| Shenshou | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Synapsida |
| Clade: | Therapsida |
| Clade: | Cynodontia |
| Clade: | Mammaliaformes |
| Order: | †Haramiyida |
| Genus: | †Shenshou Bi, Wang, Guan, Sheng and Meng, 2014 |
| Species: | †S. lui |
| Binomial name | |
| †Shenshou lui Bi, Wang, Guan, Sheng and Meng, 2014 | |
Shenshou is agenus ofharamiyidan dating from theOxfordian stage of theLate Jurassic, approximately 160 million years ago. Fossils were recovered from theTiaojishan Formation in theLiaoning province ofChina.[1]
The generic name is derived fromMandarin (神獸 shénshòu)shen, meaning deity, andshou, meaning animal, while the specific name is in reference to Lu Jianhua, the scientist who collected theholotype specimen.[1]
Shenshou is thought to bearboreal because it had a light frame, a prehensile and elongated tail, and hands and feet which had evolved for clutching and enabled the animal to climb.[2][3] These features, including the largeincisors ofShenshou, made the animal resemble a squirrel. However,Shenshou are not the direct ancestors of squirrels, the resemblance being purely due toconvergent evolution.[3] Individuals are believed to have weighed 300 grams (11 oz).[1] The presence of a three-bonedmiddle ear suggests these animals were mammals;[3] however, it has since been determined haramiyidans developed their ear bones independently from true mammals and areMammaliaformes outside of the mammal crown-group.[4][5][6] The teeth, which have a number of cusps, suggest thatShenshou was probably an omnivore, most likely with a diet of fruits, nuts and insects.[3][7]
