With Colorado being so full of history, it should come as no surprise that this place is an absolute hotbed when it comes to archaeological finds.

103.7 The River logo
Get our free mobile app

One recent discovery was that of ancient art that was found in Mesa Verde. In fact, it dated all the way back to the 3rd Century A.D.

However, Colorado has been an absolutely pivotal place when it comes to the discovery of prehistoric creatures, especially dinosaurs.

In Colorado alone, iconic dinosaurs like the Stegosaurus, Allosaurus, Diplodocus, and Apatosaurus were all found.

Recently, paleontologists found yet another animal that walked with the dinosaurs in Colorado. 

However, it’s definitely much smaller than the living giants of its day.

Colorado Researchers Find Ancient Mammal

Recently, a team of paleontologists made a truly remarkable discovery in Rangely, Colorado, which is a small town near the Utah border on the Western Slope.

They found bones that belonged to an animal that had not yet been discovered. However, instead of this being a massive beast, it was a small mammal.

Based on a part of a jawbone and three teeth, they were able to deduce that this was, in fact, an early mammal. 

They would go on to name it Heleocola piceanus.

What Was Heleocola piceanus Like?

Heleocola piceanus walked the Earth about 70 to 75 million years ago, and is a pretty small animal all things considered.

In fact, it likely only weighed around 2 pounds, and has been likened to be the size of a muskrat.

However, it lived in a time when mammals were extremely small, almost never getting above the size of the rats and mice of today.

In fact, the largest mammal found in this era was estimated to only weigh about 11 pounds.

Like many mammals its size, it appears to be an herbivore with teeth designed for grinding.

The last interesting tidbit about Heleocola piceanus comes from its name. In Latin, the word “Heleocola” means “swamp dweller”. 

If that seems like a strange name for an animal that was found in the Western Slope of Colorado, back when it was alive, that portion of Colorado and the Mountain West had a massive inland sea with swamps.

The fact it lived at a time when Colorado was a swampy and marshy area truly shows how much things have changed over the course of Earth’s history.

Your Kids Will Love Seeing Dinosaurs on this Colorado Road Trip

A drive from Dinosaur, Colorado to Vernal, Utah is filled with dinosaurs.

Gallery Credit: Nate Wilde

Colorado Hidden Gems: Check Out the Florissant Fossil Beds

The Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is an amazing hidden gem in Colorado.

Gallery Credit: Nate Wilde

More From 103.7 The River