Paleontologists dug up the rocky mini-egeas

Researchers have discovered the remains of a tiny prehistoric hedgehog, 5 cm long, that roamed the territory of modern Canada 52 million years ago.





Silvacola acares lived about 13 million years later, after an asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs and left mammals as dominant land animals. The size of the human finger allows scientists to make assumptions about the diet of the little hedgehog: insects, plants and possibly seeds. Paleontologist Jaelyn Eberle (University of Colorado) said: "We were surprised by its tiny size, and frankly, it was difficult to identify the species of animal." The smallest modern hedgehogs - from 10 centimeters. The fossils did not allow scientists to determine whether the miniature prehistoric animal had needles.

Source: nauka24news.ru/