Comparing extant Macrotis to extinct Leptictis and Holmesina
The origin of the marsupial bilby (Macrotis) from Australia
seems to be connected to the origin of Late Eocene Leptictis and Early Pliocene Holmesina (Fig 1). Macrotis has traits, like five premaxillary teeth, that mark it as the most primitive of the three.
So the bilby is a late-survivor of earlier radiations, some armored, that otherwise went extinct, if this hypothesis is correct.
Figure 1. The skull of extant Macrotis (the greater bilby) comnpared to the extinct pamapthere, Holmesina, and the Eocene leptictid, Leptictis.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/holmesina_macrotis588.gif?w=127″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/holmesina_macrotis588.gif?w=432″ class=”size-full wp-image-92559″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/holmesina_macrotis588.gif” alt=”Figure 1. The skull of extant Macrotis (the greater bilby) comnpared to the extinct pamapthere, Holmesina, and the Eocene leptictid, Leptictis. ” width=”584″ height=”1384″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/holmesina_macrotis588.gif?w=584&h=1384 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/holmesina_macrotis588.gif?w=63&h=150 63w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/holmesina_macrotis588.gif?w=127&h=300 127w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/holmesina_macrotis588.gif 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 1. The skull of extant Macrotis (the greater bilby) comnpared to the extinct pamapthere, Holmesina, and the Eocene leptictid, Leptictis. Note the loss of premaxillary teeth over time. Note the double parasagittal crest as it changes over time.
These taxa have not been connected in prior literature.
The large reptile tree (LRT, 2338 taxa) brings them together.
Macrotis lagotis
(Bensley 1903, extant, 29-55cm long) is the rabbit-bandicoot or bilby.
References
Bensley BA 1903. On the evolution of the Australian Marsupialia; Zoology 9(3):83–217. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1903.tb00447
Source: https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/2025/04/25/comparing-extant-macrotis-to-extinct-leptictis-and-holmesina/
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