Update: Numbats now nest with Bushy-Tailed Opossums in the LRT
In 2019
when the LRT was half-full, Myrmecobius, the numbat ( aka the banded anteater, a marsupial termite eater, Fig 1) nested with a similar, but unrelated taxon. Now a more parsimonious solution appears to nest Myrmecobius with Glironia, the extant busy-tailed opossum (Fig 1).
Both taxa have unique traits, suggesting a long evolution for each one isolated from the other and not part of other radiations. Here the LRT puts these two singletons together. In other words, these two share more traits with each other than with other marsupials.
Figure x. Myrmecobius compared to scale with Glironia.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/myrmecobius_glronia588.jpg?w=300″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/myrmecobius_glronia588.jpg?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-91399″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/myrmecobius_glronia588.jpg” alt=”Figure x. Myrmecobius compared to scale with Glironia.” width=”584″ height=”555″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/myrmecobius_glronia588.jpg?w=584&h=555 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/myrmecobius_glronia588.jpg?w=150&h=143 150w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/myrmecobius_glronia588.jpg?w=300&h=285 300w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/myrmecobius_glronia588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 1. Myrmecobius compared to scale with Glironia. Note the incisor-like canine on Glironia, the small, narrow molars and pseudo-postfrontals on Myrmecobius. If there is a better match for either genus, let me know.
Myrmecobius fasciatus
(Waterhouse 1836, 1841, Tate 1951, Fig 1) is the extant numbat or banded anteather. Over each orbit the frontal expands laterally forming a pseudo-postfrontal.
Glironia venusta
(Thomas 1912; snout-vent length 20cm, Fig 1) is the extant bushy-tailed opossum. It is nocturnal, arboreal, small and omnivorous. Glironia lacks a marsupium (= pouch), by convergence with several placentals and marsupials. The canine has the appearance of an incisor. The first premolar has the appearance of a canine.
References
Tate GHH 1951. The banded anteater, Myrmecobius Waterhouse (Marsupialia). American Museum Novitates 1521, 8 pp.
Thomas O 1912. A new Genus of Opossums and a new Tuco-tuco. The Annals and Magazine of Natural History. Ser. 8. 9 (50): 239–241. doi:10.1080/00222931208693127
Waterhouse GR 1836. Myrmecobius fasciatus. Proc. Zool. Soc. London 4: 69–131.
Waterhouse GR 1841. Description of a new genus of mammiferous animals from Australia, belonging probably to the order Marsupialia. Trans. Zool. Soc., London2, aricle. 11, p 149.
Source: https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/2025/01/31/update-numbats-now-nest-with-bushy-tailed-opossums-in-the-lrt/
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