Finding fossils of squirrels with ancient sword teeth

A new study shows that fossil skulls and canines of a mammal-like shrew have been found in Argentina.

According to National Geographic magazine, the new animal - named Cronopio dentiacutus - has a narrow and long snout, fangs are about 8 to 9 inches (20-23cm) long. They can use sharp teeth to hunt and eat insects.

Experts say the skull of this second oldest mammal was found from South America, surviving when dinosaurs were still wandering on Earth, giving scientists some new insight. about the history of mammals before.

The complete skull of this toothed beast was discovered in 2002, near a village in northern Argentina. However, this skull is mostly hidden in the rock, and its shape is still a mystery.

In 2005, scientists sent this skull to a technician to remove rock pieces from fossils. After three years, the fossil record was finally revealed about a saber-like creature.

'When the Ice Age movie premiered, we thought the squirrel Scrat character in this movie looked funny, but then we found a creature very similar to it,' said Team Leader Guillermo Rougier, a Paleontologist at Louisville University in Kentucky, said.

This animal looks quite strange, with a long muzzle and fangs, and this shows that we know very little about it.

Both mammals and dinosaurs appear near the end of the Triassic period, about 220 million years ago.

When dinosaurs disappeared about 65 million years ago, mammals flourished. But ancient mammal fossils are rarely found, mainly due to their small size.

'Using your hands and knees, or walking straight on the ground, crawling from side to side, is how you can find small mammal fossils,' said Rougier. Basically, you will roll in dirt all day. "

This new discovery will help paleontologists learn more about a genus of mammals that lived millions of years ago.