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Re: CORRECTION Tiny Jurassic mammal

Daniel,
Well, the smallest living mammal (bumblebee bat) weighs even less. But it does live in the humid tropics (Thailand), so it doesn't have to deal with extreme temperature swings (particularly cold nights). Such a small mammal (especially a bat) would no doubt have trouble existing in a temperate climate or even hot dry deserts (where nighttime temperatures can plummet). Unfortunately it is endangered, due mainly to habitat loss. Haven't heard lately if the conservation efforts for the world's smallest mammal have been successful. Anyway, it wouldn't surprise me if there were even smaller mammals in the humid tropics of the Mesozoic.
---------Ken
*******************************************************
From: Daniel Bensen <dbensen@gotnet.net>
Reply-To: dbensen@gotnet.net
To: jhecht@world.std.com, Dinosaur mailing list <dinosaur@usc.edu>, vrtpaleo@usc.edu
Subject: Re: CORRECTION Tiny Jurassic mammal
Date: Thu, 24 May 2001 16:27:33 -0700

>>>>Its skull measured just 13
MILLIMETERS (not centimeters), and its weight was estimated at 2
grams -- smaller than the modern 2.5 gram least shrew.<<
That
<<
That's _minuscule_!  How could a mammal so small survive from minute to
minute?  Wouldn't it have to be eating constantly to fuel such a high
metabolism?  Was it exothermic, or did it carry an IV bag with a glucose
drip stuck into a vein?

Dan

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