Enantiornis fossil from 80 million years ago connects Archeopteryx to modern birds

Posted on November 14, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have unearthed the exquisitely preserved remains of a Cretaceous enantiornithine bird in São Paulo state in southeastern Brazil. The skull’s extraordinary three-dimensional preservation allowed researchers to digitally reconstruct the bird’s brain.

Artist’s impression Nabaornis Hestia. Image credit: Júlia D’Oliveira.

The newly identified Enantiornithine species They lived in what is now Brazil about 80 million years ago (late Cretaceous period).

with scientific name Nabaornis Hestiathe ancient bird was about the same size as a starling.

This species had a larger cerebrum Archeopteryxsuggesting that they had more advanced cognitive abilities than early bird-like dinosaurs.

However, most regions of the brain, such as the cerebellum, are underdeveloped, suggesting that the complex flight control mechanisms of modern birds have not yet evolved.

“The structure of the brain is Nabaornis Hestia almost exactly in between Archeopteryx Dr Guillermo Navarone, a researcher at the University of Cambridge, says:

Fossilized remains are Nabaornis Hestia It was recovered in 2016 from the local Williams Quarry in Presidente Prudente, part of Brazil’s Adamantina Formation.

Tens of millions of years ago, the site was probably an arid region with slow-flowing streams, allowing for the impressive preservation of fossils.

The extraordinary three-dimensional preservation has allowed paleontologists to use advanced micro-CT scanning techniques to reconstruct the toothless, large-eyed bird’s skull and brain in stunning detail.

fossilized skeleton Nabaornis Hestia. Image credit: Stephanie Abramowitz.

“This fossil is truly one of a kind and I was in awe from the moment I first saw it to the moment I finished assembling the skull and brain. “You can fully understand the scientific structure,” Dr. Navarone said.

Professor Daniel Field from the University of Cambridge added: “Modern birds have some of the most sophisticated cognitive abilities in the animal kingdom, rivaled only by mammals.”

“However, scientists have struggled to understand when and how birds’ unique brains and remarkable intelligence evolved. The field is looking forward to discovering fossils just like this one. I’ve been waiting for it.”

On the other hand, the skull Nabaornis Hestia At first glance, it resembles a small pigeon, but upon closer inspection, it turns out that it is not a modern bird at all, but a member of the “opposite birds”, or “opposite birds”.

Birds of the order Enantiornithiformes, which diverged from modern birds more than 130 million years ago, have complex feathers and are thought to have been able to fly as competently as modern birds. .

However, the anatomical structure of the brain Nabaornis Hestia This raises new questions: How does enantiornithine behave without a range of brain features observed in living birds, including an enlarged cerebellum, which is a spatial control center in living birds? Did they control the flight?

“This fossil represents a species at an intermediate point in the evolutionary process of bird cognition,” Professor Field said.

“The cognitive ability is Nabaornis Hestia They may have had an advantage in finding food and shelter, and were capable of elaborate mating displays and other complex social behaviors. ”

“This discovery shows that some of the birds that flew above the dinosaurs already had fully modern skull shapes more than 80 million years ago,” Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County said. said researcher Dr. Luis Chiappe.

This finding is reported in the following article: paper in a diary nature.

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LM Chiappe others. 2024. Cretaceous birds from Brazil tell the story of the evolution of bird skulls and brains. nature 635, 376-381; doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-08114-4

Source: www.sci.news

Record high CO2 emissions driven by drought, fires, and use of fossil fuels

Posted on November 13, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Wildfires in the tropics caused a slight increase in CO2 emissions, but most of that was due to burning fossil fuels

Carl De Souza/AFP/Getty Images

Carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels in 2024 are expected to exceed last year's record levels, dashing hopes that global warming emissions will peak this year.

“Reducing emissions is more urgent than ever, and the only way to do that is by significantly reducing fossil fuel emissions,” he said. Pierre Friedlingstein At the University of Exeter, UK.

This is according to the latest global carbon budget. reporta preliminary calculation of CO2 emissions to date, including projections until the end of the year, prepared by Friedlingstein and his colleagues. The announcement was made at the ongoing COP29 summit in Azerbaijan, where countries aim to set new fiscal targets to combat climate change.

