Maelestes gobiensis

Taxobox
name = "Maelestes"
fossil_range = Late Cretaceous
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
subclassis = Theria
infraclassis = Eutheria
ordo = Cimolesta
subordo = Didelphodonta
familia = Cimolestidae
genus = "Maelestes"
genus_authority = Wible "et al.", 2007
species = "M. gobiensis"
binomial = "Maelestes gobiensis"
binomial_authority = Wible "et al.", 2007

"Maelestes gobiensis" is a species of prehistoric shrew-like mammal discovered in 1997 in the Gobi Desert. The animal lived in the late Cretaceous Period, around 71-75 million years ago, and was a contemporary of dinosaurs such as "Velociraptor" and "Oviraptor". The discovery and analysis of this species suggests that true placental mammals appeared during the time the dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years ago, not earlier in the Cretaceous as previously thought.Wible, J.R., G.W. Rougier, M.J. Novacek, and R.J. Asher. (2007). "Cretaceous eutherians and Laurasian origin for placental mammals near the K/T boundary." "Nature", 447: 1003-1006.]

References

External links

* [http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070620/sc_afp/sciencepaleontology;_ylt=Akhl6X_h_mB8NZJZINwzpRkPLBIF Dinos' demise spurred rise of the mammals, new fossil suggests, Yahoo! News]
* [http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070620/sc_nm/mammal_fossil_dc;_ylt=AvHyYeYP_iL74vLMhE4gkxUPLBIF Mammals burst on the scene after dinosaurs' exit, Yahoo! News]
* [http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070621135213.htm Placental Mammals Originated On Earth 65 Million Years Ago, Researchers Assert by the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.]