LMX077 - EXTREMELY RARE AUSTRALIAN PLEISTOCENE FOSSIL KANGAROO MANDIBLE SIMOSTHENURUS OCCIDENTALIS WITH ALL ORIGINAL MOLARS

Product Description

ITEM # 

LMX077

ID

Simosthenurus occidentalis

FOUND

Cave Deposit - Australia

AGE

PLEISTOCENE:  300,000 years ago

SIZE

5.65" long

CONDITION

MINOR REPAIR BUT NO FABRICATION OR
RESTORATION - ORIGINAL TEETH AND 
CAVE CALCITE DEPOSITS STILL ON SURFACE.

NOTE

EXTREMELY RARE SPECIMEN!

INCLUDES DISPLAY BOX - Actual Item - One Only

Comes with a certificate of authenticity / information sheet

This is an extremely rare fossil mandible with ALL COMPLETE ORIGINAL MOLAR TEETH of a large extinct prehistoric kangaroo named Simosthenurus occidentalis.  This member of Australia's Pleistocene megafauna was a macropod, thriving around 300,000 years ago.  These were large "short-faced" kangaroo marsupials that had very short heads, grew to 118 kilos and lived on leaves for their main diet.  Different from modern kangaroos that had three-toed feet, Simosthenurus had only a large, single toe.  It is believed these were slow-moving animals based on their heavier build, short neck and long arms. 

Vertebrate fossils from Australia are very rare and now protected.  This piece came to us from a very old U.S. collection.  The bone and teeth are still white, indicative of cave fossils in which this RARE specimen was initially discovered.  It is covered with red orange sediment and calcite from tens of thousands of years resting on a cave floor.  The majority of the right mandible is present with a full array of intact, original molars.  The first pre-molar is eroded but all the others are perfect, showing only the slightest bit of wear to the anterior positions.  While you may find small fragments of Australian megafauna fossils, it would be a rare find to see a substantial specimen like this with all its dentition, from this extinct beast.  100% ORIGINAL with NO FABRICATION OR RESTORATION.  A small posterior section is reglued to the mandible but this is the only repair.