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‘Mega Chonk’: palaeontologists find fossil from largest skink – the size of a human arm ‘Mega Chonk’: palaeontologists find fossil from largest skink – the size of a human arm
(about 1 month later)
Tiliqua frangens is about 1,000 times bigger than most skinks and walked the Earth about 50,000 years ago, alongside other extinct megafauna Tiliqua frangens is about 1,000 times bigger than some skinks and walked the Earth about 50,000 years ago, alongside other extinct megafauna
A skink as big as a human arm has been comically dubbed the Mega Chonk after its fossiled bones were found alongside other blasts from the prehistoric past.A skink as big as a human arm has been comically dubbed the Mega Chonk after its fossiled bones were found alongside other blasts from the prehistoric past.
After years of careful work, researchers from Flinders University have formally described what is by far the biggest skink discovered so far.After years of careful work, researchers from Flinders University have formally described what is by far the biggest skink discovered so far.
Its official name is Tiliqua frangens, or Frangens for short, and was estimated to have weighed 2.4kg.Its official name is Tiliqua frangens, or Frangens for short, and was estimated to have weighed 2.4kg.
The common Australian garden skink (Lampropholis guichenoti) is comparison weighs about 2g. The common Australian garden skink (Lampropholis guichenoti) weighs about 2g.
But its bulky bod and serious spiky armour mean it already has a range of colourful nicknames including Mega Chonk and Chonkasaurus. But its bulky body and serious spiky armour mean it already has a range of colourful nicknames including Mega Chonk and Chonkasaurus.
Dr Kailah Thorn, a palaeontologist, said she hoped people would have some fun with the discovery.Dr Kailah Thorn, a palaeontologist, said she hoped people would have some fun with the discovery.
“There’s a bit of a meme trend around large ‘chonky’ animals with phrases like ‘oh lawd, he/she comin’ ’ associated with their arrival,” she said. “I’m keen to see what kind of memes come out when this animal is released on the world.” “There’s a bit of a meme trend around large ‘chonky’ animals,” she said. “I’m keen to see what kind of memes come out when this animal is released on the world.”
Thorn, who studied fossils of the Frangens when she was completing her PhD, says it was truly impressive in terms of size – about a thousand times larger than most skinks.Thorn, who studied fossils of the Frangens when she was completing her PhD, says it was truly impressive in terms of size – about a thousand times larger than most skinks.
It would have been similar in appearance to its closest living relative – the blue-tongued shingleback, or sleepy lizard – and existed about 50,000 years ago alongside other extinct megafauna including the marsupial lion and the diprotodon.It would have been similar in appearance to its closest living relative – the blue-tongued shingleback, or sleepy lizard – and existed about 50,000 years ago alongside other extinct megafauna including the marsupial lion and the diprotodon.
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Diana Fusco, from the university’s palaeontology lab, said the mega skink’s existence had been carefully pieced together from bones unearthed at Wellington Caves in New South Wales and fossils held in museums around Australia.Diana Fusco, from the university’s palaeontology lab, said the mega skink’s existence had been carefully pieced together from bones unearthed at Wellington Caves in New South Wales and fossils held in museums around Australia.
“In the dig at Wellington Caves, we started finding these spiked armoured plates that had surprisingly never been recorded before,” she said. “We knew we had something interesting and unique.”“In the dig at Wellington Caves, we started finding these spiked armoured plates that had surprisingly never been recorded before,” she said. “We knew we had something interesting and unique.”
Thorn said caves could be treasure troves when it came to getting a handle on prehistoric biodiversity.Thorn said caves could be treasure troves when it came to getting a handle on prehistoric biodiversity.
That’s certainly been true of Cathedral Cave in the Wellington system, where Frangens bones continue to be found.That’s certainly been true of Cathedral Cave in the Wellington system, where Frangens bones continue to be found.
“There used to be a natural hole in the ceiling ... so there’s marsupial lions and thylacines and stuff in there as well, that have fallen in, or wandered in, and not been able to get out again,” Thorn said.“There used to be a natural hole in the ceiling ... so there’s marsupial lions and thylacines and stuff in there as well, that have fallen in, or wandered in, and not been able to get out again,” Thorn said.
“It’s a great way to sample biodiversity in a snapshot of time.”“It’s a great way to sample biodiversity in a snapshot of time.”
A paper about the Frangens has been published in the Royal Society’s flagship biological research journal.A paper about the Frangens has been published in the Royal Society’s flagship biological research journal.
This article was amended on 26 June 2023 to clarify the Tiliqua frangens skink’s relationship to common skinks was measured by mass rather than length.