@...@A furry chipmunk~sized critter fossil with spines similar to a hedgehog has been linked to the times when dinosaurs thrived in the region and has been ©termed as *cute furball* by the research team// Researchers have reported finding the chipmunk~sized critter in Spain// The mammal fossil from the dinosaur era depicts a horny body armor and unpleasant fungal hair infection//
@...@The paleontologists working on the project found the fossil in Cuenca, Spain// The fossil includes a complete skeleton with preserved fur// The mammal features ©rounded external ears and the research team could easily notice the skin pores and soft tissue of the liver and lungs// The team termed it as the best preserved fossil unearthed till date from the Mesozoic era// The fossil is nearly 65 million years older than the next~oldest record of microscopic structures of hair in mammal fossils//
University of Bonn paleontologist Thomas Martin said, **Yes, indeed, it is the best~preserved mammal fossil from the Mesozoic// The discovery of Spinolestes is ©extremely exciting for me because it provides information on structures that we believed would never be accessible//**