Megaconus
mammaliaformis is the name given to the newly discovered fossil of a
165 million year old proto-mammal*. The fossil was found in Inner
Mongolia and paleontological evidence suggests that hair was an
adaptation that evolved before true-mammals ever existed.
Megaconus, which lived in the Jurassic Period has several adaptations
that are found in modern mammals. The fossil had a clear halo of
guard hairs and underfur residue. However, the hair around the
abdominal area was sparse. This has led the researchers to believe that
it had a naked underbelly. This makes Megaconus the second known
proto-mammal to possess hair. Megaconus possessed a long spur composed
of keratin on its heel. This may have been a poisonous spur, similar to
those found in male platypuses. The presence of this spur suggests that
the specimen was a male of its species. The fossil showed that Megaconus
was roughly the size of a cat or small dog. It probably led an
omnivorous lifestyle, based on the dental features, which showed that
Megaconus was adapted to eating both plant matter and small animals.
While Megaconus was very similar to mammals, reptilian traits still
existed in it. It possesses a primitive middle ear that was attached to
the jaw. The anklebones and vertebral column were reminiscent of other
prehistoric mammal-like reptiles.
"We cannot say that Megaconus
is our direct ancestor, but it certainly looks like a great-great-grand
uncle 165 million years removed. These features are evidence of what
our mammalian ancestor looked like during the Triassic-Jurassic
transition," said one of the researchers.
This discovery helps
us to understand the transition of proto-mammals to modern mammals. It
shows that several hallmark characteristics of modern mammals
(specifically, those relating to skin and hair) were developed in
pre-mammalian groups.
*Early predecessors of mammals
Read all about it: http://bit.ly/193LD1B
Image URL: http://bit.ly/13Q84qk
Megaconus
mammaliaformis is the name given to the newly discovered fossil of a
165 million year old proto-mammal*. The fossil was found in Inner
Mongolia and paleontological evidence suggests that hair was an
adaptation that evolved before true-mammals ever existed.
Megaconus, which lived in the Jurassic Period has several adaptations that are found in modern mammals. The fossil had a clear halo of guard hairs and underfur residue. However, the hair around the abdominal area was sparse. This has led the researchers to believe that it had a naked underbelly. This makes Megaconus the second known proto-mammal to possess hair. Megaconus possessed a long spur composed of keratin on its heel. This may have been a poisonous spur, similar to those found in male platypuses. The presence of this spur suggests that the specimen was a male of its species. The fossil showed that Megaconus was roughly the size of a cat or small dog. It probably led an omnivorous lifestyle, based on the dental features, which showed that Megaconus was adapted to eating both plant matter and small animals.
While Megaconus was very similar to mammals, reptilian traits still existed in it. It possesses a primitive middle ear that was attached to the jaw. The anklebones and vertebral column were reminiscent of other prehistoric mammal-like reptiles.
"We cannot say that Megaconus is our direct ancestor, but it certainly looks like a great-great-grand uncle 165 million years removed. These features are evidence of what our mammalian ancestor looked like during the Triassic-Jurassic transition," said one of the researchers.
This discovery helps us to understand the transition of proto-mammals to modern mammals. It shows that several hallmark characteristics of modern mammals (specifically, those relating to skin and hair) were developed in pre-mammalian groups.
*Early predecessors of mammals
Read all about it: http://bit.ly/193LD1B
Image URL: http://bit.ly/13Q84qk
Megaconus, which lived in the Jurassic Period has several adaptations that are found in modern mammals. The fossil had a clear halo of guard hairs and underfur residue. However, the hair around the abdominal area was sparse. This has led the researchers to believe that it had a naked underbelly. This makes Megaconus the second known proto-mammal to possess hair. Megaconus possessed a long spur composed of keratin on its heel. This may have been a poisonous spur, similar to those found in male platypuses. The presence of this spur suggests that the specimen was a male of its species. The fossil showed that Megaconus was roughly the size of a cat or small dog. It probably led an omnivorous lifestyle, based on the dental features, which showed that Megaconus was adapted to eating both plant matter and small animals.
While Megaconus was very similar to mammals, reptilian traits still existed in it. It possesses a primitive middle ear that was attached to the jaw. The anklebones and vertebral column were reminiscent of other prehistoric mammal-like reptiles.
"We cannot say that Megaconus is our direct ancestor, but it certainly looks like a great-great-grand uncle 165 million years removed. These features are evidence of what our mammalian ancestor looked like during the Triassic-Jurassic transition," said one of the researchers.
This discovery helps us to understand the transition of proto-mammals to modern mammals. It shows that several hallmark characteristics of modern mammals (specifically, those relating to skin and hair) were developed in pre-mammalian groups.
*Early predecessors of mammals
Read all about it: http://bit.ly/193LD1B
Image URL: http://bit.ly/13Q84qk
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