A new petauroid possum from the Oligo-Miocene of Riversleigh, northwestern Queensland

Abstract

Djaludjangi yadjana sp. nov. represents a previously unknown genus of petauroid possum from Riversleigh in northwestern Queensland. Of known phalangeridans Djaludjangi most closely resembles the Petauridae, but lacks synapomorphies previously used to define that family. Although considered likely a plesiomorphic petaurid, D. yadjana is referred here to Petauroidea: incertae sedis, pending comprehensive revision of phalangeriform dental character state distributions. Small possum diversity at Riversleigh indicates a complex and finely partitioned environment such as that found in present-day tropical forests; the discovery at Riversleigh of Australia's first Tertiary dactylopsiline species also argues for a rainforest palaeohabitat.