One of the cable channels (Discovery I think) had a computer
animated/generated program on prehistoric animals that lived AFTER the
reign of the dinosaurs.  The woman narrating described a creature that
looked like a small mouse, and she said it was one of the first
mammal/the oldest link to humans or something along those lines.  MOST
IMPORTANTLY, she called it something that sounds like "Rik-tik-titium"
or "Rip-tip-titium" or something.

Question:  What is the actual name of this creature and where can I
find additional information?

Hello

Thanks for the interesting question.

The creature is called Hadrocodium and may be the ancestor of all
mammals, including humans. Its remains were discovered in China and
first reported last year. Hadrocodium was a tiny mouse-like or
shrew-like creature whose skull was about half an inch long.
Scientists are particularly interested in its skull since this
suggests a bigger brain than in any other small creatures of the same
period (Mesozoic). Dr Zhe-Xi Luo, who led the research team at the
Carnegie Museum of Natural History, said this about it:

"Hadrocodium could be our distant cousin, an early mammal that existed
alongside the ancestor of living mammals.
Or it could be our great-great grand uncle, closely related to living
mammals but not in our direct lineage.
Or Hadrocodium could be the direct ancestor of living mammals. "

Fossil hints at mammal evolution
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/1349763.stm

There's an artist's impression of Hadrocodium, compared to the size of
a paper clip, alongside a CNN article:

Tiny creature may be ancestor of all mammals
http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/science/05/24/tiny.ancestor/



Further information
*******************

Prehistoric mouse " a little smart cookie"
http://www.gfawesome.org/mad_science/articles/Dinosaurs_and_Fossils/Prehistoric_mouse___a_little_smart_cookie_.html

Scientific discussion of why hadrocodium is considered so important in
the history of mammals:

Hadrocodium: a minuscule mammaliform
http://www.palaeos.com/Vertebrates/Units/Unit420/420.300.html

More pictures and the first news of the discovery:
http://www.carnegiemuseums.org/cmnh/news/01-apr-jun/hadro/images.html

I hope this is helpful. Please get back to me if anything needs
explanation or you have trouble with any of the links. Just use the
'clarification' request feature.


Regards - Leli


search terms used:
prehistoric animal mouse like
hadrocodium
://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Hadrocodium&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

---

Clarification of Answer by leli-ga on 03 Dec 2002 04:12 PST

I'm sorry you were disappointed with the answer - but glad to hear you
have now found the name you wanted.

Incorrect, but partially my fault.  Hadrocodium does not sound like
Rictictitium, but Leptiktidium does and is the correct answer.  It was
an early mammal but incorrectly I stated related to humans.  It has no
living relatives.

leli:  You gave an incorrect clue then a low rating for an answer
based on that clue.  Nice!

I meant cagey.