--Chad Love

Ever wonder why squirrels are such feisty little critters, relative to their size? As it turns out, it might all be in the genes...

From this story on CNN:

As suggested in the "Ice Age" movies, some crazy-looking creatures roamed the planet millions of years ago. But there is a large gap in the fossil record from about 60 million to 120 million years ago when it comes to mammals in South America. Where were they, and what did they look like?

Scientists have now discovered a quirky little creature from this time period, as reported in the journal Nature. It's called Cronopio dentiacutus, and it resembles a mouse-sized squirrel with proportionally long teeth, although technically speaking it is neither a squirrel nor saber-toothed.

"The reality of exploration and research can sometimes be as strange as fiction that we see in the movies," said Guillermo Rougier, lead author of the study and professor at the University of Louisville.

The extinct mammal, which lived 94 million years ago, belongs to the lineage that has given rise to the marsupials and placental mammals that we know today. It's related to all living mammals, including humans in a remote way. It has been extinct for about 60 million years. Rougier and colleagues examined its unique skull.

"It was a lot more primitive than we are with regard to the way in which the skull was put together; the teeth were very primitive," Rougier said. "The skull is about an inch long."

Scientists believe was Cronopio dentiacutus was an insectivore, which is common for small animals today. Their teeth seem to be specialized for cutting and crushing; the large canines of Cronopio dentiacutus could puncture through small insects. To give you some perspective on the size of these canines, imagine if one of your front teeth came down below your chin, Rougier said.

So, (you knew it was coming...) what would you use to stop a charging saber-toothed squirrel? Pellet gun? Maybe a 17 HMR? Your boot?

Comments (10)

from Nixstyx wrote 29 weeks 1 day ago

One of those feral cats...

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from bass bomber wrote 29 weeks 1 day ago

Those are scary and ugly. WOuld make a good piece for Chuck Testa.

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from jrok6661 wrote 29 weeks 1 day ago

Such blasphemy. Don't you know the world is only 5,000 years old. Hahaha.

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from handelong86 wrote 29 weeks 21 hours ago

12 with small game load

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from themadflyfisher wrote 29 weeks 21 hours ago

I'd have to bust out the Jackalope gun for these guys!

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from tom donohue wrote 29 weeks 19 hours ago

the MOTHER IN LAW of all mammals.

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from huntenthusiest wrote 29 weeks 13 hours ago

I'd guess my size 10 1/2 boot would do.

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from jimurray wrote 29 weeks 10 hours ago

My size fourteen boot would do even better.

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from Mike Plotner wrote 29 weeks 5 hours ago

dunno if a .22 mini-mag will cut it.....

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from Bigbass09 wrote 28 weeks 5 days ago

I'd use .22LR-Hollow Point

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from tom donohue wrote 29 weeks 19 hours ago

the MOTHER IN LAW of all mammals.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Nixstyx wrote 29 weeks 1 day ago

One of those feral cats...

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from bass bomber wrote 29 weeks 1 day ago

Those are scary and ugly. WOuld make a good piece for Chuck Testa.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from jrok6661 wrote 29 weeks 1 day ago

Such blasphemy. Don't you know the world is only 5,000 years old. Hahaha.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from handelong86 wrote 29 weeks 21 hours ago

12 with small game load

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from themadflyfisher wrote 29 weeks 21 hours ago

I'd have to bust out the Jackalope gun for these guys!

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from huntenthusiest wrote 29 weeks 13 hours ago

I'd guess my size 10 1/2 boot would do.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from jimurray wrote 29 weeks 10 hours ago

My size fourteen boot would do even better.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Mike Plotner wrote 29 weeks 5 hours ago

dunno if a .22 mini-mag will cut it.....

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Bigbass09 wrote 28 weeks 5 days ago

I'd use .22LR-Hollow Point

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.