Special Feature
Riversleigh Fossil Exhibition
Riversleigh Sprite Possum. Illustration: © A Musser.
Lived: 23-10 million years ago (early – middle Miocene)
Size: Length (head to tail): about 40cm
Description: The Riversleigh Sprite Possum belongs to an extinct group of possums called the ektopodontids. It had a short face, huge, forward-facing eyes, and unusual teeth that it probably used to eat seeds or hard fruits in the forest.
The closest living relatives of the Riversleigh Sprite Possum are the brushtailed possums and cuscuses.
Fossils: The only fossils known for the Riversleigh Sprite Possum are a lower jaw and some individual teeth, from Riversleigh in north-western Queensland.
Did you know?: Ektopodontid possums such as the Riversleigh Sprite Possum have the most unusual and complex teeth of any marsupial. Each tooth looks like a pair of tiny accordians side by side.
from Australia’s Lost Kingdoms Display.
Could the lost kingdom be none other than Lemuria? Well, we all know the answer to that!
lois daley said
” LIKE THE SOUND OF THIS POSSUM” As Barry Humphries” would say ” Hello Possums”
Lois ( Muse of the Sea) 26.2.07
Lori said
Was the Riversleigh Sprite Possum its real name or are you just pulling are legs?
I love the Pantone color chips in your header. This is going to be a great blog, I can tell.
Heather Blakey said
I am not pulling your leg Lori. This was taken off our Natural Museum site and is for real, dinki di and all that. I thought it was an absolute coupe as a first up feature.
Traveller said
this sounds such a fun project, I can see I will be spending many hours in here
Lori said
I should know better than to type at an unholy hour in the morning: “are legs”. OUR legs– anyway, what a perfect critter then for this blog The new header image is better as well.
Fran said
When I can post again I shall truly love this one. Fran
Robin said
That’s a much cuter possum than we have in the Bogs.
This looks like it will be fun.
Samm said
ooo this is going to be fun!! i’ll see what antiquitarians i can dig up….
Quinn McDonald said
What a cutie! I think the cats would love to play with him.
traveller2006 said
can I take him home with me?
ennuye said
-amused- so adorable!!! hehe. are there more cuties waiting within?
Barbara Fahrenbach said
This site. Wow! I can see I’m going to learn all about the Australian critters and the deep, dark past. Where does North Americans fit in — the hyena and the possum for beginners? Ha! Ha! Maybe there’s a special forest in Lemuria populated by — what? Wouldn’t you like to know?
Barbara F.
peacebird said
What a wonderful creature – this looks like fun!