Mammals can be colorful, but generally speaking, their brilliance is somewhat more subdued than that of birds. However, fur coloration affects their behavior, physiology, and habitat.
In a recent study conducted by an international research team, the coloration of ancient mammalian ancestors that lived 252–66 million years ago was investigated, as little is known about their coloration despite their coexistence with dinosaurs. The researchers analyzed the shape of pigment-containing organelles and compared them to the fur color of 116 modern mammals.
Through this analysis, they were able to reliably deduce the fur color of six ancient mammal-like creatures. It turned out that, unlike feathered dinosaurs, the melanosome structure of these ancient mammals was quite uniform and likely dark brown. This dark coloration probably helped them blend into their nocturnal environment, as they were primarily active at night.
The study suggests that the more diverse color palette of modern mammals only emerged after the mass extinction of dinosaurs, when mammals began to rapidly evolve and diversify. This is likely due to some mammals adapting to daytime activity, as they were no longer prey for predatory dinosaurs.
Previous thoughts on the same topic:
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The Historical Merging of Human Groups
The end result of the study seems reasonable. Activity during the night was the only way for the small mammals to survive against the threat of effective predating dinosaurs.
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