Balbaridae is an
extinct family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
of basal
Macropodoidea. The
synapomorphies are divided into two areas, the
dental and
cranial. The dental area of this taxa can be described as having the molar
lophodont
The molars or molar teeth are large, flat teeth at the back of the mouth. They are more developed in mammals. They are used primarily to grind food during chewing. The name ''molar'' derives from Latin, ''molaris dens'', meaning "millstone to ...
and
brachyodont
The molars or molar teeth are large, flat teeth at the back of the mouth. They are more developed in mammals. They are used primarily to grind food during chewing. The name ''molar'' derives from Latin, ''molaris dens'', meaning "millstone to ...
with a hypo
lophid formed by
lingually displaced component of posthypo
cristid and linked to a
buccal crest from the
entoconid. Molars have a hypo
cingulid
A cingulid is a term used when describing teeth, it refers to a ridge that runs around the base of the crown of a lower tooth (the equivalent on the upper teeth is the cingulum). The presence or absence of a cingulid is often a diagnostic featur ...
, first lower molar compressed with the "forelink" absent. First incisor with
lingual and
dorsal
Dorsal (from Latin ''dorsum'' ‘back’) may refer to:
* Dorsal (anatomy), an anatomical term of location referring to the back or upper side of an organism or parts of an organism
* Dorsal, positioned on top of an aircraft's fuselage
* Dorsal c ...
enamel ridgelets. The third lower
premolar of some taxa have a posterobuccal cusp (cusp at the back close to the cheek). The skull is defined by four shared characteristics, a large sinuses,
postorbital
The ''postorbital'' is one of the bones in vertebrate skulls which forms a portion of the dermal skull roof and, sometimes, a ring about the orbit. Generally, it is located behind the postfrontal and posteriorly to the orbital fenestra. In some ...
lateral
Lateral is a geometric term of location which may refer to:
Healthcare
*Lateral (anatomy), an anatomical direction
* Lateral cricoarytenoid muscle
* Lateral release (surgery), a surgical procedure on the side of a kneecap
Phonetics
*Lateral co ...
constriction of the skull, a
hypertrophy
Hypertrophy is the increase in the volume of an organ or tissue due to the enlargement of its component cells. It is distinguished from hyperplasia, in which the cells remain approximately the same size but increase in number.Updated by Linda J. ...
of the
mastoid process
The mastoid part of the temporal bone is the posterior (back) part of the temporal bone, one of the bones of the skull. Its rough surface gives attachment to various muscles (via tendons) and it has openings for blood vessels. From its borders, ...
es and no
auditory bulla
The tympanic part of the temporal bone is a curved plate of bone lying below the squamous part of the temporal bone, in front of the mastoid process, and surrounding the external part of the ear canal.
It originates as a separate bone (tympanic ...
formed by an inflated
tympanic wing of the
alisphenoid.
[Kear, B.P. & Cooke, B.N., 2001:12!20. A review of macropodoid systematics with the inclusion of a new family. Memoirs of the Association of Australasian Palaeontologists 25, 83-101. ISSN 0810-8889]
Subfamily indeterminate
*†''
Galanarla
''Galanarla'' is an extinct genus of quadrupedal kangaroos of Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numer ...
''
Subfamily
Naambarinae
* †''
Nambaroo''
* †''
Wururoo''
**W. dayamayi
* †''
Ganawamaya
''Ganawamaya'' is an extinct genus of quadrupedal kangaroos that lived in Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmani ...
''
Subfamily
Balbarinae
* †''
Balbaroo''
**†''
Balbaroo fangaroo''
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q223304
Prehistoric mammals of Australia
Chattian first appearances
Miocene extinctions
Prehistoric macropods
Prehistoric mammal families