{
  "id": 12649072,
  "title": "'Top predator' from the Jurassic measures just half a meter",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/top-predator-from-the-jurassic-measures-just-half-a-meter",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-07T15:00:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-10-predator-jurassic-meter.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A top predator from the Jurassic era measured just half a meter in length, according to research published in the journal Nature. Megacauda sungei, the small ancestral mammal, hunted its prey in water 165 million years ago. Its teeth had backward-curving cusps for catching slippery prey. The true evolutionary revolution lies in its soft palate, which separates the oral cavity from the pharynx, enabling swallowing and breathing—a crucial adaptation for suckling. The findings, led by researchers from universities in Shenyang, Chicago, and Bonn, reveal that this aquatic mammaliaform had a unique combination of terrestrial and aquatic adaptations, making it a heavyweight among its small Jurassic counterparts.",
  "summary": "The \"top predator\" from the Jurassic is relatively small: Megacauda sungei measures just half a meter (1.6 feet) from its nose to the tip of its tail. The furry ancestor of today's mammals hunted its prey in water 165 million years ago. The cusps of its teeth were also curved backward to enable it to catch its slippery prey.",
  "key_points": [
    "Megacauda sungei, Jurassic predator, half-meter long",
    "Ancestral mammal hunted prey in water 165 million years ago",
    "Soft palate adaptation enabled swallowing and breathing"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}