Researchers from Flinders University and the University of Melbourne have analyzed thylacine skull structure, finding that its unique combination of an oversized skull and powerful jaw allowed it to deliver "high-impact snapping" bites. The study concluded that the thylacine likely preyed on small-to-medium animals like bandicoots, rather than larger animals like sheep, which was previously thought to be a key factor in its extinction. According to Professor Vera Weisbecker, the thylacine's hunting behavior is unlike any other living meat-eating mammal. The study challenges previous assumptions about the thylacine's diet and predation habits.
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Story summary
Researchers from Flinders University and the University of Melbourne have analyzed the skull structure of the thylacine, also known as the Tasmanian tiger. They found that its unique combination of a large skull, long upper jaw, and wide snout would have allowed it to deliver powerful "high-impact snapping" bites to catch small-to-medium prey like bandicoots, but not larger animals such as sheep. This discovery sheds new light on how the thylacine subdued its prey, contradicting a key reason for its extinction, which was based on the assumption that it hunted large livestock like sheep. According to Professor Vera Weisbecker, the study's findings are unique and cannot be compared to any other living meat-eating mammal. The research was conducted by Flinders University and the University of Melbourne, both located in Australia.
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In short:
Researchers from Flinders University and the University of Melbourne have analysed thylacine skull structure
They found their long, deep jaw would have been able to subdue small prey with powerful snapping bites.
asserted
jaw → analyse → bites
The study also found the thylacine was unique.
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thylacine → find → ?
A new Australian study has shed light on how the thylacine subdued its prey and what kinds of animals it likely ate, further undermining a key reason that led to its extinction.
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that → shed → extinction
The study from Flinders University and the University of Melbourne analysed thylacine skulls.
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study → analyse → skulls
Researchers found the combination of an oversized skull, long and tall upper jaw and mace-like widened snout meant the thylacine — also known as the Tasmanian tiger — had a "bite unlike any other living meat-eating mammal".
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thylacine → find → mammal
They concluded the thylacine's biting behaviour enabled it to use "high-impact snapping" to catch small-to-medium prey, such as bandicoots, as opposed to larger animals, such as sheep.
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behaviour → conclude → sheep
Professor Vera Weisbecker, from the College of Science and Engineering at Flinders University, said their work shed new light on how the thylacine subdued its prey.
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thylacine → say → prey
"The main novelty of our work really is that you can't really compare the thylacine to any of the animals that it's been compared to before … it's a very unique thing,"Dr Weisbecker said.
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Weisbecker → compare → that
The thylacine survived in Tasmania through to the 1900s but was targeted by farmers after being blamed for killing sheep and other livestock.
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thylacine → survive → sheep
This led to a government bounty for thylacines, which accelerated its decline.
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which → lead → decline
A study in 2011 revealed that due to thylacines' weak jaws, it was unlikely they could kill and eat sheep.
uncertain
they → reveal → sheep
Dr Weisbecker said their research also found the thylacine was unique.
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thylacine → say → ?
"As the thylacine went extinct, largely because people thought it was a wolf-like predator of sheep, it was definitely a dangerous predator to some animals, but it hunted animals in a way that no other mammal that is alive today probably hunted," she said.
"
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she → go → that
When the thylacine was sent extinct, we lost an animal that really was unique to the entire planet."
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that → send → planet
Cynocephalus means "dog head".
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Cynocephalus → mean → head
But Dr Weisbecker said thylacines were more closely related to kangaroos than to dogs.
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thylacines → say → dogs
"People often think of it as a dog-like animal, but it's actually a marsupial mammal — just like kangaroos and koalas — and also it's reasonably closely related to the Tasmanian devil," she said.
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she → think → devil