Osteological Differences of the Skulls of Lasiorhinus-Latifrons Owen, 1845 and Vombatus-Ursinus Shaw, 1800 (Marsupialia, Vombatidae)

Abstract

The two extant genera of wombats, the hairy-nosed wombat Lasiorhinus latifrons and common wombat Vombatus ursinus, are distinguishable by their skull morphology. Significant size differences were found for skull length, nasal length binasal breadth, bitemporal breadth, bizygomatic breadth, parietal bone thickness and mandible length. The important different gross morphological features are summarised to allow rapid identification of these two species. A number of new diagnostic differences are described which distinguish the species from dorsal, lateral and ventral views and on the basis of mandibles and dentition. Some of these differences, and those listed in the results, also distinguish the Pleistocene fossil wombats V. mitchelli (Owen, 1838) and L. krefftii (Owen, 1871) from each other, and strongly suggest their generic status.