In an exciting discovery, researchers at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science have found a new mammal species in Corral Bluffs, east of Colorado Springs. The fossil of the species named Militocodon lydae dates back to right after the extinction of dinosaurs, making it an important find for academics.
Dr. Tyler Lyson, Museum Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology, emphasized the significance of this discovery in a time period with a poor fossil record. The find sheds light on the early diversification of mammals after Earth’s last mass extinction, offering a rare glimpse into the revival of life after the disappearance of dinosaurs.
The study of fossils from the time period immediately following the extinction of dinosaurs has been challenging for zooarcheologists due to a lack of specimens. The discovery of Militocodon lydae, a species approximately the size of a chinchilla, has revealed that it belongs to a group of animals that eventually evolved into modern hooved mammals like cows, pigs, and deer. This finding provides valuable information about the evolutionary pathways of these animals and their role in the post-dinosaur ecosystem.
