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have meant the fossils are extremely well preserved. The fossil collection reveals mammalian evolution across more than 20 million years. Fossils have been found in more than 200 individual locations. The fossil record here is significant because it provides evidence on evolution and the
260:, an environment that was once a very wet rainforest that became more arid as the Gondwanan land masses separated and the Australian continent moved north. The approximately 100 square kilometres (39 sq mi) area has fossil remains of ancient mammals, birds, and reptiles of the
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which has not been compacted. This means the animal remains retain their three-dimensional structure, rather than being partially crushed like in most fossil sites. The area is located within the catchment of the
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Fossils were first noted to exist in the area in 1901. An initial exploration survey was conducted in 1963. Since 1976, the area has been the subject of systemic exploration. The site was co-listed with the
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The presence of
Riversleigh fauna in the Oligo-Miocene has been classified by four "faunal zones", and used to denote the presence of fossil taxa in these time periods. These may be summarised as
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and feeding spots for predators which periodically and perhaps suddenly became covered and preserved; these conditions are responsible for the large assemblages of fossilised bats whose
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first appeared about 15 million years ago and died out about 12 million years ago, perhaps from climate change-induced losses in habitat. A well-preserved skull of the ancient
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1064:
Queensl, The
University of; Lucia, Australia Brisbane St; Gatton, QLD 4072 +61 7 3365 1111 Other Campuses: UQ; Maps, UQ Herston; Queensl, Directions © 2022 The University of.
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ages, many of which were discovered and are only known from the
Riversleigh area; the species that have occurred there are known as the
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species have been identified at the site, which is the richest in the world. Cave deposits have been particularly rich in bat species.
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is a paleontologist who has been working at
Riversleigh since 1983. He and his co-workers discovered that diluted
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community. Some of the fossils at
Riversleigh are 25 million years old. High concentrations of
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735:"Riversleigh World Heritage Site, Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park: Nature, culture and history"
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505:, discovered a new species of extinct koala, at Riversleigh, which was then named after Dick Smith.
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Fossils at
Riversleigh are found in limestone by lime-rich freshwater pools, and in caves, when the
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has evolved in response to
Australia's change from predominant rainforest vegetation to drier
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630:. Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. 15 May 2008.
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were unearthed in a previously unknown cave in the region. Researchers estimate that this
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737:. Department of Environment and Resource Management. 14 December 2011. Archived from
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The fossils at
Riversleigh are unusual because they are found in soft freshwater
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location, recognised for the series of well preserved fossils deposited from the
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Australia' Fossil
Heritage: A Catalogue of Important Australian Fossil Sites
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The fossil species identified at the sites are collectively known as the
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840:"This meat-eating marsupial may have hunted prey larger than itself"
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The
Riversleigh Society supports scientific research at Riversleigh
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forests. The fossil bird fauna at Riversleigh includes an artamid
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The skull and nearly complete dentition of a 15-million-year-old
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For the locality in Shire of Murweh, South-West Queensland, see
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628:"Australian Fossil Mammal Site - Riversleigh more information"
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Information about fossils from Riversleigh, Australian Museum
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from the Pliocene of Riversleigh, North-western Queensland".
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704:"Australian Fossil Mammal Sites (Riversleigh / Naracoorte)"
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970:(Aves: Ciconiidae), with the description of a new species"
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helped to conserve the remains of themselves and others.
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Location of Riversleigh World Heritage Area in Queensland
87:
Australian Fossil Mammal Sites (Riversleigh / Naracoorte)
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Riversleigh: the Story of Australia's Inland Rainforests
1039:"wakaleo.net — Riversleigh News and Faunal Encyclopedia"
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Australia's lost world: Riversleigh, World Heritage Site
966:"A review of the Australian fossil storks of the genus
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created by the action of large amounts of water on the
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185:
1131:
UNESCO site with information on Riversleigh, Australia
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Scientific studies are mostly conducted by a group of
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was the most effective method of extracting fossils.
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Archer M; Hand, Suzanne J. & Godthelp H. 2000.
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867:"Loud and lazy but didn't chew gum: Ancient koalas"
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UNESCO World Heritage Site in Queensland, Australia
1066:"20 million year old koala named after Dick Smith"
316:in 1994, and by itself, it is an extension of the
452:Other fossils have provided evidence of how the
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284:. Many of the fossil sites were crevices and
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18:Australian Fossil Mammal Sites (Riversleigh)
1485:Cenozoic paleontological sites of Australia
1094:: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
223:Riversleigh World Heritage Area (Australia)
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664:The Australian Heritage Council (2012).
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1003:Nguyen, JMT, Hand SJ, Archer M (2016).
842:. Science Recorder News. Archived from
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248:to more recent geological periods. The
1126:World heritage listing for Riversleigh
1087:
771:from the original on 15 September 2017
634:from the original on 21 September 2013
589:"Huge skulls clues to snake evolution"
128:10,029 ha (38.72 sq mi)
1076:from the original on 13 November 2022
822:Fossils reveal prehistoric life cycle
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603:from the original on 11 November 2012
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670:. Csiro Publishing. pp. 43–44.
