Posted on 12/13/2006 5:17:53 PM PST by blam
Did the air belong to mammals first?
13 December 2006
From New Scientist Print Edition.
Time for some mammalian bragging. It appears, following the discovery of a unique fossil in Inner Mongolia, China, that mammals might have taken to the air before birds.
The fossil contains the remains of a small, squirrel-like mammal that was able to glide with the help of a fur-covered membrane like those of modern-day flying squirrels (pictured). At 125 million years old, the fossil is 70 million years older than the most ancient existing fossil of a flying mammal, and roughly the same age as fossils of the first birds.
About the size of a rat, the animal, named Volaticotherium antiquus, had a membrane connecting each flank of its torso to its hands and feet, forming a sail for gliding. A study of the animal's teeth reveals it ate insects, and its hand bones are suited to climbing trees (Nature, vol 444, p 889).
(Excerpt) Read more at newscientist.com ...
Insects got there first, unless you include air borne microorganisms.
Is a 'flying squirrel' airborne?
Gliding isn't quite the same as flying. The first reptile that fell off a cliff was kinda flying.
Just dropping in a rapid descent maneuver.
Gliding is falling, with style.
Well . . . . . . um . . . . . . uh . . . . . . . golly, I uh . . . . . . . don't really think it matters because they're all FOSSILS and stopped using any part of the air millions of years ago!!!!
artist's rendering, or Reuter's fauxto?
PaleoSquirrel Ping
If a "flying squirrel" is flying, then so is the sky diver who covers a lot more distance.
"Oh, Bullwinklasaurus, that tricketh never worketh!"
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