A new kangaroo from Papua New Guinea has been described.

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Re-examination of the fossilised PNG-native kangaroo has shown that it most likely belongs to a distinct species of kangaroo that is distinct from its Australian cousins.

Professor Tim Flannery initially characterised the kangaroo in 1983, and it has been found in fossil form in the area dating from 20,000 to 50,000 years ago. The Nombe Rockshelter is a Papua New Guinea archaeological and palaeontological site.

There are several extinct kangaroos and four-legged marsupials known as diprotodontids in Nombe.

After its discovery in PNG, researchers from Flinders University nicknamed the mammal Nombe nombe in honour of the place where it was found, and they want to return to the country next year to conduct more study and excavations.

The powerful squat There was a dense undergrowth and a closed canopy in the alpine rainforest where Nombe dwelt. Here, it developed a large jaw bone and powerful chewing muscles to consume tough tree and shrub leaf food in this environment.

Despite its vibrant colours and distinguishing features, most of New Guinea's animal life is unknown outside of the island. Fresh Guinea's faunal history has been given a new lease of life because to this finding.

Flinders University palaeontology PhD candidate Isaac Kerr says, "The New Guinean fauna is intriguing, but very few Australians have much of a sense of what is truly there."

The fossil record shows that there are several species of long-nosed, worm-eating echidna, as well as wallabies and possums we don't see in Australia.

These species are thought of being Australian, however there is an interesting alternate existence in New Guinea for these animals.

Remains from the PNG Museum and Art Gallery have been investigated using 3D imaging and other technologies. Until recently, it was thought that the species had developed from an ancient kangaroo that migrated to New Guinea some 5-8 million years ago.

There was a 'land-bridge' then, connecting the islands of New Guinea and Australia's mainland rather than the flooded Torres Strait that separates them now. Many extinct Australian animals were able to cross across this 'bridge' into the jungles of New Guinea because of it.

This group of animals was cut off from its Australian cousins when Torres Strait flooded again, forcing it to adapt to its new tropical and mountainous environment of Papua New Guinea on its own.

Nombe is currently regarded as a descendent of one of the kangaroos' oldest genetic lines.

Many remarkable discoveries of extinct megafauna were made there by American and Australian researchers in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Since the early 1990s, there have been no palaeontological excavations in the area, which Flinders University scientists want to change.

Professor Gavin Prideaux, a co-author of the new Royal Society study from Flinders University, says that a grant from the Australia Pacific Science Foundation will allow him to broaden his research.

Three palaeontological excavations in eastern and central PNG will be carried out during the next three years, he adds.

"We intend to develop some local interest in New Guinean palaeontology by engaging with the curators of the Papua New Guinea Museum and Art Gallery and other connections in PNG."

The Royal Society of South Australia and the Australian Research Council jointly financed this study.