# Raemeotherium

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Extinct genus of marsupials

Raemeotherium Temporal range: Late Oligocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Infraclass: Marsupialia Order: Diprotodontia Family: †Diprotodontidae Subfamily: †Zygomaturinae Genus: †Raemeotherium Rich et al., 1978 Species: †R. yatkolai Binomial name †Raemeotherium yatkolai Rich et al., 1978

***Raemeotherium*** is an [extinct](/source/Extinct) [genus](/source/Genus) of [marsupial](/source/Marsupial) of the family [Diprotodontidae](/source/Diprotodontidae). Only one species has been described, ***Raemeotherium yatkolai***, from the [Late Oligocene](/source/Late_Oligocene) Namba Formation of [South Australia](/source/South_Australia).

## History and naming

In late 1976, Ian Stewart of the [National Museum of Victoria](/source/National_Museum_of_Victoria) discovered the dentary of a diprotodontid at the south end of Lake Pinpa, South Australia. The dentary, along with isolated teeth collected from the same area, were described in 1978 by Australian palaeontologists [Tom H. Rich](/source/Tom_Rich), [Michael Archer](/source/Mike_Archer_(paleontologist)) and [Richard H. Tedford](/source/Richard_H._Tedford). These remains were given the name *Raemeotherium yatkolai* and originate from a layer of the [Oligocene](/source/Oligocene)-aged [Namba Formation](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Namba_Formation&action=edit&redlink=1).[1]

The genus name is a combination of the acronym for the [Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers](/source/Royal_Australian_Electrical_and_Mechanical_Engineers) (RAEME) and the [Ancient Greek](/source/Ancient_Greek) *therion* ("beast"). The species name honours the late Daniel Yatkola, a student of mammalian palaeontology.[1]

## Description

A combination of traits can be used to distinguish *Raemeotherium* from all other diprotodontids: the protocristid on the second molar is positioned buccally (towards the cheek) from the protoconid; the presence of a well-developed entocristid on all molars; and the ascending ramus lies at a much lower angle than in other diprotodontids. In addition, the second molar retains well-developed paracristid and protocristid crests. Cristid obliqua are present on all molars.[1]

Hand *et al.* (1993) noted that its size was probably smaller than *[Nimbadon](/source/Nimbadon)*.[2]

## Classification

In its description in 1978, *Raemeotherium* was thought to have been the most plesiomorphic diprotodontid and referable to the subfamily [Zygomaturinae](/source/Zygomaturinae). The authors who described the taxon also, however, noted that there are no [apomorphies](/source/Apomorphy) that preclude it from representing a basal [macropoid](/source/Macropodiformes).[1] Black & Archer (1997) suggested that there is still some doubt to its taxonomic identity.[3]

## Paleobiology

*Raemeotherium* is derived from the Pinpa LF of the [Late Oligocene](/source/Late_Oligocene) Namba Formation, which has an estimated date range of 26-24 Ma.[4] At the time, the area would have been a rainforest environment surrounding swamps. It would have been dominated by [gymnosperms](/source/Gymnosperms), [casuarinaceae](/source/Casuarinaceae) and *[Nothofagus](/source/Nothofagus)*.[5] *Raemeotherium* coexisted in this environment with a variety of fish, turtles, lizards, crocodilians, birds and mammals.[4]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Rich1978_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Rich1978_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Rich1978_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Rich1978_1-3) Rich, T.H.; Archer, M.; Tedford, R.H. (1978). "*Raemeotherium yatkolai*, gen. et sp. nov., a primitive diprotodontid from the medial Miocene of South Australia". *Memoirs of the National Museum of Victoria*. **39**: 85–91. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.24199/j.mmv.1978.39.06](https://doi.org/10.24199%2Fj.mmv.1978.39.06).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Hand1993_2-0)** Hand, S.J.; Archer, M.; Godthelp, H.; Rich, T.H.; Pledge, N.S. (1993). ["Nimbadon, a new genus and three new species of Tertiary zygomaturines (Marsupialia: Diprotodontidae) from northern Australia, with a reassessment of Neohelos"](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/71096). *Memoirs of the Queensland Museum*. **33**: 193–210.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Black1997_3-0)** Black, K.; Archer, M. (1997). ["Silvabestius gen. nov., a primitive zygomaturine (marsupialia, diprotodontidae) from Riversleigh, Northwestern Queensland"](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/292468685). *Memoirs of the Queensland Museum*. **41** (2): 193–208.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Mather2021_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Mather2021_4-1) Mather EK, Lee MS, Camens AB, Worthy TH (2021). ["An exceptional partial skeleton of a new basal raptor (Aves: Accipitridae) from the late Oligocene Namba formation, South Australia"](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F08912963.2021.1966777). *Historical Biology*. **34** (7): 1175–1207. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1080/08912963.2021.1966777](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F08912963.2021.1966777).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Martin1989_5-0)** Martin, Hellen A. (1989). "The palynology of the Namba Formation in the Wooltana-1 bore, Callabonna Basin (Lake Frome), South Australia, and its relevance to Miocene grasslands in central Australia". *Alcheringa*. **14** (3): 247–255. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1080/03115519008619058](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F03115519008619058).

v t e Vombatiformes Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Diprotodontia †Thylacoleonidae Enigmaleo Lekaneleo Microleo Thylacoleo Wakaleo Phascolarctidae †Invictokoala †Koobor †Litokoala †Madakoala †Nimiokoala †Perikoala Phascolarctos †Priscakoala Vombatomorphia †Thylacoleonidae? †Ilariidae Ilaria Kuterintja †Wynyardiidae Muramura Namilamadeta Wynyardia Vombatoidea †Marada? †Mukupirna Vombatidae Lasiorhinus †Nimbavombatus †Phascolonus †Ramsayia †Rhizophascolonus †Sedophascolomys Vombatus †Warendja †Diprotodontoidea Palorchestidae Palorchestes Propalorchestes Diprotodontidae Alkwertatherium Ambulator Diprotodon Euowenia Euryzygoma Hulitherium Kolopsis Kolopsoides Maokopia Meniscolophus Neohelos Ngapakaldia Nimbadon Nototherium Pitikantia Plaisiodon Pyramios Raemeotherium Silvabestius Sthenomerus Zygomaturus

Taxon identifiers Raemeotherium Wikidata: Q3417192 GBIF: 4826003 IRMNG: 1100616 Paleobiology Database: 40198

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Raemeotherium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raemeotherium) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raemeotherium?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.