Researchers have made an exciting revelation: they have discovered the oldest saber-toothed predator known to science, living around 270 million years ago—long before the age of dinosaurs began.
This ancient creature, resembling a dog in structure, is part of a lineage connected to the ancestors of modern mammals.
The Evolutionary Background
While true mammals first emerged roughly 200 million years ago during the dawn of the dinosaurs, they evolved from an earlier group known as therapsids.
These intriguing ancestors exhibited early traits that we see in mammals today, such as a distinctive skull opening for jaw muscle attachment and jaw features that eventually developed into the middle ear bones found in mammals.
In a groundbreaking study published in the journal Nature Communications, scientists highlight the discovery of a remarkable fossil belonging to a therapsid—possibly the oldest one ever found—characterized as a saber-toothed predator with dog-like features.
Significance of the Discovery
This newly uncovered fossil, not yet assigned a specific species name, falls under the classification of gorgonopsians.
According to Ken Angielczyk, MacArthur Curator of Paleomammalogy at the Field Museum and co-author of the study, gorgonopsians have a more direct evolutionary relationship with mammals than any living species today.
Although they have no direct descendants, their lineage plays a pivotal role in mammalian ancestry.
Until now, the earliest known gorgonopsians dated back to about 265 million years ago.
The recent fossil, however, is estimated to be between 270 and 280 million years old, making it likely the oldest gorgonopsian fossil ever uncovered, as stated by study senior author Josep Fortuny from the Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont in Spain.
Insights into the Ancient Predator
The impressive discoveries came from fossil digs on the island of Mallorca, which during the time of the gorgonopsians was part of the supercontinent Pangaea.
Rafel Matamales, the curator at the Museu Balear de Ciències Naturals and a research associate at ICP, expressed surprise at the rich array of bone fragments they found—skulls, vertebrae, ribs, and even a well-preserved femur.
He observed that they had not expected to recover such a diverse trove of remains from this type of animal in Mallorca.
The bone fragments grant researchers an opportunity to dive into the creature’s appearance and way of life.
Angielczyk likened the gorgonopsian to a medium-sized dog, perhaps the size of a husky but without fur or distinct canine ears.
Its most striking feature was its elongated, blade-like canine teeth, indicating it held a position as a leading predator during its era.
This discovery reshapes our understanding of therapsid evolution—suggesting that this gorgonopsian existed millions of years earlier than previously thought.
Angielczyk highlighted the importance of this prehistoric period, before the rise of dinosaurs, noting that ancient mammalian relatives displayed remarkable diversity and ecological roles unlike those of modern mammals.
The newfound fossil adds to the broader narrative of mammalian evolution, shedding light on the intricate patterns of life’s history.
Source: ScienceDaily