Agilodocodon
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Agilodocodon was a genus of shrew-sized docodont from the Middle Jurassic, believed to be the earliest known tree-climbing mammaliaform. It contains one species, A. scansorius.
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- Agilodocodon scansorius by Kaek.jpg
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- taxon name
- Agilodocodon scansorius
- short name
- A. scansorius
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- Agilodocodon
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Agilodocodon was a genus of shrew-sized docodont from the Middle Jurassic, believed to be the earliest known tree-climbing mammaliaform. It contains one species, A. scansorius.
==Appearance== left|thumb|Life restoration of A. scansorius Agilodocodon measured approximately from head to tail, weighing about 27 grams. Its appearance was similar to a squirrel, with a long snout, curved, horny claws and flexible ankle and wrist joints typical of modern arboreal mammals. The front teeth were spade-like, indicating that Agilodocodon could gnaw tree bark and consume gum or sap. Evolutionary biologist Frietson Galis, however, questioned whether Agilodocodon gnawed bark and ate tree sap, saying its teeth "are quite different" from the modern sap-eating primates, and the long, thin lower jaw seems too weak for chomping on tree bark.