A geological formation deposited from Madagascar has been the site of the discovery of the fossil skull of the largest mammal of its time. The analyzes have revealed that this animal would have lived between 66 and 70 million years ago , so it would have coexisted during the era of the dinosaurs in the southern hemisphere. This is explained by experts from the University of Massachusetts Amherst (USA) to the journal Nature .
According to researchers, led by biologist Elizabeth Dumont, the skull fossil, which is preserved in very good condition, belongs to a creature very similar to the groundhog. Its skull, about 125 millimeters long , is twice the size of other mammals of the same period. Thus, depending on its size, scientists estimate that the Vintana sertichi, as this mammal has been named, would have an estimated weight of about 9 kilograms .
“My part in this great interdisciplinary effort was to reconstruct the skull and model the mechanics of chewing and estimate the ability of the animal to eat different types of food,” explains Dumont, who used computed tomography images with his team to reconstruct it. .
The investigation reveals that, depending on the characteristics of its jaws and teeth, this specimen would have fed on roots, seeds or fruits . In addition, he had quite large eyes, the ability to hear high-frequency sounds, as well as a good sense of smell.
“We know almost nothing about the early evolution of mammals on the southern continents. This discovery, of a time and area of the world that is very poorly sampled, highlights how little we know. No paleontologist could have come close to predicting the strange mix of anatomical features that this skull exhibits , “says David Krause, who discovered the skull in 2010 by chance.
