Crusafontia

Cru-sa-fon-tee-ah.
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Claire Morris

Marine Paleontologist

Claire Morris has dedicated her career to exploring the depths of prehistoric oceans. Her fascination with ancient marine life has led her to discover significant fossils that illuminate the evolution of early sea creatures.

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Name

Crusafontia ‭(‬After the palaeontologists Miquel Crusafont Pairo‭)‬.

Phonetic

Cru-sa-fon-tee-ah.

Named By

Henkel and Krebs‭ ‬-‭ ‬1969.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Mammalia,‭ ‬Dryolestida,‭ ‬Dryolestidae.

Diet

Ominvore‭?

Species

C.‭ ‬cuencana‭

Size

Uncertain due to incomplete remains,‭ ‬though estimated at around‭ ‬10‭ ‬centimetres long.

Known locations

Spain.

Time Period

Barremian of the Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

Teeth.

In Depth

       Although so far only known from teeth,‭ ‬Crusafontia is thought to have been a squirrel-like mammal.‭ ‬This idea however is based upon comparison to other similar mammals with similar teeth known from this time.

Further Reading

– Zwei Saugetier-Unterkiefer aus der Unteren Kreide von Una (Prov. Cuenca, Spanien). 1969:449-462. – S. Henkel and B. Krebs. 1969. Zwei Saugetier-Unterkiefer aus der Unteren Kreide von Una (Prov. Cuenca, Spanien). 1969:449-462 – 1969. – New dryolestidan mammal from the Hauterivian–Barremian transition of the Iberian Peninsula. – Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 56(2):257-267. – G. Cuenca-Bescos, A. Badiola, J. I. Canudo, J. M. Gasca & M. Moreno-Azanza – 2011.

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT