Fossil Overturns Ideas of Jurassic Mammals

AP ^ | February 23, 2006 2:43 PM EST | RANDOLPH E. SCHMID

[VadeRetro]

This image provided by the journal Science shows a Castorcauda lustrasimilis, a docodont mammaliaform from the Middle Jurrassic .Characterized by an evolutionary convergence of its "beaver-like" tail, and some dental feautres for feeding small fish and invertebrates convergent to that of an otter. MARK A. KLINGER

WASHINGTON - The discovery of a furry, beaver-like animal that lived at the time of dinosaurs has overturned more than a century of scientific thinking about Jurassic mammals.

The find shows that the ecological role of mammals in the time of dinosaurs was far greater than previously thought, said Zhe-Xi Luo, curator of vertebrate paleontology at Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh.

The animal is the earliest swimming mammal to have been found and was the most primitive mammal to be preserved with fur, which is important to helping keep a constant body temperature, Luo said in a telephone interview.

[editor-surveyor]

Y E C:
Youthful Evolutionist Charlatans, for those wondering about Guitarman's post

[GreenFreeper]

No mention of how this new find, beaver-tail otter-similar, falls out on the monotreme-marsupial-placental typology (is it too early?) or what its ear/jaw bones are like.

Probably is a little early but will beinteresting to see when the work is done. I always wonder, though, how monotreme-marsupials would be viewed if none were extant today. We would have any clue as to how they functioned?

[Ignatz]

(after the poster has received numerous corrections)

Called "compusively repeated corrections".

[VadeRetro]

Without soft tissue or extant forms, the fossil record of monotremes and marsupials would be a much greater puzzle, no question.

[Mcirrus]

Oh man, this would be too easy.

[CarolinaGuitarman]

" Youthful Evolutionist Charlatans, for those wondering about Guitarman's post."

Ah, a prevarication. I am sure people knew I meant young earth creationism, which is scientifically dead. :)

[editor-surveyor]

Transitional from and to what? - It seems to widen the gap, rather than closing one.

[VadeRetro]

I see what you mean. The Designer probably just made one or two and then threw them away as no good.

[GreenFreeper]

Found some more photos.....

According to researchers, Castorocauda lutrasimilis didn't evolve into beavers, otters, or baseball players. Credit: Mark A. Klingler/CMNH

Castorocauda lutrasimilis fossil record. Photo: Zhe-Xi Luo/CMNH

[SengirV]

Lots of science backing up that refutation. Dammit, I swore I wouldnt' get pulled into this.

[editor-surveyor]

"How does your comment relate to the article?"

The article is about a creature with a diffuse set of characteristics that further counfounds those seeking to close the ever expanding gap caused by the millions of missing links.

[GreenFreeper]

pics above from livescience.com. Here's another story on it: http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/060223_aquatic_mammal.html

[VadeRetro]

Thanks for that! Don't tell editor-surveyor and I won't. Cognitive dissonance kills.

So it's before the big split, a previously-unsuspected radiation from primitive Morganucodont type primitive insectivores.

[PatrickHenry]

I always wonder, though, how monotreme-marsupials would be viewed if none were extant today.

Your interest in Jurassic beaver is noted.

[WildHorseCrash]

Y E C:

Youthful Evolutionist Charlatans, for those wondering about Guitarman's post

To the Lurkers: Y E C stands for Young Earth Creationist...

They are the ignorant, stupid, insane or brainwashed types who actually believe that Genesis is literal truth and that the Earth is only a couple thousand years old. (Now, children believing such a silly thing we could understand, but these people claim to be actual adults!)

[GreenFreeper]

Your interest in Jurassic beaver is noted.

who isn't interested in Jurassic Beaver?

[presently no screen name]

Just a matter of time until all will have to recognize that the house of cards is burning as it falls.



Your right but, so far, they haven't evolved enough yet to understand.

[editor-surveyor]

"The Designer probably just made one or two and then threw them away as no good."

The total number of muskrats, or beavers today, if suddenly killed by an upsurge of hot water from miles below, might be difficult to find a few thousand years from now, I suspect. Other animals are far more plentiful.

[VadeRetro]

Nice article but the link needs a do-over.

http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/060223_aquatic_mammal.html

[ASA Vet]

You missed the "be nice" part?

You're being to hard on the supernaturalists.
Most of them will at least now concede that the Earth revolves around the Sun and that the Earth isn't flat.