Nimbacinus fossil map
Where fossils of Nimbacinus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 15 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 15 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Early mammals |
|---|---|
| Lived | 23.04–11.63 million years ago (Aquitanian to Serravallian) |
| Periods | Neogene |
| Family | Thylacinidae |
| Named by | Muirhead and Archer 1990 |
| Fossil records | 4 occurrences at 2 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Australia |
| Rock formations | Camfield Beds, txn:40102 |
About Nimbacinus
Nimbacinus is an extinct genus of thylacinid that contains two species of carnivorous, quadrupedal marsupials in Australia both of which are extinct:
Nimbacinus dicksoni Muirhead & Archer, 1990
Nimbacinus peterbridgei Churchill, Archer & Hand, 2024
Like all thylacinids, Nimbacinus dicksoni was a dog-like marsupial, though its smaller size makes its appearance more comparable to that of a fox. Unlike its relatives, its jaws were likely strong enough for it to take down prey larger than itself.
The name of the genus combines "Nimba" and "cinus", derived from a word meaning "little" in the Wanyi language, indigenous peoples associated with the Riversleigh fossil site, and the Ancient Greek word "kynos", meaning "dog".
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Nimbacinus (revision 1369757708), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q142903.
