<i>Obdurodon tharalkooschild</i> (IMAGE)

Society of Vertebrate Paleontology

<i>Obdurodon tharalkooschild</i>

Caption

This image shows Obdurodon tharalkooschild, a middle to late Cenozoic giant toothed platypus from the the World Heritage fossil deposits of Riversleigh, Australia. At about one meter (more than 3 feet) in length and with powerful teeth (inset: the holotype, a first lower molar), it would have been capable of killing much larger prey, such as lungfish and even small turtles, than its much smaller living relative.

Credit

Reconstruction / Illustration by Peter Schouten.

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