Giant Flying Squirrel Fossil Found in Tennessee

Researchers from East Tennessee State University and the Autonomous University of Barcelona discovered fossils of a giant flying squirrel, Miopetaurista webbi, at the Gray Fossil Site in Tennessee. This species, which lived around 4.75 million years ago, was previously thought to be exclusive to Eurasia, with its presence in North America attributed to migration across the Bering Land Bridge. Weighing about three pounds, these squirrels were the size of house cats and lived among ancient forests, gliding over large mammals like rhinos and mastodons. The discovery challenges previous assumptions about prehistoric Appalachia, adding to the site's significance as a source of valuable paleontological insights, including other findings such as a bone-crushing dog. The Miopetaurista's existence in North America ended with the cooling climate of the Ice Ages, which led to its eventual extinction. This research was published in the Journal of Mammalian Evolution.