Prehistoric Australasia: Visions of Evolution and Extinction

By Michael Archer, Suzanne J. Hand, John Long and 2 more

For most of the past 300 million years, the world’s continents were interlinked as the supercontinents Pangaea and then Gondwana. Around 50 million years ago, Australia tore itself free from Antarctica to become the huge, splendidly isolated island it is today. Over time, its creatures began to evolve in ways not seen anywhere else on Earth, with tree-climbing crocodiles, gigantic venomous lizards, walking omnivorous bats and flesh-eating kangaroos roaming the continent.

Prehistoric Australasia: Visions of Evolution and Extinction presents some of the most extraordinary creatures the world has ever seen – all unique to Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand and their surrounding islands.

Over 100 meticulously painted panoramas by palaeoartist Peter Schouten are accompanied by descriptions of the unique environments and features of these animals, written by four of Australia’s foremost palaeontologists. This book explores the nature and timing of extinction events in the Southern Hemisphere, considers whether some of these losses might be able to be reversed, and how we can use the fossil record to help save today’s critically endangered species. Through stunning artwork and fascinating text, Prehistoric Australasia brings this globally unique transformation over time to glorious, colourful life.

Winner, The Royal Zoological Society of NSW 2023 Whitley Medal

• Language: English
• Publisher: CSIRO PUBLISHING
• Release date: Apr 3, 2023
• ISBN: 9780643108073

Michael Archer

Michael Archer Professor at UNSW Sydney, is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and other societies, a Member of the Order of Australia and a recipient of many awards including the Romer-Simpson Medal of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. He has authored over 400 scientific publications.

Book preview

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© Text: Michael Archer, Suzanne Hand, John Long, Trevor Worthy 2023

© Illustrations: Peter Schouten 2023

All rights reserved. Except under the conditions described in the Australian Copyright Act 1968 and subsequent amendments, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, duplicating or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Contact CSIRO Publishing for all permission requests.

The authors and illustrator assert their right to be known as the creators of this work.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the National Library of Australia.

ISBN: 9780643108059 (hbk)

ISBN: 9780643108066 (epdf)

ISBN: 9780643108073 (epub)

How to cite:

Archer M, Hand SJ, Long J, Worthy TH, Schouten P (2023) Prehistoric Australasia: Visions of Evolution and Extinction. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.

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Front cover: A pair of Australian predatory theropods, Australovenator wintonensis (artwork by Peter Schouten)

Back cover: (top to bottom) The Shark-toothed Dolphin, an unnamed squalodontid; mini Marsupial Lion, Lekaneleo roskellyae, stalking the enigmatic marsupial Yalkaparidon coheni; the carnivorous macropod Propleopus, preying on an Australian Brush-turkey (artworks by Peter Schouten)

Endpapers: Tetrapod forelimbs (artwork by Peter Schouten)

Edited by Adrienne de Kretser, Righting Writing

Cover, text design and typeset by Cath Pirret Design

Printed in China by Leo Paper Products Ltd

CSIRO Publishing publishes and distributes scientific, technical and health science books, magazines and journals from Australia to a worldwide audience and conducts these activities autonomously from the research activities of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of, and should not be attributed to, the publisher or CSIRO. The copyright owner shall not be liable for technical or other errors or omissions contained herein. The reader/user accepts all risks and responsibility for losses, damages, costs and other consequences resulting directly or indirectly from using this information.

CSIRO acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands that we live and work on across Australia and pays its respect to Elders past and present. CSIRO recognises that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have made and will continue to make extraordinary contributions to all aspects of Australian life including culture, economy and science. CSIRO is committed to reconciliation and demonstrating respect for Indigenous knowledge and science. The use of Western science in this publication should not be interpreted as diminishing the knowledge of plants, animals and environment from Indigenous ecological knowledge systems.

The paper this book is printed on is in accordance with the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council® and other controlled material. The FSC® promotes environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world’s forests.

