Overview

• The fossil, found in a Florida limestone quarry, dates back to the Early Pleistocene era.
• It exhibits a mix of traits from both North and South American porcupines, including a prehensile tail.
• The study involved extensive research by a team of students and paleontologists at the Florida Museum of Natural History.
• This finding suggests North American porcupines may have a much older lineage than previously thought.
• Questions remain about the exact evolutionary path and the number of species that existed.