791:"Cave yields marsupial fossil haul"
597:Australian Broadcasting Corporation
536:Agate Fossil Beds National Monument
1460:World Heritage Sites in Queensland
1045:from the original on 26 April 2017
803:from the original on 8 August 2010
25:
1455:Australian National Heritage List
1404:Heard Island and McDonald Islands
1177:World Heritage Sites in Australia
879:from the original on 30 June 2019
838:Jonathan Marker (10 April 2014).
684:from the original on 5 March 2024
383:, 28.4 to 23.03 million years ago
1024:10.3853/j.2201-4349.68.2016.1668
1010:Records of the Australian Museum
989:10.3853/j.0067-1975.57.2005.1440
975:Records of the Australian Museum
931:Boles, WE (1998). "A budgerigar
904:) from the Miocene of Australia"
865:Dan Gaffney (19 December 2009).
710:from the original on 10 May 2015
706:. UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
587:Anna Salleh (16 February 2006).
515:
214:
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184:
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1435:Oligocene paleontological sites
368:distribution of species across
238:Riversleigh World Heritage Area
1294:Australian fossil mammal sites
1253:Australian fossil mammal sites
1237:Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
306:Naracoorte Caves National Park
1:
1465:Protected areas of Queensland
1440:Miocene paleontological sites
487:University of New South Wales
1351:Budj Bim Cultural Landscape
252:system is located near the
240:is Australia's most famous
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908:Palaeontologia Electronica
551:Laguna del Hunco Formation
340:
98:Natural: (viii), (ix)
47:UNESCO World Heritage Site
26:
1470:Fossil parks in Australia
1412:
1341:Royal Exhibition Building
1278:Wet Tropics of Queensland
501:, a palaeontologist from
318:Boodjamulla National Park
171:
53:
1399:Australian Convict Sites
1367:Australian Convict Sites
1315:Australian Convict Sites
1191:Australian Convict Sites
1111:Archer, M. et al. 1991.
1377:Purnululu National Park
933:Melopsittacus undulatus
431:Thylacinus cynocephalus
381:Late or Upper Oligocene
355:was evolving from rich
250:fossiliferous limestone
29:Riversleigh, Queensland
1216:Willandra Lakes Region
1206:Lord Howe Island Group
1115:, (Sydney: Reed Books)
541:Santa Rosa local fauna
463:Kurrartapu johnnguyeni
388:Early or Lower Miocene
338:
198:Show map of Queensland
1450:North West Queensland
826:Australian Geographic
402:Late or Upper Miocene
400:Faunal Zone D (FZD):
393:Faunal Zone C (FZC):
386:Faunal Zone B (FZB):
379:Faunal Zone A (FZA):
341:Further information:
331:
256:in the north-west of
226:Show map of Australia
1391:External territories
1325:Tasmanian Wilderness
1268:Gondwana Rainforests
1232:Kakadu National Park
1196:Gondwana Rainforests
898:Nguyen, JMT (2016).
741:on 13 September 2011
531:List of fossil sites
404:, 11.608 to 5.332 Ma
397:, 15.97 to 11.608 Ma
292:formation, creating
765:Faunal encyclopedia
446:Nimbacinus dicksoni
408:Thirty-five fossil
390:, 23.03 to 15.97 Ma
314:World Heritage Site
152: /
41:
1416:states/territories
1414:Shared with other
1273:Great Barrier Reef
1225:Northern Territory
1211:Sydney Opera House
964:Boles, WE (2005).
422:Obdurodon dicksoni
339:
156:19.033°S 138.633°E
1480:Riversleigh fauna
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1397:(Norfolk Island)
1360:Western Australia
910:. 19.1.1A: 1–13.
523:Queensland portal
471:Riversleigh fauna
365:calcium carbonate
343:Riversleigh fauna
270:Riversleigh fauna
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593:ABC Science
499:Karen Black
495:acetic acid
491:Mike Archer
324:Description
159: /
134:Coordinates
116:1994 (18th
113:Inscription
40:Riversleigh
1429:Categories
1299:Naracoorte
1246:Queensland
1049:12 January
562:References
546:Messel pit
357:rainforest
347:Nimiokoala
258:Queensland
73:Queensland
1382:Shark Bay
485:from the
441:marsupial
427:thylacine
417:monotreme
361:grassland
353:ecosystem
277:limestone
262:Oligocene
103:Reference
77:Australia
1334:Victoria
1308:Tasmania
1090:cite web
1080:15 April
1074:Archived
1043:Archived
883:5 August
877:Archived
850:11 April
807:5 August
801:Archived
796:BBC News
769:Archived
708:Archived
682:Archived
632:Archived
607:5 August
601:Archived
509:See also
477:Research
458:eucalypt
436:Nimbadon
370:Gondwana
337:skeleton
334:Nimbadon
147:138°38′E
94:Criteria
64:Location
1070:UQ News
968:Ciconia
872:PhysOrg
745:28 July
688:28 July
638:28 July
266:Miocene
118:Session
107:698-001
83:Part of
69:Gregory
1263:K'gari
775:28 May
714:17 May
674:
242:fossil
144:19°2′S
454:koala
312:as a
298:guano
290:karst
1096:link
1082:2022
1051:2014
885:2010
852:2014
809:2010
777:2019
747:2012
716:2015
690:2012
672:ISBN
640:2012
609:2010
503:UNSW
345:and
264:and
125:Area
1019:doi
984:doi
947:doi
938:Emu
912:doi
489:.
410:bat
308:in
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1092:}}
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