Dr Stephen Wroe - Research Associate

Research interests
Current research
Publications
Articles
Links

Research interests

Steve Wroe is currently a U2000 Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney and a Research Associate at the Australian Museum.

His main interests are in the fields of marsupial carnivore evolution: phylogeny, palaeontology, ecomorphology and biogeography, as well as the extinction of Late Quaternary megafauna. Specific groups of interest include:

the Tasmanian Tiger (Thylacinus cynocephalus) and its relatives (Thylacinidae)
carnivorous giant rat-kangaroos (Propleopinae)
the marsupial lion (Thylacoleo carnifex) and other members of its family (Thylacoleonidae)
marsupial mice, quolls and the Tasmanian Devil (Dasyuridae)
giant dromornithid birds (Dromornithidae)

Current research

Ecomorphology of Australia's Extinct Marsupial Carnivores

This study investigates the ecology and behaviours of Australia's extinct marsupial carnivores. Thirty fossil species are included ranging from Late Pleistocene to late Oligocene in age.

In general, the emerging scene of high mammalian carnivore diversity in Oligocene-Miocene Australia is at odds with the proposition that soil-nutrient deficiency and erratic climate have constrained the evolution of marsupial meat-eaters on this continent or that gigantic reptiles effectively sidelined marsupial counterparts. In addition it has become clear that the size of Australia's supposedly huge terrestrial reptiles have been vastly overrated, while reinvestigation suggests that many, possibly most, were in fact aquatic. Works in progress are directed at shedding further light on marsupial carnivore ecology and palaeoecology and identifying trends in the evolution of these intriguing taxa.

Human-megafaunal interaction in the Late Pleistocene of Australia

This project investigates and aims to predict the relationship between the first Australians and the fauna they encountered - the aim is to shed light on the subject of megafaunal extinction and a possible human role in their extinction.

Works recently published or in progress demonstrate that claims to have pinpointed the time at which now extinct megafauna disappeared are poorly-founded and based on inappropriate methodology. Similarly, the 'blitzkrieg' hypothesis, which attempts to explain late Quaternary megafaunal extinctions solely through rapid overkill by humans, has been shown to be all but completely untenable in Australia. This eats deeply into the efficacy of 'blitzkrieg' as a paradigm with global application. However, it remains likely that early Australians played some role in the demise of the megafauna - albeit through less rapid or direct means.

Publications (2001-2002)

Wroe, S. (2002). Australian marsupial carnivores: an overview of recent advances in palaeontology and phylogeny. In M. Jones, C. Dickman, and M. Archer (eds), Predators with Pouches: the Biology of Carnivorous Marsupials, CSIRO publishing: Melbourne, in press.
Wroe, S., and Archer, M. (2002). Origins and early radiations of marsupials. In Merrick, J. Archer, M., Hickey, G. M., and Lee, M. S. Y. (eds). Evolution and Biogeography of Australasian Vertebrates, Auscipub Pty Ltd: Sydney, in press
Wroe, S. (2002). A review of terrestrial mammalian and reptilian carnivore ecology in Australian fossil faunas and factors influencing their diversity: The myth of reptilian domination and its broader ramifications. Australian Journal of Zoology, 50: 1-24.
Wroe, S. (2002). A new genus and species of small thylacinid (Marsupialia), from the Miocene of Riversleigh, northwestern Queensland. Journal of Zoology (London), submitted.
Wroe, S., Field, J., and Fullagar, R. (2002).Lost giants. Nature Australia, 27(5): 54-61.
Wroe, S., Field, J., Fullagar, R., and Jermiin, L. (2002). Taking the glitz out of blitzkrieg: Another look at late Quaternary extinctions of megafauna and the global overkill parable, Journal of World Prehistory, submitted.
Wroe, S. (2001). Maximucinus muirheadae, gen. et sp. nov. (Thylacinidae, Marsupialia), from the Miocene of Riversleigh, northwestern Queensland, with estimates of body weights for fossil thylacinids. Australian Journal of Zoology, 49: 603-614.
Wroe, S. (2001). The killer rat-kangaroo's tooth. Nature Australia, 27: 28-31.
Wroe, S. (2001). A new genus and species of dasyuromorphian, from the Miocene of Riversleigh, northwestern Queensland. Pp. 53-59. In S. J. Hand and J. R. Laurie (eds), Riversleigh Symposium 1998: Proceedings of a research symposium on fossils from Riversleigh and Murgon, Queensland, held at the University of New South Wales, December, 1998. Memoir of the Association of Australasian Palaeontologists 25: 1-154.
Wroe, S., and Musser, A. (2001). The skull of Nimbacinus dicksoni, (Thylacinidae, Marsupialia). Australian Journal of Zoology, 49: 487-514.

Conference Abstracts

Wroe, S. (2001). The lost kingdoms of Australia. Newton, 4: 98-104.
Wroe, S., and Field, J. (2001). The big end. Sydney Morning Herald (News Review), September 1-2, p. 29.
Wroe, S., and Field, J. (2001). On giant-wombats and red-herrings. Australasian Science, 24: 18.
Wroe, S., and Field, J. (2001). Megafaunal mystery remains. Australasian Science, 22 (September): 21-25.

Articles

Link

Steve Wroe's web page
http://www.bio.usyd.edu.au/staff/swroe/swroe.htm

Australian Museum Mammals