A new family of bizarre durophagous carnivorous marsupials from Miocene deposits in the Riversleigh World Heritage Area, northwestern Queensland.

A new specimen of the bizarrely specialised Malleodectes mirabilis from middle Miocene deposits in the Riversleigh World Heritage Area provides the first and only information about the molar dentition of this strange group of extinct marsupials. Apart from striking autapomorphies such as the enormous P3, other dental features such as stylar cusp D being larger than B suggest it belongs in the Order Dasyuromorphia. Phylogenetic analysis of 62 craniodental characters places Malleodectes within Dasyuromorphia albeit with weak support and without indication of specific relationships to any of the three established families (Dasyuridae, Myrmecobiidae and Thylacinidae). Accordingly we have allocated Malleodectes to the new family, Malleodectidae. Some features suggest potential links to previously named dasyuromorphians from Riversleigh (e.g., Ganbulanyi) but these are too poorly known to test this possibility. Although the original interpretation of a steeply declining molar row in Malleodectes can be rejected, it continues to seem likely that malleodectids specialised on snails but probably also consumed a wider range of prey items including small vertebrates. Whatever their actual diet, malleodectids appear to have filled a niche in Australia's rainforests that has not been occupied by any other mammal group anywhere in the world from the Miocene onwards.

A general purpose microprocessor for spirometry.

A portable, inexpensive microprocessor is described for on-line spirographic analysis of FVC and its time derivatives and MVV, using a primary flow or volume signal. Resolution is +/- 0.02 L and maximal collection time 66 seconds. Algorithms according to the Snowbird Conference recommendations include back extrapolation, "end of test" determination and the selection criteria for satisfactory tests, and best FVC, FEV1 and other flow rates. Differentiation is digital and flow-volume outputs are available. Actual, predicted and percent predicted values for children or adults are displayed, or can be printed together with an interpretation and a flow-volume loop. Four hundred tests with a Stead-Wells spirometer, a pneumotachograph and a turbinometer using an explosive decompression FVC simulator showed standard deviations of +/- 0.04 L or L/sec or less, except for peak flow. Differences between microprocessor values and tracing analyses were less than 0.04 L. MVV with a reciprocating pump equalled exactly the MVV calculated from stroke volume and frequency (r = .999) from 8 to 325 L/min. Tests of 168 patients were comparable to the calibration devices.