faunal Zone B : early Miocene, 15.97-23.03 myr
- Faunal Zone C : middle Miocene, 11.608-15.97 myr
- Faunal Zone D : late Miocene, 5.332-11.608 myr
- Pliocene, 2.588-5.332 myr
- Pleistocene, 0.0117-2.588 myr
- Holocene, present day to 11,700 years ago
Faunal lists
The following are incomplete lists of mammals, birds, fish, and invertebrate species and genera included in the Riversleigh fauna, according to the compilation of taxa by researchers at the University of New South Wales and Queensland. A 2006 survey of the Riversleigh fauna identified over 290 named species.The fauna of Riversleigh includes placental mammals, especially bats, and the various families of marsupials. Due to the novelty of some taxa discovered in the area, some species have been placed in tentative arrangements or unknown lineages, sometimes within undescribed higher taxa.
The mammals discovered at the site include fossils from the Yingabalanaridae family, whose classification is currently uncertain.
Chiroptera (bats)
- Archerops annectens, an Old World leaf-nosed bat
- Archerops watsoni, an Old World leaf-nosed bat
- Brachipposideros nooraleebus, an Old World leaf-nosed bat
- Brevipalatus mcculloughi Hand 2005, a hipposiderid bat, resembling the modern orange leaf-nosed Rhinonicteris aurantia
- Hipposideros bernardsigei, an Old World leaf-nosed bat
- Hipposideros winsburyorum, an Old World leaf-nosed bat
- Hydromops riversleighensis, an Old World leaf-nosed bat
- Icarops aenae, a New Zealand short-tailed bat
- Icarops paradox, a New Zealand short-tailed bat
- Leuconoe sp., a poorly known bat
- Macroderma gigas, a carnivorous bat, still living and known as the ghost bat
- Macroderma godthelpi, a relative of the ghost bat, that existed in the early Miocene
- Macroderma malugara, a relative of the ghost bat, that existed in the middle Miocene
- Miophyllorhina riversleighensis, an Old World leaf-nosed bat
- Petramops creaseri, a free tailed bat
- Riversleigha williamsi, an Old World leaf-nosed bat
- Rhinonicteris tedfordi, a microbat
- Taphozous sp., a sheath-tailed bat
- Taphozous georgianus, a sheath-tailed bat
- Xenorhinos halli, an Old World leaf-nosed bat
Macropodiformes (kangaroos, bettongs, potoroos and rat-kangaroos)
- Balbaroo, an ancient balbarid
- Bettongia moyesi, a bettong
- Bulungamaya, an ancient member of Bulungamayinae
- Cookeroo, an ancient kangaroo
- Ekaltadeta, an extinct carnivorous member of Hypsiprymnodontidae
- Galanarla, an ancient balbarid
- Ganawamaya, an ancient balbarid
- Ganguroo, an ancient member of Bulungamayinae
- Gumardee, a member of Potoroidae
- Hypsiprymnodon bartholomaii, a frugivorous hypsiprymnodontid
- Hypsiprymnodon dennisi, a frugivorous hypsiprymnodontid
- Hypsiprymnodon karenblackae, a frugivorous hypsiprymnodontid
- Hypsiprymnodon philcreaseri, a frugivorous hypsiprymnodontid
- Rhizosthenurus, an ancient kangaroo
- Wabularoo, an ancient balbarid
- Wakiewakie, an ancient potoroid
- Wanburoo, an ancient member of Bulungamayinae
- Wururoo, an ancient balbarid
Phalangeriformes (possums)
- Acrobates magicus, an ancient feathertail possum
- Acrobates macknessi, an ancient feathertail possum
- Archerus johntoniae, a phalangerid possum
- Distoechurus amplus, an ancient feathertail possum
- Distoechurus robustus, an ancient feathertail possum
- Burramys, an extinct relative of 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
- Ektopodon, an ancient possum
- Gawinga, an ancient ringtail possum
