An interesting discovery of a new species of mammal was made on the edge of Colorado Springs, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science announced.
Scientists at the Denver Museum recently discovered fossils belonging to a species of mammal that lived 65.6 million years ago, named Militocodon ridae, in the Coral Bluffs area.
Museum officials said the newly discovered species was about the size of a chinchilla or a large rat. The fossilized skull and jaw of this mammal were discovered in rocks shortly after the dinosaurs went extinct, the museum said.
Militocodon ridae is part of the fauna that gave rise to modern ungulate mammals such as cows, deer and pigs, according to the statement. The museum said the new mammal provides important clues about the explosive diversification of mammals after the extinction of the dinosaurs.
“The fossil record is notoriously poor in rocks from this period, and the discovery and description of fossil mammal skulls is an important step in documenting the earliest mammalian diversification after Earth's last mass extinction.” This is an important step forward,” said Museum Curator Dr. Tyler Lyson. Professor of Vertebrate Paleontology.
This was announced by museum officials. Militocodon lydae was named in honor of two contributors to the Corral Bluffs project. volunteer and former Colorado Springs teacher Sharon Milito; Lyda Hill, Denver Museum Supporter, and “Champion of this city.”