Big Bite: New info on ice age Australian marsupial lion (neat picture)

News.Com.AU ^ | April 02, 2005 | staff writer

[MamaTexan]

The male platypus has a spur on each rear foot that is connected to a venom gland.

It's been so long since I studied it, I forgot that one!

Both male and female shrews have venomous saliva. Only it's small size, about the size of the old US silver dollar, prevents it from being a threat to anything larger than a worm or cricket.

Cool critter fact!

The most poisonous snake here is the Texas worm snake, but thankfully, it preys on ants and other small insects.

[curmudgeonII]

Related to the thylacine? [Tasmanian tiger]

[P.O.E.]

Looks like a worthy opponent for the saber-toothed sheep. I wonder if there was betting way back then?

[aruanan]

If you look at the nose as the other eye, it looks really goofy.

[knarf]

" Thylacoleo carnifex is referred to as the marsupial lion because of its robust, cat like appearance, and was capable of grasping its prey with strong semi-opposable thumb claws."

Sure beats carryin' yer kids around in a fanny pack, eh, bubba?

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Martin. A GGG ping for sure, under the "What Would Disney Do?" category. ;')

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
The GGG Digest -- Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

[RJL]

Them wombats sure is cute.

Good looking animal too!

[ken5050]

In 1969, while a koala peed all over my dress uniform while I was holding it during a reception at the Sand Diego Zoo..unreal stink..

[Eaker]

Even the indigenous humans??

[Lion Den Dan]

"...looks more like a gigantic killer weasel."

Hillary doing her shriek.

[Drammach]

"A good sized marsupial lion could weigh up to 130 kilos - the size of a front row rugby forward."

Not only am I bad at metric to english measure conversions, ....
But now, I have to make Rugby to American Football conversions too??

Front Row Rugby Forward = ??? Half-Back?

[Darksheare]

Humans are somewhat of an import of a kind to Australia.
They kinda blundered into it, and found lots of rather nasty poisonous critters, and lots of pouched things.
Plus an oddball that looks, acts mammilian but lays eggs and has poisonous spurs.
*chuckle*

Hopefully, nobody had to tangle with the Wombat of Mass Destruction of the article.

[olde north church]

I didn't want to bring that up. It may have confused the folks in Rio Linda!

[olde north church]

Quite odd. I'm listening to my iPod, have it on "shuffle", "Beds Are Burning" by Midnight Oil just came on.
TIMESTAMP: SAT12:11.4.02.2005

[Eaker]

Laugh!!

[djf]

I would have to believe they are related.

Incidentally, there have been alot of reports, there is probably a small remaining population of wild tigers. I have heard of sightings in Aus, Tasmania, and NZ.

[Danae]

Holy Wombat Batman!

[Darksheare]

LOL!

I myself wouldn't want to tangle with a massively huge wombat with bad dentition.

If you've heard the tune "Galactic Hives" by Cobalt 60... try to then picture in your mind watching figure skaters do pairs ice dance on mute while you hear the tune.

Oddly, it fit.

http://www.wcnews.com/music/albums.shtml#wc6

(Track 3 at link, instrumental.)

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

The article doesn't state if this beastie had a prehensile tail. This would be quite the terror to see dropping down out of the trees on top of you.

[Woodman]

Dingos aren't marsupials but I'm not sure if they are considered native or not.