Hedgehog relative

The terrestrial insect eaters often used different strategies to access their food. While some of them ate fruit and scraped the ground in search of insects, the hedgehog relative Macrocranion tupaiodon was an omnivore with a predilection for fish. It frequently approached the lake shore to search for dead fishes. This is suggested by its unspecialized teeth as well as preserved stomach contents. The animal, which reached a length of 30 centimeters, had elongated ears and equally long tactile hairs on its snout, which indicate a well-developed sense of touch, smell and hearing. In addition, the short forelegs and relatively long hind legs reveal it as an agile and swift denizen of the forest floor.