Bulungu is an extinct
genus of
bandicoot-like mammal from Oligo-
Miocene deposits of
Riversleigh, northwestern Queensland, and the Etadunna Formation,
Australia. It was first named by Gurovich et al. (2013) and the type species is Bulungu palara.[1]
Two additional species, Bulungu campbelli and Bulungu minkinaensis, were also described in 2013. Bulungu muirheadae is the oldest fossil bandicoot recovered to date.[2] An additional three species Bulungu minkinaensis, Bulungu pinpaensis, and Bulungu westermani were named by Travouillon, Beck & Case (
2021) allowing for placement of the genus in the superfamily
Yaraloidea.[3]
References
^Gurovich, Yamila; Travouillon, Kenny J.; Beck, Robin M. D.; Muirhead, Jeanette; Archer, Michael (2013). "Biogeographical implications of a new mouse-sized fossil bandicoot (Marsupialia: Peramelemorphia) occupying a dasyurid-like ecological niche across Australia". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 12 (3): 265.
doi:
10.1080/14772019.2013.776646.
hdl:11336/5406.
S2CID140187280.