Study shows that dark fur enabled early mammals to escape predators
Research reveals that dark fur played a crucial role in helping early mammals avoid predators.
TroibNews 
Early mammals that coexisted with dinosaurs over 150 million years ago likely possessed dark, dusky brown fur, which allowed them to blend into the night and avoid predators.
A collaborative effort by scientists from China and Belgium has unveiled the coloration of some of Earth's earliest mammals, utilizing fossilized pigments to shed light on their elusive nocturnal behaviors and evolutionary tactics.
The findings, published Friday in the journal *Science*, indicate that these early mammals used a straightforward melanin-based coloration system, resulting in muted tones that favored nocturnal camouflage.
This adaptation is consistent with modern nocturnal mammals such as moles and bats, strengthening the hypothesis that ancestral mammals became active at night to steer clear of daytime predators.
In contrast, the study highlights that feathered dinosaurs and early birds displayed a variety of colors, suggesting a different evolutionary approach to coloration for mammals.
"These extinct early mammals had distinct lifestyles, ranging from ground-dwelling and burrowing to gliding through the treetops like modern-day flying squirrels," remarked Li Ruoshuang, the paper's first author from the China University of Geosciences.
"The incredible preservation of the fossils and their fur impressions enabled us to piece together both their ecology and their coloration," added Li Quanguo, the corresponding author from the same institution.
The research team studied fossilized pigments, known as melanosomes, to ascertain the fur color of six ancient mammalian relatives, including a newly identified species from 158.5 million years ago during the Late Jurassic period.
By assessing the shapes of melanosomes in 116 living mammals, the researchers developed a model that connects structural characteristics to color, revealing that the early ancestors of modern mammals sported solid dark fur, devoid of patterns.
"This dark color may have helped them hide from dinosaurs," stated Zhou Changfu, a co-author from Shandong University of Science and Technology.
In addition to aiding in camouflage, the dense melanosomes in their fur likely contributed to heat retention and reinforced hair structure for added protection, the study suggests.
Following the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs, mammals may have had the opportunity to diversify into a spectrum of colors, from orange tamarins to grey koalas and the black-and-white patterns of zebras, according to the researchers.
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
A collaborative effort by scientists from China and Belgium has unveiled the coloration of some of Earth's earliest mammals, utilizing fossilized pigments to shed light on their elusive nocturnal behaviors and evolutionary tactics.
The findings, published Friday in the journal *Science*, indicate that these early mammals used a straightforward melanin-based coloration system, resulting in muted tones that favored nocturnal camouflage.
This adaptation is consistent with modern nocturnal mammals such as moles and bats, strengthening the hypothesis that ancestral mammals became active at night to steer clear of daytime predators.
In contrast, the study highlights that feathered dinosaurs and early birds displayed a variety of colors, suggesting a different evolutionary approach to coloration for mammals.
"These extinct early mammals had distinct lifestyles, ranging from ground-dwelling and burrowing to gliding through the treetops like modern-day flying squirrels," remarked Li Ruoshuang, the paper's first author from the China University of Geosciences.
"The incredible preservation of the fossils and their fur impressions enabled us to piece together both their ecology and their coloration," added Li Quanguo, the corresponding author from the same institution.
The research team studied fossilized pigments, known as melanosomes, to ascertain the fur color of six ancient mammalian relatives, including a newly identified species from 158.5 million years ago during the Late Jurassic period.
By assessing the shapes of melanosomes in 116 living mammals, the researchers developed a model that connects structural characteristics to color, revealing that the early ancestors of modern mammals sported solid dark fur, devoid of patterns.
"This dark color may have helped them hide from dinosaurs," stated Zhou Changfu, a co-author from Shandong University of Science and Technology.
In addition to aiding in camouflage, the dense melanosomes in their fur likely contributed to heat retention and reinforced hair structure for added protection, the study suggests.
Following the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs, mammals may have had the opportunity to diversify into a spectrum of colors, from orange tamarins to grey koalas and the black-and-white patterns of zebras, according to the researchers.
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