Last year, some researchers predicted a peak in emissions in 2024, but the report found that anthropogenic CO2 emissions would reach a record high of 41.6 gigatonnes in 2024, up 2% from the 2023 record. It has been revealed that the number is expected to increase. Almost 90% of that total is made up of emissions from fossil fuel combustion. The remainder is primarily due to land changes caused by deforestation and wildfires.

Fossil fuel emissions will grow at 0.8 percent, half as much as in 2023, but still higher than the average growth rate over the past decade. “[The slower rate] This is a good sign, but we are still miles away from reaching our goal,” says Friedlingstein.

Despite a long-term downward trend, projected emissions from land-use change also increased this year, mainly due to drought-induced wildfires in the tropics. Part of this increase is also due to the collapse of terrestrial sinks of carbon in 2023, which typically removes about a quarter of annual CO2 emissions from the atmosphere. This absorption decreased by more than 40 percent last year and in early 2024 as global temperatures soared due to El Niño.

“2023 is an amazing demonstration of what can happen in a warmer world when El Niño droughts and fires combine to create record global temperatures,” he says. pep canadel He is a researcher at Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Agency and co-author of this report. “Taken all together, the world's forests contributed almost a third less carbon dioxide from the atmosphere last year than they did in the previous decade.”

This will also increase emissions in 2024, but researchers expect this “land carbon sink” to largely recover as the warming effects of El Niño fade. “This is not a long-term collapse,” Friedlingstein says.

The report reveals that China's CO2 emissions, which emit almost a third of the world's total emissions, are projected to increase by only 0.2% in 2024 compared to 2023. . Canadel said this forecast of China's emissions has a large margin of error, so they may actually be stable or even declining. India's emissions have also slowed down from last year, increasing by just under 5%. In the US and EU, emissions continued to decline, albeit at a much slower pace than last year.

Increased demand for electricity to power air conditioners due to higher temperatures is also a key reason why fossil fuel emissions will continue to rise despite a massive build-up of renewable energy in 2024. He says: Neil Grant At the German think tank Climate Analytics. Whether it's from electric vehicles, data centers or manufacturing, “most people seem to be a little surprised by the level of electricity demand this year,” he says.

If emissions continue at this level, the world will exceed its carbon budget to limit warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels within six years, and exceed its budget to limit warming to 2°C within 27 years, the report says. Pointed out. .

“We have to accelerate, accelerate, accelerate, accelerate the transition to renewable energy,” Candell said. “Climate change is like a slippery slope and we can keep falling. We need to slam on the brakes as hard as we can to avoid falling.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Colombia Unearths Fossil of Enormous Bird of Prey

Posted on November 4, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have unearthed and examined the fossilized foot bones of a Phorsulaceae bird that lived in South America 12 million years ago.

model of parafisolnis At the Vienna Natural History Museum. Image credit: Armin Reindl / CC BY-SA 4.0.

Terrorbird is a member of Forsulaceae a family of large carnivorous flightless birds in the order Calliamales.

These extinct birds were very large, weighing up to 70 kg and measuring 0.9 to 2 m (3 to 6.6 ft) in height.

They had slender bodies and unique motor adaptations for moving around.

Their huge beaks and mechanical adaptations of the skull suggest that they were efficient predators.

They lived in South America during the Cenozoic era, but are also known from the Pliocene-Pleistocene of North America and the Eocene of Africa.

Phorsuracidae includes nearly 20 species in 14 genera and 5 subfamilies (Brontornithidae, Mesembriornithidae, Patagornithidae, Phorsuracidae, and Psilopterinidae).

The closest living relative is believed to be Selimas, the only survivor of the family. Cariamydae.

Dr. Siobhan Cooke, a researcher at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said: “Fearbirds lived on the ground, had limbs adapted for running, and fed primarily on other animals.”

The end of the left tibiotarsus of a fear bird found in Colombia's Tatacoa Desert. Image credit: Degrange others., doi: 10.1002/spp2.1601.

In the 2000s, fossilized leg bones of the feared bird were discovered in the fossil-rich area. Tatacoa desert In Colombia.

The fossil dates back to the Miocene epoch, about 12 million years ago, and is thought to be the northernmost evidence of a fear bird in South America to date.

“The size of the bones indicates that this fearsome bird may be the largest species identified to date, approximately 5-20% larger than any known Phorsulaceae.” said Dr. Cook.

