# Scientists discovered a tiny furry predator from 165 million years ago that hunted slippery prey in the water

Source: [Earth.com](https://www.earth.com/animals/scientists-discovered-a-tiny-furry-predator-from-165-million-years-ago-that-hunted-slippery-prey-in-the-water/) · 2026-11-08 · Earth & Climate
Page: https://themorning.science/story/scientists-discovered-a-tiny-furry-predator-from-165-million-years-ago-that-hunt-0b39e678ae0b461c
Kind: research · Impact: low

## In brief

- Scientists described a fossil from about 165 million years ago of a small furry predator that hunted slippery prey in water.
- Early mammals and their relatives from the dinosaur age are usually pictured as tiny, but this swimming predator weighed a few pounds.
- Its fangs were anchored by three roots each.

## Why it matters

The find suggests that mammal relatives in the age of dinosaurs were more varied in size and lifestyle than the usual image of tiny creatures keeping out of the way.

## Coverage

- [Scientists discovered a tiny furry predator from 165 million years ago that hunted slippery prey in the water](https://www.earth.com/animals/scientists-discovered-a-tiny-furry-predator-from-165-million-years-ago-that-hunted-slippery-prey-in-the-water/) — Earth.com, 2026-11-08

Tags: paleontology, jurassic, mammals, fossils, evolution

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Brief generated by AI (claude-haiku-5-5) from the reporting listed under Coverage. Headlines belong to their publishers. The Morning Science – https://themorning.science