Megaleptictis, a large leptictid

Adam Khor · 10-07-2012 11:27pm #1

That is, a relative to this guy:

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQB2G1HZzdTeepc7Gfq7pDLQOyDRFaAzoWoWAajVeb5Tnv2wPWy-Q

Apparently, its teeth were different from other leptictids so it may have had a different diet (more vegetarian?) and occupied a different niche to avoid competition.

http://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app56/app20110035_acc.pdf

Galvasean · 10-07-2012 11:40pm

Has it yet been confirmed whether leptictids ran or hopped like kangaroos? I recall there being a lot of controversy when Walking With Beasts depicted Leptictidium as a hopper when the orthodox view on the subject was that they did not hop.

Adam Khor · 10-07-2012 11:51pm

Last thing I heard was that there was stronger evidence for the hopping hypothesis. Then again, this was some time ago

Rubecula · 11-07-2012 9:01am

Even a hopper must have left tracks I suppose, but until we find some I am not sure we will ever know for certain. The shape of it's legs to me mean it probably did a bit of both. walking when browsing/grazing/eating. and hopping when in a hurry or being pursued? But I am just guessing here.

Adam Khor · 11-07-2012 10:34pm

Rubecula wrote: »

Even a hopper must have left tracks I suppose, but until we find some I am not sure we will ever know for certain. The shape of it's legs to me mean it probably did a bit of both. walking when browsing/grazing/eating. and hopping when in a hurry or being pursued? But I am just guessing here.

I can imagine it hopping on all fours like a rabbit while foraging, and jumping like a kangaroo when on the run.

Megaleptictis, a large leptictid

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