Tim Ziegler et al /Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology
The discovery solves the mystery surrounding the 1,000-kilometer gap in the distribution of Owen’s giant echidna fossils in Australia.
A long-neglected fossil in a museum collection has revealed that giant echidnas once inhabited southeastern Australia.
Researchers from the Museums Research Institute of Victoria identified the remains as belonging to Owen’s giant equidan extinct species that lived during the Pleistocene, which began about 2.5 million years ago. The discovery is significant because it provides the first evidence that these large creatures inhabited the current state of Victoria.
Echidnas, native to Australia and New Guinea, belong to the rare oviparous group of monotremes, which also includes the platypus. While modern echidnas are relatively small, typically measuring up to 75 centimeters, their ancestors were much larger. Owen’s giant echidna could reach about one meter in length and weigh up to 15 kilograms, more than twice the size of some living species, explains .
In a published in Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology, researchers from the Museums Research Institute of Victoria identified the remains as belonging to the Owen’s giant equinean extinct species that lived during the Pleistocene, which began about 2.5 million years ago.
The fossil in question, a partial skull, was originally unearthed in 1907 at Foul Air Cave, a smelly cave part of the Buchan cave systemin East Gippsland. It was stored for more than a century before being re-examined in 2021 by paleontologist Tim Ziegler, who noticed its unusual characteristics when reviewing historical specimens.
Using 3D scanning technology, the research team compared the fossil with specimens of modern and extinct echidnas from collections across Australia. Their analysis confirmed that the skull belonged to the giant speciesa discovery that helps fill a long-standing gap in the animal’s known geographic distribution.
Previously, fossils of Owen’s giant echidna had been discovered in regions such as Western Australia, New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania. However, the lack of evidence in Victoria puzzled scientists, leaving a gap of approximately 1000 kilometers in its distribution. This new identification fills that gap.
Foul Air Cave itself has long been recognized as a rich source of prehistoric remains, including other megafauna such as the short-faced kangaroo and giant marsupials. The inclusion of the giant echidna in this list further reinforces the importance of the site for understanding Australia’s ancient ecosystems.
