ARGENTINA: Argentine palaeontologists discover Fossil of toothy prehistoric animal

Record ID: 446686

  • Title: ARGENTINA: Argentine palaeontologists discover Fossil of toothy prehistoric animal
  • Date: 4th November 2011
  • Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (NOVEMBER 03, 2011) (REUTERS) MODEL OF THE TINY NEWLY-DISCOVERED MAMMAL KNOWN AS CRONOPIO PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKING PICTURES OF THE MODEL VARIOUS OF CRONOPIO MODEL PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKING PICTURES OF THE MODEL ARGENTINE PALAEONTOLOGIST SEBASTIAN APESTEGUIA SPEAKING WITH JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARGENTINE PALAEONTOLOGIST SEBASTIAN APESTEGUIA, SAYING: "Cronopio not only represents the second kind of Mesozoic mammal represented by a skull in the entire southern hemisphere, but the only skull from this group of Dryolestoids in the entire world. Because it is a group known throughout the world but only from single teeth." APESTEGUIA TALKING TO AUDIENCE ABOUT DISCOVERY VARIOUS OF MODEL OF CRONOPIO (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) APESTEGUIA, SAYING: "The results of the comparisons that we did with Cronopio were primarily based on teeth because the other known Dryolestoids were only known by their teeth. So we compared teeth against teeth. But in the end the result was that Cronopio was part of a group of South American Dryolestoid mammals - exclusive to South America and this is really interesting because it shows that if this group was exclusive to South America for some reason it could not go anywhere else. Maybe there were borders, oceans, mountains. For some reason it was isolated." APESTEGUIA POSING FOR PHOTOS CLOSE-UP OF THE MODEL OF CRONOPIO NEXT TO THE TOOTH OF A DINOSAUR LIVING AT THE SAME TIME
  • Embargoed: 19th November 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina, Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: History,Science
  • Reuters ID: LVA76HZX6WOO3NEMAE2D7JUHK1IP
  • Story Text: Argentine palaeontologists on Thursday (November 3) revealed the discovery of the skull of a tiny long-snouted animal that roamed the earth among the dinosaurs more than 93 million years ago.
    The tiny Cronopio - which sported impressive fangs - looks a lot like the famous acorn-loving rodent from 20th Century Fox's Ice Age films, but this tiny mammal lived long before the last glacial period.
    Argentine palaeontologist, Sebastian Apesteguia, part of the team that uncovered the animal's tiny fossilized skull, told Reuters the finding was significant because it was the first time anyone had unearthed one of the animal's craniums.
    "Cronopio not only represents the second kind of Mesozoic mammal represented by a skull in the entire southern hemisphere, but the only skull from this group of Dryolestoids in the entire world. Because it is a group known throughout the world but only from single teeth," Apesteguia explained.
    The long toothed mammal's skull was found in Argentina's Patagonia in a fossil hotspot known as the Buitrera in the province of Rio Negro.
    After extensive study Apesteguia and his team determined the extinct critter's species was exclusive to South America making it an increasingly unique find as other similar species are known to have existed in the Northern Hemisphere in present day North America and Europe.
    "The results of the comparisons that we did with Cronopio were primarily based on teeth because the other known Dryolestoids were only discovered by their teeth. So we compared teeth against teeth. But in the end the result was that Cronopio was part of a group of South American Dryolestoid mammals - exclusive to South America and this is really interesting because it shows that if this group was exclusive to South America for some reason it could not go anywhere else. Maybe there were borders, oceans, mountains. For some reason it was isolated," Apesteguia said.
    Their research concluded the Cronopio is the first known mammal from the late Cretaceous period.
    The little animal likely scurried around at night or underground trying to avoid the huge dinosaurs of the same period.
    The discovery marks a before and after in the study of Mesozoic mammals in South America and across the globe and has given palaeontologists clues into the development of mammalian skulls and internal ears in land dwelling mammals including humans.
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