Hunters exterminated thylacines, known as Tasmanian tigers, in Australia nearly a century ago. Now, a new analysis of their skulls reveals that these animals were very different from the wolves they were compared to for decades. The physical resemblance to wolves contributed to the creation of a myth among British colonizers in Tasmania.
Due to their appearance as large predators, thylacines were considered a threat to livestock and were persecuted, although studies indicate that their anatomy was more suited to capturing small animals. An investigation published in the journal Nature Communications analyzed characteristics of thylacine skulls and concluded that these animals had unique adaptations for capturing small prey.
The research reinforces that the thylacine was not simply a marsupial version of large European predators. In fact, the analyses demonstrate that thylacines were more similar to kangaroos than to wolves in terms of cranial structure and dietary adaptations.
