This weeks #Lego #FossilFriday is #Protemnodon

In the early-mid 1800s, fossil remains of several different species were found in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. They were sent to English biologist Richard Owen.

In 1874, he would name a newly found kangaroo relative Protemnodon anak.

Protemnodon is thought to be physically similar to the far smaller Wallaby. But the largest ones grew almost to the size of Procoptodon, the giant short fact kangaroo.

Three New Species of #Fossil Kangaroos Discovered in Australia and New Guinea https://www.sci.news/paleontology/protemnodon-kangaroos-12857.html

Systematics and #palaeobiology of #kangaroos of the late Cenozoic genus Protemnodon (Marsupialia, Macropodidae) https://mapress.com/mt/article/view/megataxa.11.1.1

"The three #NewSpecies belong to the extinct #kangaroo genus #Protemnodon, which were common members of #Cenozoic communities across #Australia and #NewGuinea until their #extinction in the Late #Pleistocene."