“Previously discovered fossils indicate that the size of the feared bird species ranged from 0.9 to 2.7 meters (3 to 9 feet) tall.”

The fossil probably has tooth marks, such as: Purusaurusan extinct species of caiman thought to have been up to 9 meters (30 feet) long.

“Given the size of the crocodile 12 million years ago, we believe this fearsome bird may have died from its injuries,” Dr Cook said.

This fearsome bird also coexisted with primates, ungulate mammals, giant sloths, and glyptodonts, car-sized relatives of armadillos.

“This is a different kind of ecosystem than what we see today and what we saw in other parts of the world in the era before South and North America connected,” Dr. Cook said.

team's paper be published in a magazine paleontology papers.

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Federico Javier Desgrange others. 2024. A new species of gigantic fear bird (Caryamiformes, Phorsulaceae) from the mid-Miocene tropical environment of La Venta, northern South America. paleontology papers 10 (6): e1601;doi: 10.1002/spp2.1601

Source: www.sci.news

Oldest known tadpole fossil dates back 161 million years

Posted on November 1, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have discovered the well-preserved fossilized remains of an early anuran tadpole. Notobatrachus degiustoi At Estancia La Matilde in Patagonia, Argentina.

Reproducing the lives of tadpoles and adults Notobatrachus degiustoi. Image credit: Gabriel Rio.

Frogs and toads belong to a group of tailless amphibians called anurans.

They are characterized by a biphasic life cycle, with an aquatic larval (tadpole) stage followed by an adult (frog) stage.

Adult anurans remain in the fossil record until the late Triassic period (approximately 217 to 213 million years ago), but tadpoles have not been recorded before the Cretaceous period (approximately 145 million years ago). Not yet.

“Tadpoles are free-living, non-reproductive anuran aquatic larvae that undergo morphological and ecological changes over a short period of time before reaching the adult reproductive stage. “We need to go through a metamorphosis stage that involves profound changes in our lives.” And her colleagues.

“This rapid metamorphosis in anurans is the most extreme among extant tetrapods, with tadpoles representing a highly derived larval stage.”

The authors examined well-preserved tadpole fossils. Notobatrachus degiustoi from Formation of La Matilde In Patagonia.

This giant anuran lived during the Middle Jurassic Period, 168 to 161 million years ago.

This species is also represented by a large number of excellently preserved adult specimens from the same locality.

Notobatrachus degiustoi Tadpole. Image credit: Chubar others., doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-08055-y.

According to the team, the tadpoles Notobatrachus degiustoi It was almost 16 centimeters (6.3 inches) long.

The head, most of the body, and part of the tail were visible, as were the eyes, nerves, and forelimbs, suggesting that the tadpole was in a later stage of metamorphosis.

Together, they show that key traits of today’s tadpoles, such as filter-feeding systems, had already evolved in early anurans about 161 million years ago.

“The exquisite preservation of the tadpole, including its soft tissues, shows features related to the filter-feeding mechanism characteristic of living tadpoles,” the researchers said.

“What is noteworthy is that both Notobatrachus degiustoi Tadpoles and adults reached large sizes, proving that tadpole gigantism occurred among stalked anurans. “

“This new discovery suggests that a biphasic life cycle in which filter-feeding tadpoles live in aquatic, ephemeral environments was already present in the early evolutionary history of sessile anurans, and that at least 161 million It has been shown to remain stable over the years.”

of findings Published in this week’s magazine nature.

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M. Chubar others. The oldest tadpoles reveal the evolutionary stability of anuran life cycles. naturepublished online October 30, 2024. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-08055-y

Source: www.sci.news

Science discovers oldest known tadpole fossil dating back 161 million years.

Posted on October 31, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Scientists discovered fossils in Argentina’s Santa Cruz province

Mariana Chubar et al., Journal (2024)

The beautifully preserved fossilized tadpoles are the oldest discovered by science, dating back 161 million years, and their anatomy is strikingly similar to some of today’s species. I am.

Paleontologists discovered the fossil in January 2020 while searching for feathered dinosaurs in Argentina’s Santa Cruz province.

“They missed the mark,” says Mariana Churivar of Universidad Maimonides in Buenos Aires, Argentina. “But after many days of digging, one of our team members discovered a stone with a special signature: a fossilized tadpole.”

