| Ailuravus Temporal range: Early – Middle Eocene | |
|---|---|
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| A restoration of Ailuravus macrurus (left) along with Strigogyps sapea (right) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | †Ischyromyidae |
| Subfamily: | †Ailuravinae |
| Genus: | †Ailuravus Rütimeyer, 1891 |
| Species: | †A. macrurus |
| Binomial name | |
| †Ailuravus macrurus Rütimeyer, 1891 | |
Ailuravus (meaning "Big-tailed Cat-ancestor") is an extinct genus of primitive, squirrel-like rodent, one of the earliest known rodents, from the Messel pit Lagerstätte, in Germany. It lived during the Eocene period of Europe, in forests, and may have been arboreal.
Ailuravus is estimated to be about 3 feet long.
Ailuravus Macrurus(or A. Macrurus) skeleton