Miacis

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=Miacis (M. parvivorus)=

Introduction:
The miacis was one of the earliest carnivorous mammals that existed on Earth. It appeared during the late Paleocene period and most of the Eocene period, roughly 55-37 million years ago. Fossilized evidence shows that the miacis was of small size, around 20 cm long. Fossils of the miacis appeared in parts of North America and Europe, suggesting that it populated most of the northern hemisphere. Fossil studies concluded that the miacis must have mostly lived among the trees and fed on insects, smaller animals and eggs.

Classification:

 * Kingdom || Animalia ||
 * Phylum || Chordata ||
 * Class || Mammalia ||
 * Order || Carnivoramorpha ||
 * Family || Miacoidea ||
 * Genus || Miacis ||
 * Type species || M. parvivorus ||

Habitat:
The miacis had five sharp, retractable claws and agile joints on each limb, and lived mostly among the trees, around the higher branches. This meant that the miacis was near the top of the food chain among the trees, but it would have also had to move nearer to ground to hunt, drink or move into new areas, which would have made it vulnerable as prey to larger animals. Fossils of the miacis were found in North America and Europe.

Adaptations:
From artists’ interpretations and fossil evidence of what the miacis might have looked like, the following adaptations were observed:

Specialized limb structure (structural/physiological)-
Fossils have shown that the miacis had five retractable claws on each limb, and specialized joints designed for agile movement. From the above, it can be seen that the miacis had a special body structure that suited its movement within its natural environment.

Hunting and movement patterns (behavioral)-
The miacis was said to have spent most of its time hunting among the trees, only occasionally venturing down to the ground below. This shows that the miacis was aware of the various threats that existed on the ground, mainly the abundance of predators. Therefore, the miacis had adapted its behavior to ensure that it remained in an environment where it was at the least risk.

Body structure (structural)-
The miacis had a sleek, weasel-like body structure. Because of this, it was suited for agile movement both in the trees and on the ground, which would undoubtedly have been a great help both in hunting down prey in the trees and also escaping from predators on the ground.

Selection Pressure:
One selection pressure that might have acted on the miacis would have been the ice age that occurred during the miacis’ period of existence. The miacis most likely became extinct because it did not adapt to the colder climate. The miacis populated the northern hemisphere, meaning that it would have been one of the first animals to experience the climate change. The miacis was suited for a warm climate, and things that would have caused its extinction in the cold environment would have been a lack of body heat and possibly even the extinction of one or more of its prey. The snow might have also hindered the movement of the miacis among the trees and perhaps even on the ground.

=Sources:=
 * 1) About.com (2012). //Miacis.// Retrieved June 11, 2012, from []
 * 2) prehistoric-wildlife.com (n.d.) //Miacis//. Retrieved June 7, 2012, from []
 * 3) Wikipedia. (2012). //Miacis//. Retrieved June 13, 2012, from []