# Animal identification **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 12, 2000, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-identification/32900 "2000-09-12T15:48:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2000, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-identification/32900/21 "2000-09-13T17:52:15Z")
For what it’s worth, while youse all were finding confirmation on the Web of where the picture came from, I was getting confirmation from the Department of Zoology at the University of Washington. The consensus among the zoologists I forwarded the jpeg to was that it is indeed an artist’s rendering of _Thylacoleo carnifex._ ---
**Author:** ![muppetsoup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aca169/32.png) [@muppetsoup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muppetsoup)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2000, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-identification/32900/22 "2000-09-13T18:25:14Z")
Ok, I bit. I don’t see anything about me in the pit. But if someone wants to flame me, I can give 'em a reason 🙂 btw, thanks for the independent confirmation, lissener. ---
**Author:** ![Aglarond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@Aglarond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aglarond)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2000, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-identification/32900/23 "2000-09-13T19:07:27Z")
Haha. Made ya look. Anyway, in my professional opinion, the picture on the page you linked to looks very similar to the picture referred to in the OP. I know you were dying for me to confirm this for you, so there you go. Everyone can leave this world happy now. ---
**Author:** ![muppetsoup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aca169/32.png) [@muppetsoup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muppetsoup)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2000, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-identification/32900/24 "2000-09-13T19:12:11Z")
… I meant the phone calls or whatever to washington. but yes, definitely a statue/artist’s rendition. ---
**Author:** ![Danielinthewolvesden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Danielinthewolvesden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danielinthewolvesden)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-identification/32900/25 "2000-09-14T01:59:30Z")
lissener: what you were thinking of is the tasmanian WOLF, which is indeed, very doglike, with stripes on its butt. Very likely extinct, but if so, recently. The T.Tiger was very likely never seen by white men. Yhere was also a Marsupial sabercat, likely gone prior to the abos. ---
**Author:** ![They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/They_Call_Me_Sneeze)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-identification/32900/26 "2000-09-14T04:45:22Z")
it looks like an R.O.U.S. (rodent of unusual size) from the movie ‘the princess bride.’ i wouldnt want it under MY bed, in anycase… ---
**Author:** ![muppetsoup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aca169/32.png) [@muppetsoup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muppetsoup)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-identification/32900/27 "2000-09-14T13:24:48Z")
rodents of unusual size? why, i don’t think they exi… ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-identification/32900/28 "2000-09-14T17:01:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Danielinthewolvesden \* > \*\*lissener: what you were thinking of is the tasmanian WOLF, which is indeed, very doglike, with stripes on its butt. Very likely extinct, but if so, recently. The T.Tiger was very likely never seen by white men. Yhere was also a Marsupial sabercat, likely gone prior to the abos. \*\* As far as I’ve ever known, Tasmanian Tiger and Tasmanian Wolf are both common names for the same animal, _Thylacinus cynocephalus._ [Cite 1](http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/thylacinus/t._cynocephalus.html) [Cite 2](http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/wildlife/mammals/thylacin.html) [Cite 3](http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/wildlife/mammals/thylacin.html) [Cite 4](http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/genbio/biolink/student/olc2/r-weblinks-taxonomy.htm) [Cite 5](http://members.iinet.net.au/~lawley/natural/thylacine/index.html) [etc. . . .](http://www.altavista.com/cgi-bin/query?pg=q&stype=stext&Translate=on&sc=on&q=%22Thylacinus+cynocephalus%22&stq=10) I can only find reference to one taxonomical name, _Thylacinus cynocephalus,_ but various references, interchangeably, to the Tasmanian Tiger and the Tasmanian Wolf. _Tiger_, presumably, because it was striped; and _Wolf_, presumably, because it was notably canine in conformation. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-identification/32900.md?page=1)