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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 32(2)

Two new species of Antechinus Macleay (Dasyuridae : Marsupialia) from mid-Pleistocene cave deposits in eastern central Queensland

Jonathan Cramb A C and Scott Hocknull B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Qld 4001, Australia.

B Geosciences, Queensland Museum, Brisbane, Qld 4000, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: j2.cramb@student.qut.edu.au

Australian Mammalogy 32(2) 127-144 https://doi.org/10.1071/AM09025
Submitted: 10 October 2009  Accepted: 1 April 2010   Published: 5 August 2010

Abstract

The dasyurid genus Antechinus occurs in numerous Cainozoic fossil sites but until now only one extinct species has been described, Antechinus puteus Van Dyck. Antechinus yammal sp. nov. and A. yuna sp. nov. are described here on the basis of dental remains recovered from middle Pleistocene (between >500 and 205–170 thousand years ago) cave deposits at Mount Etna, eastern central Queensland. Most of these sites are interpreted as closed rainforest palaeoenvironments, and this is the likely habitat of both species.

Both taxa are morphologically variable. A. yammal is characterised by complete anterior cingula and well developed posterior cingula on the upper molars; a relatively unreduced, robust P3; and small entoconids. A. yuna is a relatively large species, typified by poorly developed or absent posterior cingula on M1–3, lack of a metacone on M4, and large entoconids on M1–3. Dental morphology suggests that A. yuna was a near relative of the extant A. leo. The dentition of A. yammal shows some similarities to that of A. flavipes, but its exact phylogenetic position is unclear. A. yammal became extinct coincident with the loss of its rainforest habitat some time between 280 and 205–170 thousand years ago. A. yuna survived somewhat longer, but by the late Pleistocene had been replaced by A. flavipes.

Additional keywords: Antechinus yammal, Antechinus yuna, dasyurid, Mount Etna, Pleistocene


Acknowledgements

The authors thank Gregory E. Webb for comments on the manuscript, Heather Janetzki, Steve Van Dyck and Sandy Ingleby for access to comparative material and the staff and volunteers at the Queensland Museum Geosciences Laboratory who assisted with sample preparation. Work at Mt Etna has been assisted by Cement Australia, the Sands family, the Central Queensland Speleological Society, Capricorn Caves, and Rockhampton Regional Development. Special thanks to two anonymous reviewers, whose comments greatly improved the quality of the paper. Research was funded by Australian Research Council grants LP0453664 and ARC LP0989969.


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Appendix 1.  Registered specimens of Antechinus yammal
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Appendix 2.  Registered specimens of A. yuna
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