Burrowing Back in Time: South Africa’s 247-Million-Year-Old Mammal Relative

More than 247 million years ago, as life recovered from Earth's greatest mass extinction, a small mammal relative called Microgomphodon oligocynus was already mastering the art of digging! Using high-resolution CT scans of exceptionally preserved fossils from South Africa, researchers have uncovered new details of its anatomy and compelling evidence that it lived in burrows. Powerful forelimbs, a reinforced pelvis and a skeleton preserved inside a burrow chamber suggest that this ancient animal was remarkably well adapted for a subterranean lifestyle. Published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, this study reveals how extraordinary fossils can bring the behaviour and survival strategies of long-extinct animals to life.