Megabeast had perpetually ‘bent’ elbows

[Eldorado]

Imagine going through life with your arms permanently bent and locked at the elbows. Awkward, right?

Until recently we thought the mega-marsupial Palorchestes azael lived exactly like this. This rare, distant relative of the wombat became extinct (along with much of Australia’s megafauna) about 40,000 years ago.

But our research, published today in the Journal of Anatomy, shows Palorchestes could in fact move its elbows — but only a very tiny amount compared to other mammals.

Full monty at the Conversation: Link

Low elbow mobility indicates unique forelimb posture and function in a giant extinct marsupial.

Abstract at Wiley: Link