- Marlu, an ancient ringtail possum
- Onirocuscus, an ancient brushtail possum
- Paljara, an ancient ringtail possum
- Pildra, an ancient ringtail possum
- Strigocuscus, an ancient possum
- Trichosurus, an ancient brushtail possum
- Wyulda, an ancient brushtail possum
Vombatiformes (koalas, marsupial lions, wombats, etc)
- Kuterintja, an extinct marsupial of the family Ilariidae
- Lekaneleo, a marsupial lion
- Litokoala, an ancient koala
- Madakoala, an ancient koala
- Marada arcanum, a sheep-like browser
- Microleo, a marsupial lion
- Namilamadeta, an extinct marsupial of the family Wynyardiidae
- Neohelos, a diprotodontid sheep-like browser
- Nimbavombatus, an ancient wombat
- Ngapakaldia, a marsupial tapir
- Nimbadon, a sheep-like browser
- Nimiokoala, an ancient koala
- Palorchestes, a diprotodontid marsupial tapir
- Pitikantia, a diprotodontid
- Propalorchestes, a diprotodontid marsupial tapir
- Priscakoala, an ancient koala
- Priscileo, a marsupial lion
- Rhizophascolonus, an ancient wombat
- Silvabestius, a diprotodontid sheep-like browser
- Stelakoala riversleighensis, an ancient koala
- Wakaleo, a marsupial lion
- Warendja, an ancient wombat
Peramelemorphia (bandicoots and bilbies)
- Bulungu, a mouse-sized insectivorous bandicoot
- Crash [bandicoot (species)|Crash], a bandicoot
- Galadi, a carnivorous bandicoot
- Liyamayi dayi, an ancient bilby
- Madju, an ancient bandicoot
- Yarala, a tube-nosed bandicoot
Dasyuromorphia
- Badjcinus, an ancient thylacine
- Barinya, a carnivorous dasyuromorphian
- Ganbulanyi, a carnivorous dasyuromorphian
- Joculusium, a carnivorous dasyuromorphian
- Malleodectes, a marsupial with snail eating dentition
- Maximucinus, an ancient thylacine
- Mayigriphus, a carnivorous dasyuromorphian
- Muribacinus, an ancient thylacine
- Nimbacinus, an ancient thylacine
- Ngamalacinus, an ancient thylacine
- Wabulacinus, an ancient thylacine
Other mammals
- Naraboryctes, a marsupial mole
- Obdurodon, a giant platypus
- Yalkaparidon, a marsupial
- Yingabalanara, a weirdodontan mammal
Birds
- Australlus, a flightless rail
- Barawertornis, a mihirung
- Cacatua, a cockatoo
- Ciconia, a stork
- Collocalia, a swiftlet
- Corvitalusoides, an ancient passerine
- Dasyornis walterbolesi, a bristlebird
- Daphoenositta trevorworthy, a sittella
- Dromornis, a mihirung
- Emuarius, an emuwary
- Eoanseranas, a magpie-goose
- Kurrartapu, a cracticid
- Longmornis, an Old World oriole
- Melopsittacus, a budgerigar
- Menura, a lyrebird
- Orthonyx, a logrunner
- Pengana, a flexible-footed bird of prey
- Pinpanetta, a stiff-tailed duck
- Primophaps, a bronzewing pigeon
- Sericuloides marynguyenae, a bowerbird
Reptiles
- Baru, the cleaver-headed crocodile
- Egernia, a skink
- Elseya lavarackorum, a side neck turtle that is still living today
- Incongruelaps, a venomous snake
- Mekosuchus, a crocodile
- Meiolania, a horned turtle
- Morelia riversleighensis, an ancient python species
- Nanowana, extinct snakes
- Physignathus, a dragon lizard
- Pseudemydura, a side neck turtle
- Pygopus, a legless lizard
- Quinkana meboldi, a crocodile
- Ramphotyphlops, a blind snake
- Sulcatidens, a dragon lizard
- Tiliqua, a skink
- Trilophosuchus, a tree-dwelling crocodile
- Ultrastenos, a crocodile
- Varanus, a monitor lizard
- Warkalania, a horned turtle
- Wonambi, extinct snakes
- Yurlunggur, extinct snakes
Amphibians
- Crinia, a frog
- Philoria, a frog
- Lechriodus, a frog
- Limnodynastes, a frog
- Litoria, a tree-dwelling frog