Bulungu is an extinct genus of bandicoot-like mammal from Oligo-Miocene deposits of Riversleigh, northwestern Queensland, and the Etadunna Formation, Australia. It was first named by Gurovich et al. (2013) and the type species is Bulungu palara.[1] Two additional species, Bulungu campbelli and Bulungu minkinaensis, were also described in 2013. Bulungu muirheadae is the oldest fossil bandicoot recovered to date.[2] An additional three species Bulungu minkinaensis, Bulungu pinpaensis, and Bulungu westermani were named by Travouillon, Beck & Case (2021) allowing for placement of the genus in the superfamily Yaraloidea.[3]

Bulungu
Temporal range: Oligocene - Miocene
Scientific classification
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Bulungu

Gurovichet al., 2013
Type species
Bulungu palara
Species
  • B. campbelli
    Travouillon et al., 2013
  • B. minkinaensis
    Travouillon, Beck & Case, 2021
  • B. muirheadae
    Travouillon et al., 2013
  • B. palara
    Gurovich et al., 2013
  • B. pinpaensis
    Travouillon, Beck & Case, 2021

References

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  1. ^ Gurovich, Yamila; Travouillon, Kenny J.; Beck, Robin M. D.; Muirhead, Jeanette; Archer, Michael (2013). "Biogeographical implications of a new mouse-sized fossil bandicoot (Marsupialia: Peramelemorphia) occupying a dasyurid-like ecological niche across Australia". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 12 (3): 265. doi:10.1080/14772019.2013.776646. hdl:11336/5406. S2CID 140187280.
  2. ^ Travouillon, K.J.; Beck, R.M.D.; Hand, S.J.; Archer, M. (2013). "The oldest fossil record of bandicoots (Marsupialia; Peramelemorphia) from the late Oligocene of Australia". Palaeontologia Electronica. 16 (2): 13A.1–13A.52.
  3. ^ Travouillon, K. J.; Beck, R. M. D.; Case, J. A. (2021). "Upper Oligocene–lower-Middle Miocene peramelemorphians from the Etadunna, Namba and Wipajiri formations of South Australia". Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology. 45 (1): 109–125. doi:10.1080/03115518.2021.1921274. S2CID 235748135.