Chubar and her colleagues have now identified this tadpole as belonging to an extinct frog species. Notobatrachus degiustoiwas deciphered from hundreds of adult specimens discovered in the same fossil deposit since 1957.

Until now, scientists had never unearthed tadpole fossils from before the Cretaceous period, which began about 145 million years ago. This specimen is also the first fossil tadpole from an early frog lineage known as stalk anurans, which is older than modern species known as crown anurans.

This fossil is very well preserved, with eyes and nerves visible in the head, forelimbs, and part of the tail. The researchers estimate that it was about 16 centimeters long, comparable to the largest tadpole in existence today.

The part of the skeleton that supports the gills suggests that the specialized filter-feeding anatomy of modern tadpoles had already evolved in this fossilized tadpole, Chubar said.

The similarities between ancient and modern tadpoles are so great that the researchers were even able to determine the developmental stage in the fossils, concluding that they were just about to undergo metamorphosis into frogs.

Illustration of tadpoles and adults of the species Notabatrachus degiustoi

Gabriel Rio

Earth’s warm, humid climate in the past, combined with the lack of competition and predation from other frog species and fish, may have made it easier for tadpoles to grow large, Chubar said.

Jody Lowry The Australian Museum in Sydney said the discovery of the oldest known tadpole “confirms how successful and stable the ‘typical’ frog life cycle we all learn about in school is.”

The size of the tadpoles tells us a lot about the habitat in which frogs evolved more than 160 million years ago, a water-rich environment with few predators or competitors, she says. “This is something modern frog species can only dream of.”

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

UK uncovers ancient cockroach fossil from 180 million years ago

Posted on October 29, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have described a new genus and species of Jurassic cockroach. alderblattina simsibased on an isolated wing discovered in Gloucestershire, England.

alderblattina simsi:(A) Dried specimen. (B) Specimen moistened with ethanol. Note the two subspherical spots (spots) on the wing tips and the prominent distal coloration. Scale bar – 1 mm. Image credit: Swaby others., doi: 10.1002/spp2.1598.

Open University palaeontologist Emily Swaby and colleagues from the Open University and National Museums of Scotland said: “Insects are the most diverse group of terrestrial organisms in the history of life, and have been fundamental to terrestrial ecosystems since the early Devonian period. It has become a major component.”

“Primarily detritivores (decomposers), cockroaches play an important role in nutrient cycling in ecosystems through the decomposition of organic matter and are an important food source for many predators, including birds, lizards, and other mammals. ”

“cockroach(Brat Dare) They are part of the superorder Diptera, beginning in the Bashkirian period (Carboniferous) and diversifying rapidly during the second half of the Moscow period and the penultimate Kasimov period of the Carboniferous period. ”

“Further diversification occurred during the Early and Middle Permian.”

“After the mass extinction at the end of the Permian period, cockroach numbers declined sharply, but they flourished again during the Triassic period.”

The newly described cockroach species lived during the Toarcian period of the Early Jurassic period, about 180 million years ago.

named alderblattina simsihad a relatively small size and distinct wing coloration.

“Color patterns in insects, including their wings, are interpreted to be primarily physiological adaptations, thought to be used to protect against predation and sexual signaling,” the paleontologists say. said.

“Today, cockroach species display a wide variety of color patterns, and their functions include communication, protection from predation, sexual signaling, and hardening of the epidermis.”

“alderblattina simsi It is the second cockroach species to have a distinct Toarcian wing coloration pattern. ”

assigned author alderblattina simsi It belongs to the cockroach family Rhipidoblattinidae.

“Alderblattina Shimshi “The presence of two distinct spherical spots on the forewings and the coloration of the wing tips are very different from all other Jurassic cockroaches,” the researchers said.

of Alderblattina Shimshi The fossil was collected by geologists in January 1984 Mike J. Sims.

The specimen was taken from Alderton Hill. whitby mudstone formation.

“We hypothesize that extreme environmental conditions are associated with this problem. Toarcian ocean anoxic phenomenon “Competition for resources and evolutionary changes in predators were promoted, resulting in the development of apothematic coloration in two insect orders at this time,” the researchers said.

“Alderblattina Shimshi This is the seventh valid member of the European Toalchian cockroach family and adds to our knowledge of the European Toalkian cockroach fauna. ”

“This unique specimen adds significance to the record of Mesozoic cockroach wing color patterns and provides important evidence to further understand the evolution of terminal color patterns in the suborder Cockroaches. ”

a paper The survey results were published in a magazine paleontology papers.

