A newly identified, extinct-for-years marsupial relative to the kangaroo has come to light in Australian research. Scientists reveal that this animal likely vanished before its remains could be examined, underscoring how much we still have to learn about Australia’s ancient wildlife.
Researchers from Curtin University, the Western Australian Museum, and Murdoch University analyzed fossils found in caves across the Nullarbor region and southwest Australia. Their work uncovered a completely new species of bettong and two previously unrecognized subspecies of the woylie, a small kangaroo-like marsupial.
Woylies as Ecosystem Engineers
Woylies play a critical ecological role by moving several tonnes of soil each year in search of their preferred mushroom foods. Native to Western Australia, these compact relatives of kangaroos have become Australia’s most frequently relocated mammal due to ongoing conservation programs aimed at protecting the critically endangered species.
Lead author Jake Newman-Martin, a PhD student at Curtin’s School of Molecular and Life Sciences, stated that the findings shed light on the rich diversity of woylies, also called brush-tailed bettongs.
"Woylies are critically endangered marsupials that have faced conservation challenges for decades," Newman-Martin noted.
New Species and Subspecies Identified from Fossils
In this study, researchers named a completely new species based solely on fossil material and described two new subspecies of woylies for the first time. Tragically, many of these relatives disappeared before scientists could document their existence.
The team’s results divide the critically endangered woylie into two living subspecies, a distinction that matters for conservation strategies, particularly breeding programs and translocation efforts aimed at boosting population size and genetic health.
Co-author Dr. Kenny Travouillon, Curator of Terrestrial Zoology at the Western Australian Museum, explained that the team used detailed measurements of bones to better understand the diversity among woylie species.
Fossils as Conservation Clues
"This work confirms multiple distinct species and expands our understanding of woylie diversity by examining skull and body fossils that had not previously been analyzed in depth," Travouillon said.
"What we’ve learned suggests that combining fossil studies with genetic tools could offer valuable insights that enhance conservation plans for this critically endangered native species."
The proposed scientific name for the new Nullarbor species is Bettongia haoucharae. The researchers intend to collaborate with Indigenous communities to establish a fitting collaborative name, since woylie is a Noongar word.
Museum Collections Underpin the Findings
The study drew on specimens housed across numerous institutions, including the Western Australian Museum, South Australian Museum, Australian Museum, Queensland Museum, Museums Victoria, Flinders University’s research collection, the Natural History Museum in London, and the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.
