SYDNEY, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Two new species of extinct, snail-eating marsupials with unique hammer-like teeth have been uncovered in Australia's ancient rainforests, a University of New South Wales (UNSW) study said on Friday.
The fossil discoveries, made in Queensland state's Riversleigh World Heritage Area, belong to the carnivorous marsupial family Malleodectidae, ancient cousins of modern quolls, according to the UNSW press release.
These small, tree-dwelling creatures, weighing between 100 and 500 grams, are believed to have used their distinctive molars to crush hard-shelled prey, such as snails, said the study published in the Journal of Mammalian Evolution.
Around 15 million years ago, during the warm and rainy Miocene epoch, Australia's landscape resembled today's Amazon in biodiversity. It was a peak period for mammal evolution, described by scientists as a "golden age," said lead researcher, UNSW paleontologist Timothy Churchill.
"During this period, we see the most species diversity in the Australian fossil record for mammals," said the paleontologist.
In this lush environment, a small, snail-eating marsupial with distinctive hammer-like teeth died after falling into a sinkhole at what's now the Riversleigh World Heritage Area, where its fossil was later preserved, Churchill added. ■
