Volaticotherium antiquum

Overview

Not all mammals of the dinosaur age moved only along the ground. Volaticotherium antiquum was a small mammal known for long limbs and a fur-covered skin membrane. Its fossil prompted research into a life moving through the air in forests.^[1]

Key facts

The fossil preserves traces of fur and a broad skin membrane as well as bones. Researchers interpreted this membrane as a gliding structure. Unlike flapping flight, this involves spreading a membrane around the body to travel through the air.^[1]

Time and place

Its setting was Mesozoic Asia, when dinosaurs lived. The specimen locality is known as Daohugou in Ningcheng, present-day Inner Mongolia, China. Modern administrative place names help locate the ancient layers preserving this small mammal.^[1]

The time range describes source context, not the complete duration of this species.

Size, form and skeleton

Elongated limbs, a long tail, and a fur-covered skin membrane form a striking combination. Hard bones and traces of soft body tissues survive together, helping reveal its covering and outline.^[1]

In 2006, researchers estimated a combined head-and-body length of about 12–14 cm from the type specimen’s jaw length. This differs from total length including the long tail.^[2]

The same study estimated a body mass of about 70 g based on the type specimen.^[2]

Habitat and reproduction

Researchers linked the broad membrane surrounding the body and the limb forms to gliding in forests. It shows that mammals living alongside dinosaurs led varied lives using trees and aerial space as well as the ground.^[1]

Fossil discovery

It was introduced in Nature in 2006 as a new Mesozoic mammal. Specimen IVPP V14739 preserves a compressed skeleton alongside traces of fur and membrane. Preservation of this small animal’s soft body makes the discovery special.^[1]

References

1. Meng et al. (2006), A Mesozoic gliding mammal from northeastern China
2. Meng et al. (2006) — Volaticotherium, a Mesozoic gliding mammal
3. Ji et al. (2006) — A swimming mammal relative from the Middle Jurassic

Research questions

Reading a living three-dimensional body from a fossil with flattened bones and a thin membrane is difficult. Better understanding of membrane connections and limb movement enables finer comparisons of aerial life among Mesozoic mammals.^[1]

Observation

Examine the long limbs, tail, and membrane around the body in sequence.^[1]