{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T01:29:09Z","timestamp":1787016549813,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":98,"publisher":"American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)","issue":"6739","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,14]],"date-time":"2026-03-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1773446400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":365,"URL":"https:\/\/www.science.org\/content\/page\/science-licenses-journal-article-reuse"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.science.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Science"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,14]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Pelage coloration, which serves numerous functions, is crucial to the evolution of behavior, physiology, and habitat preferences of mammals. However, little is known about the coloration of Mesozoic mammaliaforms that coevolved with dinosaurs. In this study, we used a dataset of melanosome (melanin-containing organelle) morphology and quantitatively measured hair colors from 116 extant mammals to reliably reconstruct the coloration of six Mesozoic mammaliaforms, including a previously undescribed euharamiyidan. Unlike the highly diverse melanosomes discovered in feathered dinosaurs, hairs in six mammaliaforms of different lineages and diverse ecomorphotypes showed uniform melanosome geometry, corresponding to dark-brown coloration consistent with crypsis and nocturnality. Our results suggest that the melanosome variation and color expansion seen in extant mammals may have occurred during their rapid radiation and diversification after the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1126\/science.ads9734","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,13]],"date-time":"2025-03-13T14:00:47Z","timestamp":1741874447000},"page":"1193-1198","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.34133\/aaas_crossmark","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":13,"title":["Mesozoic mammaliaforms illuminate the origins of pelage coloration"],"prefix":"10.1126","volume":"387","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-7554-8239","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Ruoshuang","family":"Li","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, Frontiers Science Center for Deep-time Digital Earth, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, Beijing, China."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Liliana","family":"D\u2019Alba","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Evolutionary Ecology Group, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, Netherlands."},{"name":"Evolution and Optics of Nanostructures Group, Department of Biology, University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6338-2865","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Gerben","family":"Debruyn","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Evolution and Optics of Nanostructures Group, Department of Biology, University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3895-6078","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Jessica L.","family":"Dobson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Evolution and Optics of Nanostructures Group, Department of Biology, University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3744-7573","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Chang-Fu","family":"Zhou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Earth Science and Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China."},{"name":"Paleontological Institute, Shenyang Normal University, Shenyang, China."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2218-2637","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Julia A.","family":"Clarke","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3584-9616","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Jakob","family":"Vinther","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-3305-367X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Quanguo","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, Frontiers Science Center for Deep-time Digital Earth, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, Beijing, China."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5131-8209","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Matthew D.","family":"Shawkey","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Evolution and Optics of Nanostructures Group, Department of Biology, University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"221","reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_2_2_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.aan0221"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_3_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1098\/rstb.2016.0345"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_4_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/evo.14320"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_5_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.semcdb.2013.03.016"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_6_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-019-09859-7"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_7_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/brv.12552"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_8_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1098\/rsbl.2011.1168"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_9_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tree.2016.10.003"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_10_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tree.2020.12.012"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_11_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1098\/rsbl.2008.0302"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_12_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1186290"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_13_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-017-02515-y"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_14_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1123026"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_15_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nature12429"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_16_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1152\/physrev.00059.2017"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_17_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1139\/cjas-2019-0196"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_18_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-earth-073019-045641"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_19_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nature13718"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_20_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/02724634.1988.10011708"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_21_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nature12353"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_22_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.epsl.2023.118246"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_23_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nature24483"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_24_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nature23483"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_25_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/zoolinnean\/zlad050"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_26_2","first-page":"185","article-title":"New teeth of allotherian mammals from the English Bathonian, including the earliest multituberculates","volume":"50","author":"Butler P. M.","year":"2005","unstructured":"P. M. Butler, J. J. Hooker, New teeth of allotherian mammals from the English Bathonian, including the earliest multituberculates. Acta Palaeontol. Pol. 50, 185\u2013207 (2005).","journal-title":"Acta Palaeontol. Pol."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_27_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/14772019.2022.2097021"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_28_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/zoolinnean\/zly088"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_29_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nature23476"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_30_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/evo.14094"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_31_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1260879"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_32_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1260880"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_33_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/416816a"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_34_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1017\/pab.2014.14"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_35_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nature12973"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_36_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-019-10087-2"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_37_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1205748"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_38_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/evo.13641"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_39_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-022-04622-3"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_40_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1203117"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_41_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1098\/rspb.2013.0508"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_42_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1159\/000314278"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_43_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/srep46542"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_44_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/cne.23802"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_45_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.adn0183"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_46_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1098\/rspb.2003.2390"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_47_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/1369048"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_48_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tree.2008.06.001"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_49_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1098\/rspb.2018.2014"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_50_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41559-017-0366-5"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_51_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-024-07258-7"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_52_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nmeth.2089"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_53_2","first-page":"71","article-title":"Vayu 