thylacine

extinct marsupial
Also known as: Tasmanian tiger, Tasmanian wolf, Thylacinus cynocephalus, marsupial wolf(Show More)

thylacine, (Thylacinus cynocephalus), largest carnivorous marsupial of recent times, presumed extinct soon after the last captive individual died in 1936. A slender fox-faced animal that hunted at night for wallabies and birds, the thylacine was 100 to 130 cm (39 to 51 inches) long, including its 50- to 65-cm (20- to 26-inch) tail. Its weight ranged from 15 to 30 kg (33 to 66 pounds), but about 25 kg (about 55 pounds) was average. The...