Dorset landlord lends his name to man’s newest, oldest ancestor
AS ANCESTORS go, it might not look particularly distinguished, but this toothy rat-like creature is the forefather of us all.
Remains of the nocturnal mammal, which lived 145million years ago, were recently discovered near Swanage on the Jurassic Coast of Dorset, by paleontologists from the University of Portsmouth. The animal is the earliest in a line that would eventually lead to humans, as well as branching off along the way to evolve into creatures as diverse as blue whales and pigmy shrews.
The new species has been named Durlstotherim new'mani, after keen amateur paleontologist Charlie Newman, 51, the landlord of the Square and Compass in Worth Matravers, Dorset, who founded his own fossil museum in the pub, and helped scientists collect the specimens.
The species was identified from just a handful of fossilised teeth found by Portsmouth University student Grant Smith earlier this year, and identified by Dr Steve Sweetman, a research fellow at the university.
Dr Sweetman said: “Grant was sifting through small samples of earliest Cretaceous rocks collected on the coast of Dorset as part of his undergraduate dissertation project in the hope of finding some interesting remains.
“Quite unexpectedly he found not one but two quite remarkable teeth of a type never before seen from rocks of this age. I was asked to look at them and give an opinion and even at first glance my jaw dropped.
“The teeth are of a type so highly evolved that I realised straight away I was looking at remains of Early Cretaceous mammals that more closely resembled those that lived during the latest Cretaceous – some 60 million years later in geological history.”
Mr Newman made headlines in 2015 when he built a 12ft-high “woodhenge” using 35tons of timber in the village, although he was later ordered to tear it down by Purbeck district council.
Dr Sweetman, who said the finds rewrite the history of mammal evolution, believes the creature was small, furry and most likely nocturnal.
A second species was also identified and named after scientist Paul Ensom. The creatures probably lived in burrows feeding on insects, or plants.
“The teeth are of a highly advanced type that can pierce, cut and crush food,” added Dr Sweetman. “They are also very worn which suggests the animals to which they belonged lived to a good age. No mean feat when you’re sharing your habitat with predatory dinosaurs.”
Dave Martial, professor of palaeobiology at Portsmouth, said: “The Jurassic Coast is always unveiling fresh secrets and I’d like to think that similar discoveries will continue to be made right on our doorstep.”
The findings were published in the journal Acta Palaeontologica Polonica.