Description
Maotherium sinensis Rougier et al., 2003
Early Cretaceous
Yixian Formation
Liaoning, China
Incredible, complete 160mm Cretaceous mammal on 270mm slab with fish. One of the rarest and most unusual fossils we have ever had.
Maotherium, from the Early Cretaceous of China, is a fascinating small mammal that lived alongside dinosaurs. This shrew-sized creature belonged to the extinct group symmetrodonts, and it provides key insights into mammalian evolution, especially in the development of the middle ear. Exceptionally preserved fossils even show soft tissues, like fur and cartilage. Maotherium is a rare glimpse at how early mammals thrived in the shadows of giants—a tiny, agile survivor in a dinosaur-dominated world.
