Palorchestidae is an extinct family of diprotodont marsupials whose members are sometimes referred to as marsupial tapirs due to the superficial similarity of their skulls to those of true tapirs. The idea that they had a tapir-like trunk has been contested, with other authors contending that it is more likely that they had a prehensile lip and protrusible tongue instead.[1] They had unusual forelimbs with a morphology unlike that of any living animal, which were likely used to pull and tear vegetation. They are suggested to have been browsers. The group experienced an increase in body size over time, with Propalorchestes weighing around 150 kg, while Palorchestes azael may have exceeded a ton.[2] They are considered to be members of Diprotodontoidea, most closely related to the also extinct Diprotodontidae. Their closest living relatives are wombats.[3]
The family consists of the following four genera:
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Skull of Palorchestes Palorchestidae is an extinct family of diprotodont marsupials whose members are sometimes referred to as marsupial tapirs due to the superficial similarity of their skulls to those of true tapirs. The idea that they had a tapir-like trunk has been contested, with other authors contending that it is more likely that they had a prehensile lip and protrusible tongue instead. They had unusual forelimbs with a morphology unlike that of any living animal, which were likely used to pull and tear vegetation. They are suggested to have been browsers. The group experienced an increase in body size over time, with Propalorchestes weighing around 150 kg, while Palorchestes azael may have exceeded a ton. They are considered to be members of Diprotodontoidea, most closely related to the also extinct Diprotodontidae. Their closest living relatives are wombats.
