Agilodocodon facts for kids

Agilodocodon was a tiny, ancient mammal-like creature that lived a very long time ago, during the Middle Jurassic period. It was about the size of a shrew, which is a small, mouse-like animal. Scientists believe it was one of the earliest known creatures to climb trees, much like a modern squirrel!

Agilodocodon scansorius was quite small. It measured about 13 centimeters (about 5 inches) from its head to its tail. It weighed only about 27 grams, which is lighter than a small candy bar!

This ancient creature looked a bit like a squirrel. It had a long snout and curved, strong claws. Its ankle and wrist joints were very flexible. These features are common in animals that climb trees today.

Scientists looked closely at its teeth. The front teeth were shaped like small spades. This suggested that Agilodocodon scansorius might have used them to gnaw on tree bark. It might have eaten gum or sap from trees.

However, not all scientists agree with this idea. Another palaeontologist thinks Agilodocodon's teeth are different from modern sap-eating monkeys. He also believes its long, thin lower jaw might have been too weak for gnawing tough tree bark.

Discovery

The fossils of Agilodocodon scansorius were found by farmers in China. They were discovered in a place called the Tiaojishan Formation. Along with Agilodocodon, fossils of a mole-like creature called Docofossor brachydactylus were also found.

The Beijing Museum of Natural History got and studied these fossils. The species Agilodocodon scansorius was officially reported in the science journal Science in 2015.

See also

In Spanish: Agilodocodon scansorius para niños