The earliest mammals of the planet are an important part of our evolutionary history, but remain covered in mystery. One of them, Mixodectes Pundens Lived in the west of North America in the early Paleocene – about 66 to 56 million years ago. It was discovered for the first time more than 140 years ago by paleontologist – and 1881 Popular science Profile topic–Edward Drinker Cope. But most of what we know about them came from small jawbone fragments and fossilized teeth Collected in the years since then.
Now we may have a few answers, thanks to a well -preserved 62 million year old skeleton. This specific Mixodectes Pundens Specimen represents an adult adult who weighed around three pounds, lived in trees, partyed on leaves and can be one of our closer evolutionary family members. The findings are detailed in one Study published on 11 March in the magazine Scientific reports.
“A 62 million year old skeleton of this quality and completeness offers new insights into mixodeectides, including a much clearer picture of their evolutionary relationships”, study co-author and anthropologist Eric Sargis said in a statement. “Our findings show that they are close relatives of primates and colugos – fly -lemurs from Southeast – Asia – making them quite close to people of people.”
Mixodectes belonged to an extinct family that is known as mixodeectides and Lived during the Paleocene era. This geological era followed the extinguishing event of the Krijt Paleogenene that killed non-Avian dinosaurs about 66 million years ago. Many scientists believe that this massive extinction has paved the way for the rise of mammals.
The skeleton in this study was Collected in the San Juan pelvis from New Mexico By studying co-author and New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science Paleontology Curator Thomas Williamson. The sample contains a partial skull with teeth, spinal column, rib cage, front legs and rear limbs.
Through the Anatomy of his limbs and claws, The team believes that it lived in trees and clings vertically to tree trunks and branches. The molar teeth had peaks that are used to break down abrasive material, what a omnivore diet heavy on the leaves.
“This fossil skeleton provides new evidence of how placenta mammals ecologically diversified after the extinction of the dinosaurs,” study co-author and Brooklyn College Paleontologist Stephen Chester, said in a statement. “Features such as a larger body mass and an increased dependence on leaves allowed Mixodectes Thrifting in the same trees that were probably shared with other early primary relatives. “
According to the team, Mixodectes Was quite large for a boom-living mammal in North America during the early Paleocene. For example the Mixodectes Skeleton in this study is considerably larger than a partial skeleton of Torrejonia Wilsoni. This small tree size from an extinct group of primates called plesiadapiforms was discovered next to it. While Mixodectes ate mainly leaves, Torrejonia Usually ate fruit. The authors believe that these awards in both size and diets suggest that mixodeectides probably occupy a unique ecological niche in the early paleocene that distinguishes them from their tree -conscious contemporaries.
Mixodectids were also EuarchontansA group of mammals consisting of Treeshrews, Primates and Colugos. To clarify where Mixodectes Fits on the evolutionary tree, the team has performed two phylogenetic analyzes. One analysis supported that they were archaic primates, while the other did not. However, the latest analysis has checked that mixodeectides are primatomor fans. This group of Euarchonta consisted of primates and colugos, but no Treeshrews.
“Although the study does not fully resolve the debate about where mixodeectides belong on the evolutionary tree, it reduces it considerably,” Sargis said.
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