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Emily J. Swaby others. 2024. A new species of cockroach (Rhipidoblattinidae) that lived in the Toarcian (Late Jurassic period) of Alderton Hill, Gloucestershire, England. It is likely that aposematic coloration was the earliest to occur in cockroaches. paleontology papers 10 (5): e1598;doi: 10.1002/spp2.1598

Source: www.sci.news

Fossil of a large Metatherian mammal discovered in Colorado

Posted on October 25, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have recovered a fossilized jaw fragment and three isolated bones from a relatively large (by Late Cretaceous standards) new species of Metatheria in the Williams Fork Formation of northwestern Colorado, USA. Found a tooth.

artist’s depiction Heleochora piceanus In a Late Cretaceous wetland. Image credit: Brian Engh / LivingRelicProductions.com / Utah Natural History Field House.

” Metatheria “[Marsupials and their closest fossil relatives]consist of about 330 extant species in seven orders, most of which live in the Southern Hemisphere,” said Jaylin Eberle, a professor at the University of Colorado Boulder. said.

“However, this clade appears to have originated in the Northern Hemisphere during the Early Cretaceous.”

“By the end of the Cretaceous period, Metatheria had dispersed across Europe, Asia, and North America, and were more diverse and numerous than their contemporaneous eutherians.”

“Most of the Late Cretaceous Metatheria species are represented almost exclusively by isolated teeth and jaws recovered from fossil localities in the interior western United States.”

The fossilized remains of a new species of Metatherian have been discovered. williams fork formation It is located in Douglas Creek Arch between the Uintah and Piance Creek basins in northwestern Colorado.

named Heleochora piceanusThis animal lived approximately 70 to 75 million years ago (late Cretaceous period), a time when a vast inland sea covered much of the American West.

Weighing about 1 kg (2 lb), it was larger than most Late Cretaceous mammals.

Based on the tooth, Heleochora piceanus They probably ate plants mixed with insects and other small animals.

It coexisted with creatures such as turtles, duck-billed dinosaurs, and giant crocodiles.

“This area could have been similar to Louisiana,” says Dr. Rebecca Hunt-Foster, a paleontologist at Dinosaur National Monument.

“We see a lot of animals like sharks, rays and guitarfish that are very happy in the water.”

“Colorado is a great place to find fossils, but mammals from this era tend to be quite rare,” Eberle says.

“So it’s really amazing to see this piece of time preserved in Colorado.”

“Compared to much larger dinosaurs that lived at the time, such as Tyrannosaurus and its horned ancestors, triceratopsColorado’s newest fossil addition may seem small and insignificant. However, it was surprisingly large for a mammal of its time. ”

This finding is reported in the following article: paper in a diary PLoS ONE.

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J. Hebert others. 2024. A new Late Cretaceous Metatherian discovered from the Williams Fork Formation in Colorado. PLoS ONE 19 (10): e0310948;doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0310948

Source: www.sci.news

Ancient Winged Seed Fossil Unearthed in China, Dating Back 365 Million Years

Posted on October 10, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

named Arasemenia triaa new specimen from the Wutong Formation in China's Anhui Province, dates to the Famennian period of the Late Devonian, making it the second oldest known winged seed.

fertile branches and seeds Arasemenia tria. Image credit: Wang others., doi: 10.7554/eLife.92962.3.

Many plants require seeds to reproduce. Seeds come in all shapes and sizes and often have additional features that help them disperse throughout the environment.

For example, some seeds develop wings from the seed coat as the outer layer. This is similar to the fruit of the plane tree, which has two wings that help it glide on the wind.

The first seeds are thought to have evolved during the Famennian period, between 372 and 359 million years ago.

According to the fossil record, almost all of these seeds were surrounded by additional protective structures known as couples and were wingless.

To date, only two groups of Famennia seeds have been reported to have wings or wing-like structures, and one group lacked couples.

“The oldest known plant seeds date back to the late Devonian period,” said Professor Deming Wang of Peking University.

“This period marks an important evolutionary milestone in plant history, as it transitioned from spore-based reproduction like ferns and mosses to seed-based reproduction.”

“However, little is known about wind dispersal of seeds during this period, as most fossils lack wings and are usually surrounded by a protective copple.”

