BRAZIL: Skeleton of rare prehistoric " carodnia vieirai" mammal assembled in Brazil.

Rio de Janeiro scientists have assembled the fossils of a mammal that lived about 60-million years ago at the beginning of the Cenozoic Era known as Carodnia vieirai. Scientists from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro said the discovery, made several years ago, measured about 2.20 metres. Fossils from the same species have also been found in Patagonia, Argentina but Brazilian scientists said the discovery made in Rio de Janeiro state was one of the most complete with, 50% of the prehistoric animal recovered. Professor Lilian Bergoqvist, head of the project, said the Carodnia, was the first mammal of the post-dinosaur era to be assembled in South America. "This is the first mammal whose skeleton was assembled in South America posterior to the extinction of dinosaurs, when the mammals began to spread, to develop greatly," said Bergoqvist. The purpose of the initiative, according to Professor Bergoqvist, was to put together the "giant mammal" to provide the public with something visually appealing for the non-scientific community. "This is a way of transforming this purely scientific knowledge into a more popular language," she explained. The mammal fauna of the Itaborai Basin, where the fossils were discovered, is the most important area of the Paleocene epoch in South America, especially in terms of diversity and abundance of prehistoric species.

ITN Source | August 25, 2006

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