Scientists have recently discovered the fossil remains of a tiny species of cat that is smaller than a house cat in an ancient cave in eastern China.
As per The Independent, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences identified the fossil as Prionailurus kurteni, an extinct species of leopard cat.
Reports revealed that these species were so small that they could fit in the palm of a person’s hand.
These species were recognized from a fragment of its lower jaw, which was discovered in the Hualongdong cave in Anhui province, located in eastern China.
The size is similar to that of the smallest modern cats, such as the rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus) from South Asia.
The report estimates that the maximum length of these cats from head to body is about 48 cm.
“This species represents the smallest known fossil member of the family Felidae to date,” the study says.
Fossils of Prionailurus kurteni are hard to find because their small bodies would decay quickly in the forested areas they lived in.
However, the recent fossil discovery was better preserved because it was found in a cave, which provided a more stable environment for preservation.
The previous digs at the same cave have uncovered many human fossils, dating back to 300,000 years ago.
