Kingdom Animalia Class Mammalia Order Dasyuromorphia Scientific name Mutpuracinus archibaldi | Phylum Chordata Infraclass Marsupialia Family †Thylacinidae Rank Genus | |
Similar Thylacinus megiriani, Nimbacinus dicksoni, Thylacinus potens, Silvabestius, Thylacinidae | ||
Mutpuracinus archibaldi is an extinct carnivorous, quadrupedal marsupial that lived during the middle Miocene and is the smallest known thylacinid at approximately 1.1 kilograms, the size of a quoll, though, more closely related to the recently extinct thylacine.
M. archibaldi would have resembled a dog with a long snout. Its molar teeth were specialized for carnivory, the cups and crest were reduced or elongated to give the molars a cutting blade.
Fossils of M. archibaldi have been discovered in deposits at Bullock Creek in the northern territory and in the same deposits as N. richi. It is named in honor of Ian Archibald for his contributions to the northern territory. Fossil specimens of M. archibaldi include a premaxilla with alveoli for four incisors, and the holotype, a left maxilla. thylacinid skull fossils are exceedingly rare and M. archiboldi is one of only three species known from fossil crania.