Zalambdalestes (SciiFii)

The Cretaceous hopping rat (Zalambdalestes modernus, name meaning "modern much-like-lambda robber") is a species of non-placental eutherian mammal, despite its name, that originally lived during the Upper Cretaceous in Mongolia as an extinct species of Zalambdalestes and was once extinct, but has since been brought back from extinction by SciiFii and now lives in Cretaceous Park located at Sacramento, California, as one of many animal ambassadors. The Cretaceous hopping rat is a hopping animal with a long snout, long teeth, a small brain and large eyes. It is normally about 20 centimetres (7.9 in) long when fully grown, with a head only 5 centimetres (2 in) long. It has strong front paws and even stronger rear ones, sharing specializations to saltation similar to those of rabbits. Its diet is composed mainly of insects that it feeds on using its sharp, interlocking teeth. Unlike placental mammals, the Cretaceous hopping rat has an epipubic bone, so it is restricted reproductively in the same way as monotremes and marsupials. The Cretaceous hopping rat is a solitary animal that behaves very similarly to elephant shrews and Virginia opossums, preferring to live in most of its life alone except during the breeding seasons.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii