Ailuravus
| Ailuravus Temporal range:
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|---|---|
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| Ailuravus macrurus and Strigogyps sapea | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Suborder: | Sciuromorpha |
| Infraorder: | Protrogomorpha |
| Family: | †Ischyromyidae |
| Subfamily: | †Ailuravinae |
| Genus: | †Ailuravus Rütimeyer, 1891 |
| Species | |
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Ailuravus is a genus of prehistoric rodents in the family Ischyromyidae.
Ailuravus macrurus
Ailuravus macrurus ("big-tailed cat-ancestor") was a primitive, squirrel-like rodent, one of the earliest known rodents, from the Messel pit Lagerstätte, in Germany. The Ailuravus macrurus averaged about three feet long. Some may say that the skeleton of this species looks like a giant squirrel. Although that the Ailuravus macrurus did indeed have a bushy tail like a squirrel, it is not a squirrel's ancestor. It lived during the Eocene period of Europe, in forests, and may have been arboreal. The Ailuravus died out more the thirty-seven million years ago, along with all of its other relatives. Although that the reason is unknown why this happened, the assumptions are climate changes, a better-adapted competitor, disappearing food sources, or even just simply a case of bad luck.
References
- "†Ailuravus Rütimeyer 1891 (rodent)". Fossilworks. Gateway to the Paleobiology Database. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
- "†subfamily Ailuravinae Michaux 1968 (rodent)". Fossilworks. Gateway to the Paleobiology Database. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
- "†family Ischyromyidae Alston 1876 (rodent)". Fossilworks. Gateway to the Paleobiology Database. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
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