Thylacine
. The thylacine ( Thylacinus cynocephalus ) was the largest known carnivorous marsupial of modern times . It is commonly known as the Tasmanian tiger (because of its striped lower back) or the Tasmanian wolf (because of its canid-like appearance, traits and attributes). [14] Native to continental Australia , Tasmania , and New Guinea , it is believed to have become extinct in the 20th century because of hunters. It was the last extant member of its family, Thylacinidae ; specimens of other members of the family have been found in the fossil record dating back to the late Oligocene . Surviving evidence suggests that it was a relatively shy, nocturnal creature with the general appearance of a medium-to-large-size dog, except for its stiff tail and abdominal pouch (reminiscent of kangaroo) and dark transverse stripes that radiated from the top of its back, similar to those of a tiger. The thylacine was an apex predator , like the tigers and wolves of the Northern Hemispher...
