''Barinya'' is a fossil genus from the

marsupial Marsupials are any members of the mammalian infraclass Marsupialia. All extant marsupials are endemic to Australasia, Wallacea and the Americas. A distinctive characteristic common to most of these species is that the young are carried in a po ...

family

Dasyuridae The Dasyuridae are a family of marsupials native to Australia and New Guinea, including 71 extant species divided into 17 genera. Many are small and mouse-like or shrew-like, giving some of them the name marsupial mice or marsupial shrews, but th ...

, which contains the oldest known undoubted dasyurid. The principal differences between ''Barinya'' and more recent dasyurids are in the dentition and skull morphology, with ''Barinya'' displaying more primitive features. One described fossil exists and at least one remains to be described. This genus has only been found at Riversleigh in

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, where it is quite common in deposits from the Oligo-

Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and means "less recen ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from1=Q2280231, from2=Q21446251, from3=Q21224196 Prehistoric dasyuromorphs Prehistoric mammals of Australia Miocene marsupials Prehistoric marsupial genera Riversleigh fauna Fossil taxa described in 1999