China discovery of prehistoric Megacauda sungei mammal

An international research team has discovered a previously unknown prehistoric mammal in northern China. The fossil, found in the Jurassic-era rocks of Ningcheng in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, belongs to a new species named Megacauda sungei, which translates to ‘beast with a giant tail’.

According to Li Yikun, an associate professor at Shenyang Normal University, the creature measured approximately 52 centimeters in length and weighed about two kilograms. It is considered the largest known member of the docodont mammal group. The well-preserved fossil includes significant portions of the pelvis, hind limbs, and tail vertebrae, suggesting the animal was adapted for swimming in semi-aquatic environments.

Anatomical features, such as highly developed upper teeth and fan-shaped canines, indicate a diet of small prey. Researchers suggest its lifestyle shared similarities with modern platypuses. Furthermore, the preservation of neck bones and the hyoid bone shows similarities to modern mammals, suggesting that fundamental functions like swallowing, drinking, and nursing had already developed in the common ancestors of docodonts and other mammals long before the emergence of modern species.