Procoptodon
Procoptodon was a genus of large, extinct kangaroos. The animals lived in Australia until the late Pleistocene and brought the largest known kangaroos of the earth's produce.
Features
The short snout kangaroo Procoptodon distinguished above all by its huge body size and very short muzzle. The largest species of the genus, and also the largest known kangaroo ever was, Procoptodon Goliah from the late Pleistocene. This kind erected reached a height of about 2 to 3 m. The body weight was about 230 kg. The hind legs of Procoptodon were greatly elongated and possessed a single large Hauptzehe, which evolved from the fourth toe. In addition, a rudimentary fifth toe was only available. This adjustment is vaguely reminiscent of the evolution of the horse, the also all regressed in the course of their evolution up to a toe. It is believed that this high flight speeds could be achieved. The complex, hochkronigen teeth suggest that animals fed on very raufaseriger vegetable diet.
Types and temporal distribution
The genus Procoptodon is only known from the Pleistocene. The last representative disappeared at the end of this period during the Quaternary extinctions, who succumbed to many other large mammals of Australia. Among the last species Procoptodon were Goliah and Procoptodon texasensis. Other species were Procoptodon rapha and Procoptodon pusio.