Mammal Fossils

Fossilized mammal remains are as compelling as their reptilian predecessors because they reflect the evolution of species over prehistoric epochs. First appearing among the fossil record of the Cenozoic age, mammal fossils often draw the closest parallels to species still alive today from cave bears to saber-tooth cats.

Proto-mammal species, or reptiles that were mammal like, first appeared during the late Triassic era. These creatures evolved rapidly into ones that adopted more mammalian characteristics with subsequent generations. These characteristics include live birth and a warm-blooded circulatory system.

The Miocene, Pleistocene, and the Holocene epochs, all subdivisions of the Cenozoic era, offer the widest range of mammalian fossils. These are creatures that are reminiscent of the species known to us today and yet still bear hallmarks of their prehistoric forbearers. The study and collection of these early mammalian species is a fascinating exchange.

Quick Facts

• The name Cenozoic means "new life"
• As a testament to the challenge of discerning between prehistoric and modern species, one can look to the Amphicyon, or "ambigious dog," a creature that roamed three continents and shared both canine and orsine characteristics
• The largest recorded mammal fossil is that of the Paraceratherium, a hornless rhinoceros that existed during the Oligocene epoch and measured approximately 16 feet in height and more than 24 feet in length