Gondwanatherians were first thought to be related to today’s sloths, anteaters, and armadillos, but according to Krause, are “now known to have been part of a grand evolutionary experiment doing their own thing, an experiment that failed and was snuffed out in the Eocene, about 45 million years ago.” This isolated evolution has resulted in both living and extinct creatures, like Adalatherium, that are unlike any others on the planet.Īdalatherium belongs to an extinct group of mammals called Gondwanatheria, which are only known to have lived on the ancient southern supercontinent of Gondwana. Much like Australia, which is known for its unique flora and fauna, the island of Madagascar also has an array of unusual animals and plants that evolved in isolation over millions of years. Published today in Nature, the discovery is outlined by a team of researchers led by David Krause, Ph.D., a curator at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Pictured: Fabricated model of the prehistoric possum-sized mammal Adalatherium, based on the nearly complete fossilized remains found by Simone Hoffmann, Ph.D., and other researchers in Madagascar.Īn international team of researchers, including Simone Hoffmann, Ph.D., assistant professor of anatomy at NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine, have uncovered a puzzling discovery: the remains of a prehistoric, possum-sized mammal from Madagascar.ĭubbed Adalatherium (translated from the Malagasy and Greek terms for “crazy beast”), the fossilized skeleton is nearly complete, unlocking clues on a creature that lived among dinosaurs and massive crocodiles 66 million years ago.
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