The size of a palm: bones of the world's smallest cat, which lived 300,000 years ago, found in China (photo)
Scientists have identified a new species of cat that was so small that it could fit in the palm of a person's hand. This species, which existed in China 300 thousand years ago, was discovered by a fossilized jaw.
The remains of this small cat were found deep in a cave where ancient people lived. The researchers suggest that the animal may be the smallest cat they have ever studied, according to Live Science.
This new species belongs to the leopard cat genus Prionailurus, a family of wild cats that still exists in South Asia. While modern leopard cats are usually similar in size to domestic cats (with an average length of up to 70 cm and a weight of more than 2 kg), the creature found was much smaller.
"This cat was much smaller than a domestic cat, weighing about 1 kilogram," said Qigao Jianguo, the lead author of the study.
The scientist added that cats were typical inhabitants of the Quaternary period (a geological period lasting from 2.58 million years ago to the present day) and were often found in caves. However, the discovery of such a small cat came as a surprise to the researchers.
Fossils of the ancestors of leopard cats are rarely found because these animals lived in unprotected forests where their bones quickly decayed, which significantly reduces the number of preserved prehistoric specimens. The found specimen was preserved due to the favorable environment of the cave, which gave scientists a rare opportunity to study these fossils.
The scientist also noted that they plan to continue systematic research of cat species, both in China and around the world, which have not been sufficiently studied before.
"We aim to study the origin and evolution of various members of the feline family," Jianguo added.
As a reminder, unique 20,000-year-old fossilized bones were found in Japan.
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