Sunday Selections #541

 

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files.

 

Huge thanks to Cie who gave me this wonderful Sunday Selections image.

 

The meme was then continued by River at Drifting through life.  Sadly she has now stepped aside (though she will join us some weeks), and I have accepted the mantle. 

 

The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to me. Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.

 

I usually run with a theme. I am returning to MegaFauna this week.  I am also going to be more descriptive than usual.  Laurie reminded me (again) that a photo is not always visible to everyone.  She has significant sight challenges and while a program will read the text to her there are none (yet) that will describe a photo.  I hope you think of that in your comments too - to make the post much more accessible to her.

These first two photos are of Wombat Phascolonus gigus.  It was two to three times the size of a modern womat, with huge curved front teeth.  Like our current wombats it had a sturdy build and strong legs.  I thought it looked like a wombat crossed with a dog, perhaps of the bull dog family.

This is Obdurodon - or Giant platypus.  It grew to four times the size of the platypus that we know and love (and rarely see) today.  It retains the duck bill and fur which made the first English scientists sent a stuffed platypus to believe it was a prank, bringing together two separate animals.  There was no mention about whether the giants also had a poison spur - but I expect they did.

Then to Meiolania or Giant Horned Turtle.  And giant it was.  They could grow up to five metres in size (16.5 feet) and weighed between 150 and 1300kg (330-2800 lbs).  The horns pointed backward and there was no mention about how they were used - or if they were a decorative feature.

While it was definitely on the cool side, it was also bright and clear.  I loved seeing the towering grey green eucalypts set off by blue skies and a few fluffy clouds.

This impressive beast is Megalania or ancient giant roamer.  It was a carnivore and ate large marsupials and other reptiles and birds.  Aboriginal cave paintings show it - and I expect they had to treat it with considerable respect - though one of them would feed a tribe for a long time.

This more more benign looking animal (a bear on all fours without the armament of tooth and claw) was Hulitherium or Mountain Diprotodon.  It was found in Australia and in Papua New Guinea (named after the Huli people in New Guinea).  It was a vegetarian.  A BIG vegetarian coming in at between 75-200 kilos or 165 -400 lbs.  I expect it was a much anticipated treat for the carnivores.

 

The Diprotodon was another herbivore, consuming up to 150kg of vegetation each day.  NOT something you want to find your garden.  It weighed up to 2700kg (more than 1500 pounds).  I struggle to describe what it looks like.  In this sculpture at least it has a cheeky smile, and looks not unlike a hippo - except that its nose and face are much more dog like.

We are in the Botanic Gardens after all, and I really liked seeing these purple berries on the Calytrix tetrago.

These two photos are of the very aptly named Thorny Devil or Moloch Horridus.  Despite its fearsome appearance with lumps/ bumps/horns on almost every vertebrae it apparently ate only ants.  It could weigh as much (or more) than a man today so there must have been a LOT of ants about.  Given that many ants bring me up in spectacular welts if they bite me, I would welcome this critter in my garden.

Some more paper (or everlasting daisies).  They seem to thrive in the Botanical Gardens.  I can grow them, but they don't reappear the next year.

This beauty is the Podocarpus elatus or plum pine.  Its fruit does look plum like but I have never seen a pine with leaves like that.  I bow to the experts.

Finishing up with a Banskia - though I am not sure which one.  They are native to Australia and come in some spectacular colours.

I hope you enjoyed wandering through the MegaFauna exhibition and the gardens with me, and that you have a healthy, happy week.

Sunday Selections #540

 

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files.

 

Huge thanks to Cie who gave me this wonderful Sunday Selections image.

 

The meme was then continued by River at Drifting through life.  Sadly she has now stepped aside (though she will join us some weeks), and I have accepted the mantle. 

 

The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to me. Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.

 

I usually run with a theme. Unlike several of our States we are not in lockdown here.  However Covid surges have meant that masks are again mandatory, in enclosed areas, public transport and public transport waiting areas.  We are not required to wear masks outside.  So, this week I am taking you back to the Australian National Botanic Gardens, a place I love and don't get to nearly often enough.  

 

This week I am going to be (mostly) focusing on fauna rather than flora.  MEGAfauna to be accurate.  It is school holidays here and the gardens have staged a wonderful exhibit of giant critters which once existed here in Australia.  Australia has some weird critters and it seems that this was probably always true. 

 

It might have been designed for children but we loved it too.

As I so often say, come wander with me.

 

I have never seen such a large grevillea flower.  This one is called Peaches and Cream.

This is a fossil of a giant python, Wonami (The Rainbow Serpent.  It apparently could weigh up to 75 kilos (165 pounds) and would ambush kangaroos and wallabies coming to waterholes to drink.

This is a Mallee Fowl.  We still have them, though they have shrunk.

Wakaleo - or small lion.  I hadn't realised that we had ever had them.  They roamed in ancient woodlands and rainforests.

This one 'rejoiced' in the name the Demon Duck of Doom.  A duck which could weight 250 kilos (over 550 pounds)???  Apparently there are arguments about what it ate - but I would give it plenty of room.

This is a Cassowary - which we still have.  They have apparently been here from the Pliocene period until today.  They are found in the rainforests of Queensland and are big and powerful birds (who are fortunately mainly vegetarian).

Palorchestes or Marsupial Tapir.  Another big beast which could reach 500 kilos.

Procoptodon or Giant short-faced kangaroo.  They apparently weighed up to three times more than our current red kangaroos.

 

Even by my standards this is becoming a photo heavy post.  IF you are interested I will continue to share our ancient beasties next week.

 

In the interim I hope your week is healthy, happy and packed with wonder.   And, for my American friends, may the Fourth be with you.