1.0, A new set of tools for visualizing surface meshes","volume":"61","author":"Lu J.","year":"2023","unstructured":"J. Lu, Vayu 1.0, A new set of tools for visualizing surface meshes. Vertebrata PalAsiatica 61, 71\u201380 (2023).","journal-title":"Vertebrata PalAsiatica"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_54_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-018-05148-x"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_55_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1098\/rsbl.2013.0184"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_56_2","unstructured":"D. L. Swofford Phylogenetic Analysis Using Parsimony v.4.0b10 (Sinauer Associates 2002)"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_57_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/sysbio\/sys029"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_58_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.0006-341X.1999.00001.x"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_59_2","first-page":"317","article-title":"Review of the early allotherian mammals","volume":"45","author":"Butler P. M.","year":"2000","unstructured":"P. M. Butler, Review of the early allotherian mammals. Acta Palaeontol. Pol. 45, 317\u2013342 (2000).","journal-title":"Acta Palaeontol. Pol."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_60_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1469-7998.1979.tb03964.x"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_61_2","first-page":"191","article-title":"Analysis of mammalian communities from the late Eocene and Oligocene of southern France","volume":"16","author":"Legendre S.","year":"1986","unstructured":"S. Legendre, Analysis of mammalian communities from the late Eocene and Oligocene of southern France. Palaeovertebrata 16, 191\u2013212 (1986).","journal-title":"Palaeovertebrata"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_62_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1034\/j.1600-0749.2003.00072.x"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_63_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.18637\/jss.v033.i02"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_64_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pbio.3000494"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_65_2","unstructured":"K. Barton MuMIn: multi-model inference (2009); http:\/\/rforge.rproject.org\/projects\/mumin\/."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_66_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s42003-020-01524-w"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_67_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/icb\/icae040"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_68_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1214\/ss\/1177011136"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_69_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/2041-210X.12069"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_70_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0113847"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_71_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-018-0126-y"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_72_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/02724634.2019.1669159"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_73_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/02724634.2020.1811292"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_74_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-020-03137-z"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_75_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s12549-010-0030-4"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_76_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/02724634.2019.1762089"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_77_2","first-page":"86A","article-title":"Estimating body mass of multituberculate mammals","volume":"22","author":"McDermott B.","year":"2002","unstructured":"B. McDermott, J. Hunter, J. Alroy, Estimating body mass of multituberculate mammals. J. Vertebr. Paleontol. 22, 86A (2002).","journal-title":"J. Vertebr. Paleontol."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_78_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1644\/08-MAMM-A-347R1.1"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_79_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nature10880"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_80_2","first-page":"1","volume-title":"Body Size in Mammalian Paleobiology: Estimation and Biological Implications","author":"Damuth J.","year":"1990","unstructured":"J. Damuth, B. J. MacFadden, \u201cIntroduction: body size and its estimation\u201d in Body Size in Mammalian Paleobiology: Estimation and Biological Implications, J. Damuth, B. J. MacFadden, Eds. (Cambridge Univ. Press, 1990), pp. 1\u201310."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_81_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/1475-4983.00189"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_82_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1644\/06-MAMM-S-325R2.1"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_83_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7312\/kiel11918"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_84_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jhevol.2008.02.008"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_85_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1515\/9781400845910"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_86_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4899-0092-0_8"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_87_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1469-7998.1999.tb00980.x"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_88_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10914-012-9199-9"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_89_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2475\/ajs.293.A.300"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_90_2","first-page":"19","article-title":"Mayulestes ferox, a borhyaenoid (Metatheria, Mammalia) from the early Palaeocene of Bolivia. Phylogenetic and palaeobiological implications","volume":"20","author":"de Muizon C.","year":"1998","unstructured":"C. de Muizon, Mayulestes ferox, a borhyaenoid (Metatheria, Mammalia) from the early Palaeocene of Bolivia. Phylogenetic and palaeobiological implications. Geodiversitas 20, 19\u2013142 (1998).","journal-title":"Geodiversitas"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_91_2","volume-title":"Evolutionary History of the Marsupials and an Analysis of Osteological Characters","author":"Szalay F. S.","year":"1994","unstructured":"F. S. Szalay, Evolutionary History of the Marsupials and an Analysis of Osteological Characters (Cambridge Univ. Press, 1994)."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_92_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/1097-4687(200101)247:1<51::AID-JMOR1003>3.0.CO;2-#"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_93_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2435.2005.01032.x"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_94_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1152\/physrev.1950.30.1.91"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_95_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/pala.12271"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_96_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/srep34002"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_97_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.palaeo.2012.01.017"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_98_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1029\/2004GL019790"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_99_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1144\/SP378.1"}],"container-title":["Science"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1126\/science.ads9734","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1126\/science.ads9734","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,13]],"date-time":"2025-03-13T14:02:57Z","timestamp":1741874577000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/science.ads9734"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,14]]},"references-count":98,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6739","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,14]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1126\/science.ads9734"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.ads9734","relation":{},"ISSN":["0036-8075","1095-9203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0036-8075","type":"print"},{"value":"1095-9203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,14]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2024-09-05","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2025-01-28","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2025-03-13","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}]}}