| Juramaia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Restoration | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Clade: | Eutheria |
| Genus: | †Juramaia Luoet al.,2011 |
| Species | |
Juramaia is the earliest knowneutherian mammal. It is a smallshrew-like mammal of body length about 70–100 mm. It is anextinctgenus from theUpper Jurassic deposits of westernLiaoning,China.[1]
A nearly complete skeleton, with an incompleteskull with fulldentition was found. It was collected in the Daxigou site,Jianchang, from theTiaojishan Formation. It is dated at about 160 million years ago.[2]
The discovery ofJuramaia provides new insight into theevolution of eutherian mammals. It shows their lineage diverged from that of the marsupials 35 million years earlier than previously thought.[2] Furthermore, its discovery fills gaps in the fossil record and helps to calibrate modern,DNA-based methods of dating the evolution.[3][4]
The forelimb bones have climbingadaptations, so it is suggested that the basal stock of Eutheria wasarboreal.[2]
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