Chinese paleontologists have discovered the fossilized remains of the smallest cat that has ever lived on our planet, 30,000 years old.. A fossilized fragment of the lower jaw of an ancient cat was discovered in Hualundong Cave in eastern China.. Scientists believe this fossil fragment belongs to an extinct species of Bengal cat.. The study was published in the journal Annales Zoologici Fennici, writes Interesting Engineering.

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A tiny cat that scientists believe could easily fit in the palm of a person lived about 30,000 years ago.. Scientists believe that this is the smallest cat living on Earth and is an extinct species of Bengal cat.. The new species is named Prionailurus kurteni.

This species of extinct cat was smaller than ordinary domestic cats, scientists say. However, in size, Prionailurus kurteni is more reminiscent of the two smallest living cat species: the spotted-red cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus), living in South Asia, and the black-footed cat (Felis nigripes), living in Africa. The length of the spotted red cat, including the tail, reaches 40-48 cm, and the length of the black-footed cat, including the tail, reaches 37-52 cm..

Bengal cats typically live in forests, so their remains decompose quickly, making it very difficult to form fossils.. But the remains of Prionailurus kurteni are well preserved, probably because the cat ended up in a cave, where the local environment protected them from rapid decomposition.

According to scientists, they found no traces of cuts on the jaw of an extinct cat, and therefore it is impossible to say whether ancient people ate these animals. Perhaps the cat entered the cave in search of food and then died.

Past genetic studies have shown that Bengal cats and domestic cats shared a common ancestor. But there was no fossil evidence to support this theory. Scientists have discovered a slanted molar on the fossilized jaw of an ancient cat.. This unique feature is the first fossil evidence to support the theory that Bengal cats and domestic cats share a common ancestor..

Paleontologists have been excavating in Hualundun Cave for more than 10 years.. Previously, many extinct species of animals have already been discovered in it.. As for this study, scientists, along with the remains of the smallest cat in the world, discovered fossilized bones and other animals.

Scientists believe that ancient people could have used the cave as a natural trap for animals or a place to hunt them..

Focus has already written about which animal on Earth has the longest tail. Our planet is home to a huge number of tailed animals, but only some of them have truly huge tails..

Focus also wrote that archaeologists discovered a treasure of silver coins in England that is 1000 years old. The silver coins were buried during a period of English history known for political and social instability..