Oldest Known Saber-Toothed Mammal Ancestor Unearthed in Mallorca

The 270-million-year-old gorgonopsian fossil sheds light on the origins and evolution of mammalian relatives.

The fossil represents the oldest known gorgonopsian, a saber-toothed predator and mammalian relative, dating back 270 to 280 million years.
Discovered in Mallorca, the find challenges previous assumptions about the geographic origins of therapsids, suggesting an equatorial rather than temperate origin.
The fossil includes a well-preserved femur, skull fragments, and other bones, providing insights into its anatomy and movement, which were intermediate between reptiles and mammals.
Gorgonopsians were warm-blooded, egg-laying predators with saber-like canine teeth, likely making them apex predators in their ecosystem.
This discovery helps bridge a gap in the fossil record of therapsids, offering new perspectives on the evolution of mammals and their ancient relatives.