Nimbadon

Nimbadon is an extinct genus of marsupial, that lived from the Late Oligocene to the Miocene epoches.[1] Many fossils have been found in the Riversleigh World Heritage property in north-western Queensland. It is thought to have an arboreal lifestyle.[2]

Nimbadon Temporal range:
Composite N. lavarackorum skeleton from the Riversleigh site
N. lavarackorum mother and juvenile (reconstruction) by Peter Schouten
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Infraclass:	Marsupialia
Order:	Diprotodontia
Superfamily:	†Diprotodontoidea
Genus:	†Nimbadon Hand, Archer, Godthelp, Rich & Pledge, 1993.[1]
Species
†Nimbadon lavarackorum †Nimbadon scottorrorum †Nimbadon whitelawi

In 1990, skulls were unearthed in a previously unknown cave in the region. Researchers estimate that the first species of Nimbadon first appeared about 25 million years ago[1] and died out about 12 million years ago, perhaps from climate change-induced habitat loss.

Nimbadon lavarackorum is described as being koala-like. It is known from as many as 24 well-articulated specimens. The species was a tree-dweller, mainly feeding on stems and leaves. The feet and claws were large, being superficially similar to those of the koala. They retracted their claws when walking.[3]

While originally classified as a member of the family Diprotodontidae, a primarily terrestrial group,[1][2] some later studies suggested a more basal position within the Diprotodontoidea.[4]