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Contents

Introduction

Pilbara, Western Australia

Archaean

Ediacaran Hills, South Australia

Ediacaran

Emu Bay, South Australia

Cambrian

Stairway Sandstone, Northern Territory

Ordovician

Baragwanathia flora, Victoria

Silurian/Devonian

Evolution of early vertebrates

Burrinjuck, New South Wales

Devonian

Georgina Basin, Queensland

Devonian

Gogo, Scene 1, Western Australia

Devonian

Gogo, Scene 2, Western Australia

Devonian

Canowindra, Scene 1, New South Wales

Devonian

Canowindra, Scene 2, New South Wales

Devonian

Mansfield, Victoria

Devonian/Carboniferous

Ducabrook Formation, Queensland

Carboniferous

Blackwater Shale, Queensland

Permian

Blina Shale, Western Australia

Triassic

Knocklofty Formation, Tasmania

Triassic

Arcadia Formation, Scene 1, Queensland

Triassic

Arcadia Formation, Scene 2, Queensland

Triassic

Hanson Formation, Antarctica

Jurassic

Talbragar, New South Wales

Jurassic

Evolution of the tetrapod forelimb

Broome Sandstone, Western Australia

Cretaceous

Strzelecki, Victoria

Cretaceous

Bulldog Shale, South Australia

Cretaceous

Otway, Scene 1, Victoria

Cretaceous

Otway, Scene 2, Victoria

Cretaceous

Toolebuc Formation, Scene 1, Queensland

Cretaceous

Toolebuc Formation, Scene 2, Queensland

Cretaceous

Toolebuc Formation, Scene 3, Queensland

Cretaceous

Winton Formation, Scene 1, Queensland

Cretaceous

Winton Formation, Scene 2, Queensland

Cretaceous

Winton Formation, Scene 3, Queensland

Cretaceous

Lightning Ridge, New South Wales

Cretaceous

Mackunda Formation, Queensland

Cretaceous

Mangahouanga, New Zealand

Cretaceous

Waipara River, New Zealand

Cretaceous

Haumuri Bluff, New Zealand

Cretaceous

Tingamarra, Scene 1, Queensland

Eocene

Tingamarra, Scene 2, Queensland

Eocene

Tingamarra, Scene 3, Queensland

Eocene

Duntroon, New Zealand

Oligocene

Jan Juc Formation, Victoria

Oligocene

Ditjimanka Local Fauna, Scene 1, South Australia

Oligocene

Ditjimanka Local Fauna, Scene 2, South Australia

Oligocene

Riversleigh, Scene 1, Queensland

Oligocene

Pinpa Local Fauna, South Australia

Oligocene

Ericmas Local Fauna, South Australia

Oligocene

Riversleigh, Scene 2, Queensland

Oligocene

Riversleigh, Scene 3, Queensland

Oligocene

Riversleigh, Scene 4, Queensland

Oligocene

Wynyard Local Fauna, Tasmania

Miocene

Kutjamarpu Local Fauna, South Australia

Miocene

Riversleigh, Scene 5, Queensland

early Miocene

Riversleigh, Scene 6, Queensland

early Miocene

Riversleigh, Scene 7, Queensland

early Miocene

Riversleigh, Scene 8, Queensland

early Miocene

St Bathans, Scene 1, New Zealand

Miocene

St Bathans, Scene 2, New Zealand

Miocene

St Bathans, Scene 3, New Zealand

Miocene

Riversleigh, Scene 9, Queensland

middle Miocene

Riversleigh, Scene 10, Queensland

middle Miocene

Bullock Creek, Northern Territory

Miocene

Riversleigh, Scene 11, Queensland

late Miocene

Alcoota, Scene 1, Northern Territory

Miocene

Alcoota, Scene 2, Northern Territory

Miocene

Beaumaris, Victoria

Miocene

Awe, Papua New Guinea

Pliocene

Chinchilla, Queensland

Pliocene

Kanunka, Scene 1, South Australia

Pleistocene

Kanunka, Scene 2, South Australia

Pleistocene

Bunyip Cave, Victoria

Pleistocene

Eastern Darling Downs, Scene 1, Queensland

Pleistocene

Eastern Darling Downs, Scene 2, Queensland

Pleistocene

Wellington Caves, Scene 1, New South Wales

Pleistocene

Wellington Caves, Scene 2, New South Wales

Pleistocene

Wellington Caves, Scene 3, New South Wales

Pleistocene

The giant lizard Megalania, eastern Australia

Pleistocene

Thylacoleo Caves, Western Australia

Pleistocene

Naracoorte Caves, Scene 1, South Australia

Pleistocene

Naracoorte Caves, Scene 2, South Australia

Pleistocene

Texas Caves, Scene 1, Queensland

Pleistocene

Texas Caves, Scene 2, Queensland

Pleistocene

Lord Howe Island meiolaniid turtle

Pleistocene/Holocene

Mammoth Cave, Western Australia

Pleistocene

Mowbray, Victoria

Pleistocene

Callabonna, South Australia

Pleistocene

Wyandotte Station, Queensland

Pleistocene

Pureni, Papua New Guinea

Pleistocene

Riversleigh, Scene 12, Queensland

Pleistocene

Kelangurr Cave, Irian Jaya

Pleistocene

Nombe Rock Shelter, Papua New Guinea

Pleistocene

South Island moa, New Zealand

Pleistocene/Holocene

South Island adzebill, New Zealand

Pleistocene/Holocene

Volivoli Cave, Fiji

Pleistocene/Holocene

Tongoleleka, Tonga

Holocene

Chatham Islands, New Zealand

Holocene

North Island, Scene 1, New Zealand

Holocene

North Island, Scene 2, New Zealand

Holocene

New Caledonia’s giant megapode

Holocene

Canterbury Plains, New Zealand

Holocene

New Zealand giant eagle

Holocene

Pindai Cave, New Caledonia

Holocene

South Island goose, New Zealand

Holocene

Acknowledgements

References

Index