Extract DNA of two ancient kangaroo species

Australian researchers successfully extracted the DNA of two extinct marsupials. That is Simosthenurus occidentalis and Protemnodon anak, also known as giant wallaby.

Giant wallaby giant kangaroo species

The DNA revealed that although the giant wallaby was extinct, it was closely related to the modern kangaroo species, such as Western Australia's red-gray kangaroo, which was reported by Dr. Bastien Llamas in the journal. Molecular Biology and Evolution.

Page Sci-News said that through radioactive carbon research, two Simosthenurus occidentalis and Protemnodon anak specimens are dated 45,000 years ago.

Their remains were discovered in a cold and dry cave in Tasmania, and in relatively good storage conditions, it was possible to extract some short DNA fragments. Researchers have used this specimen to reconstruct the critical mitochondrial genome when passed from mother to child, thereby deducing evolutionary relationships.

Sci-News said that the study also showed that Simosthenurus occidentalis is a very specific strain, although still belonging to the Macropods kangaroo. Scientists are continuing to decipher to understand more about large size animals because the bone samples were not in good preservation in the past, so the information is very poor.