Naracoorte

__//Naracoorte//__
Fossil evidence indicates that an enormous number of species lived in this area 300 000 years ago. they include the extinct megafauna such as diprotodon and marsupial lion, modern species such as frogs, kangaroos, possums, mice bats, snakes, turtles and thylacines. //**__Genyornis:__**// In Naracoorte there were fossils of the large bird called the Genyornis. This large bird was flightless and roamed the earth for about 60,000 years ago but co-existed with humans for about 15,000 years. That is a long time for these mega beasts to continue living. It is said that a change in weather occurred; the Genyornis could not survive as its diet of shrubs could not survive the weather change, eventually leading the Genyornis to extinction due to human contact, and no food source. There have been whole fossils found in Naracoorte. Any many other remains found all across Australia.

The Genyornis is a key contributor to the evolution of Australian biota, because it shows the evolution from the Genyornis into the emu. The emu clearly comes from the ancestor of the Genyornis.

__//** Diprotodon: **//__ ('di' meaning 'twice'; 'proto' meaning 'first'; and 'odon' meaning 'tooth' in Greek)

- Fossils are found in sites all around Australia, - In Naracoorte most fossils are found in salt basins or caves
 * Describe Australian fossils and where these fossils are found.**

- Their bones are compared with living animals to give an idea of how they behaved - Their teeth are compared to give an understanding of what they ate. - More than one female skeleton has been found with a baby lying in its pouch. - - Their feet and legs are turned inwards like a current day wombat - Footprints of its feet have been found showing a covering of hair which indicates it had a coat similar to a modern wombat.
 * Explain how fossils contribute to the development of understanding about the evolution of species in Australia.**
 * Identify similarities and differences between current and extinct Australian life forms. **

__//**Pleistocene Marsupial Lion:**//__ This marsupial is similar to a giant lion, it was a carnivore and hunted even giant dyprotodons, that is how large this animal was. It is similar to a plant-eating wombats or koalas. Whole skulls and pieces of bone related to the Marsupial lion have been found all across Australia. They existed roughly 1,600,000–40,000 years ago (Pleistocene). It is an important part of the Australian fauna because it shows us just how large animals could become back then. It now is clearly related to wombats or koalas. - Numerous fossil discoveries indicate that the Marsupial Lion was distributed across much of the Australian continent. - complete articulated skeleton was discovered in limestone caves under the Nullarbor Plain in 2002 it was not mineralised and had been preserved in this state for approximately 500,000 years by the low humidity and cool temperature of the cave. - CT scans of a well-preserved skull have allowed scientists to study internal structures and create a brain endocast, which indicates that the Marsupial Lion had a good sense of hearing, sight, and smell, as might be expected of an active predator. - highly specialised carnivore and this is reflected in its teeth - The Marsupial Lion's closest living relatives are the herbivorous Koala and wombats.
 * Describe Australian fossils and where these fossils are found. **
 * Explain how fossils contribute to the development of understanding about the evolution of species in Australia. **
 * Identify similarities and differences between current and extinct Australian life forms. **