Biology of Australia
Zygomaturus trilobus was about the size and shape of a pygmy hippopotamus, probably weighing between and 300 & 500 kg. Its name derives from its prominent, wide, cheek bones (zygomatic arches) and the 3 lobes of its premolars. It is believed by some (Long et al., 2002), and been partly aquatic like hippos, and that it may have lived in swampy areas around the coastal areas and along river systems, and further into the interior, and in Tasmania, possibly in small herds. It seems likely it inhabited areas that were more heavily wooded than Diprotodon. It is also believed it may have had short horns like a rhino. Specimens of Zygomaturus trilobus from the Pleistocene display a high degree of variability, leading some to suggest they may actually represent several distinct species.
Links
- Death of the Megabeasts, DVD, Madman, SBS
- Josephine Flood, Archaeology of the Dreamtime, J. B. Publishing, 2004
- Chris Johnson, Australia's Mammal Extinctions, a 50,000 year history, Cambridge University Press, 2006