The
thylacine ( , or , also ;
binomial name:
Thylacinus cynocephalus, Greek for "
dog-headed pouched one") 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. Native to continental
Australia,
Tasmania and
New Guinea, it is believed to have become
extinct in the 20th century. 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.
