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NTamura β Castorocauda
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Published: 2008-04-16 05:07:02 +0000 UTC; Views: 5075; Favourites: 67; Downloads: 0
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Description
Castorocauda lutrasimilis was a semi-aquatic early Mammal that lived during the Middle Jurassic of China. It measured about 40 cm. Its tail was broad and flattened like a modern day beaver and his forearms show adaptation for digging similar to a platypus. Dubbed as the "Jurassic beaver" by the press at the time of its discovery, Castorocauda is not related to beaver but belong to a group of primitive and extinct mesozoic mammals called Docodonts.Related content
Comments: 11
Aren't docodonts considered to beΒ Mammaliaformes? As in, not full fledged mammals but mammal shaped?
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Yes, they are mammaliaformes...
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Looks like a good hunting target, judging by the fur!
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Wow, it looks like a otter somewhat. I didn't realize that mammals in the Jurassic had fur like that, sorry if it sounds like a dumb question.
Good work on this, I especially like the lighting and effects in the water.
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Mammals certainly had fur by that time. Eomaia for instance has been preserved with fur impressions...
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That thing looks adorable.
Very good underwater ambientation
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Actually Castorocauda is not considered a true mammal by most scientists, since the docodonta have no modern relatives, and their ear bones differ from those of true mammals. Does it mean Castorocauda is in fact a reptile? Interesting question!
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Yeah that's right, a mammaliaform, not quite a mammal (neither a therian, nor a monotreme) but not a reptile either. Generally speaking, Synapsids are not considered to be reptiles.
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Very intriguing. Well done!
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