Balbaridae

The Balbaridae are an extinct family 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 and brachyodont with a hypolophid formed by lingually displaced component of posthypocristid and linked to a buccal crast from the entoconid. Molars have a hypocingulid, first lower molar compressed with the forlink absent. First incisor with lingual and dorsal enamel ringlets. 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 lateral constriction of the skull, a hypertrophy of the mastoid processes and no auditory bulla formed by an inflated tympanic wing of the alisphenoid[2]

Balbaridae
Temporal range: Late Oligocene–Middle Miocene
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Diprotodontia
Suborder: Macropodiformes
Family: †Balbaridae
Kear and Cooke, 1999[1]
Genera

Subfamily indet

Subfamily Nambarinae

Subfamily Balbarinae

Subfamily indeterminate

Subfamily Naambarinae

Subfamily Balbarinae

References
  1. Cooke, B.N.; Kear, B.P. (1999). "Evolution and diversity of kangaroos (Macropodoidea: Marsupialia)". Australian Mammalogy. 21: 27–29, 34–45.
  2. 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
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