Newly Identified 165-Million-Year-Old Otter-Like Mammal Was a Top Predator in Jurassic Waterways
Learn more about this otter-like animal that was likely a top mammal predator during the Jurassic Period.
A newly identified 165-million-year-old otter-like mammal named Megacauda sungei was a top predator in Jurassic waterways, according to a study in the journal Nature. Researchers from the Universities of Shenyang, Chicago, and Bonn discovered the fossilized remains of this small, furry mammal, which was related to some modern species.
The unique evolutionary trait of M. sungei's teeth, with backwards-curved cusps, helped it catch slippery prey, while its specialized canines had three roots instead of two. The soft palate, a flexible muscle fiber structure separating the oral cavity from the pharynx, allowed M. sungei to swallow nutrient-rich milk and food without getting any in its airways.
This soft palate adaptation contributed to mammal evolution, aiding brain development. The 1.6-foot-long and under 5-pound M. sungei likely resembled a beaver, otter, or platypus, and showed an early aquatic lifestyle, being an agile swimmer using its front legs, tail, and back legs for propulsion. As a member of the extinct docodont group, the largest mammaliaforms of the Jurassic, M. sungei was a giant among its contemporaries, predating dinosaurs that lived from 230 million to 66 million years ago.
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