Multituberculate and other mammal hair recovered from Palaeogene excreta

摘要: Evidence of hair from several extinct mammals has been recovered a rich accumulation fossil excrement the Late Palaeocene beds Inner Mongolia, China. This highly unusual and previously undocumented depositional occurrence consists hundreds mammalian carnivore coprolites (fossil faeces) lesser number probably raptorial bird regurgitalites1 pellets). The occurs as impressions natural casts in extremely fine-grained, calcareous matrix that cements skeletal remains within these faecal structures preserves even cuticular scale pattern on individual hair. Hair at least four taxa, most notably multituberculate Lambdopsalis bulla2, identified. record constitutes first tangible evidence that, along with monotremes therian mammals, multituberculates were hirsuite, lends support for presence this feature recent common ancestor three groups.