Professor Wang and colleagues examined fossils of Famennian seed plants collected in China's Anhui province.

assigned to a new genus and species; Arasemenia triathe seeds are about 2.5-3.3 cm long and, unlike most other seeds of this era, clearly lack a cupple.

“In fact, this is one of the oldest known records of coppleless seeds, 40 million years earlier than previously thought,” the paleontologists said.

“Each seed is covered by a layer of integument, or seed coat, which radiates outward to form three wing-like leaves.”

“These wings tapered toward the tip and curved outward, creating a wide, flat structure that helped the seeds catch the wind.”

The researchers then compared Arasemenia tria Other known winged seeds from the Late Devonian: Warstenia and guasia.

Both of these seeds have four wings — guasiais wide and flat; WarsteniaIt's short and straight.

Scientists performed quantitative mathematical analysis to determine which seeds are most effective for wind dispersal.

This reveals that it has an odd number of wings, as follows: Arasemenia triaa more stable and high rotation speed is obtained when the seeds descend from the branches, and the seeds can catch the wind more effectively and disperse further from the parent plant.

“Our findings are Arasemenia tria This further deepens our knowledge about the origins of wind-driven dispersal strategies in early land plants,” said Dr. Pu Fan, a researcher at the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

“When combined with previous knowledge, guasia and WarsteiniaWe conclude that winged seeds as a result of integument elongation emerged as the first form of wind dispersal strategy in the Late Devonian, prior to other methods such as parachutes and plumes. ”

“The three-winged seed found in” Arasemenia tria “During the late Devonian period, double-winged seeds would have appeared in the Carboniferous period, and single-winged seeds would have appeared in the Permian period,” Professor Wang added.

of study Published in a magazine e-life.

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Deming Wang others. 2024. Arasemeniathe earliest ovule with three wings and no cup. e-life 13:RP92962;doi: 10.7554/eLife.92962.3

Source: www.sci.news

Ancient coelacanth fossil from the Devonian era discovered in Australia

Posted on September 13, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Living Coelacanth Latimeria Coelacanths are iconic “living fossils,” one of the most conservative groups of vertebrates. Now, paleontologists have described a new species of primitive coelacanth from fossils discovered in the Late Devonian Gogo Formation of Western Australia. Ngamgawi WirungariThe 375-million-year-old fossil fish fills an important transitional period in the differentiation and evolution of coelacanths.

Reconstructing your life Ngamgawi WirungariImage courtesy of Katrina Kenny.

coelacanth It is an evolutionarily unique lobe-finned fish that first appeared in the fossil record during the Early Devonian period, approximately 419 million years ago.

More than 175 species of coelacanth fossils are known from the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras.

During the Mesozoic era, they diversified greatly, with some species developing unusual body shapes.

But at the end of the Cretaceous period, about 66 million years ago, they mysteriously disappeared from the fossil record.

The end-Cretaceous extinction, caused by a giant asteroid impact, wiped out about 75% of all life on Earth, including the non-avian dinosaurs.

It was therefore assumed that the coelacanth was also a victim of the same mass extinction.

However, in 1938, the first specimen of this species was discovered. Latimeria chalumnae It was caught by chance in South Africa.

The second known species, Latimeria menadoensisIt lives off the coast of Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Specimen Ngamgawi WirungariImage courtesy of John A. Long.

“Our study calls into question the idea that extant coelacanths are the oldest 'living fossils,'” said Professor Richard Cloutier, a vertebrate paleontologist at the University of Quebec.

“It first appeared in the geological record more than 410 million years ago, with fragmentary fossils found in places such as China and Australia.”

“But most of the early forms are poorly known. Ngamgawi Wirungari It is the best known of the Devonian coelacanths.

“As we slowly fill in the gaps, we can see how extant coelacanth species are LatimeriaAlthough they are commonly thought of as “living fossils,” they are in fact constantly evolving and may not deserve this enigmatic title.”

Specimen Ngamgawi Wirungari It was discovered in the Late Devonian Go Go Formation Gooniyandi Country in the Kimberley region of northern Western Australia.

Although now covered by a dry rock outcrop, around 380 million years ago the formation was part of an ancient tropical coral reef teeming with more than 50 species of fish.

Coelacanth phylogenetic relationships and divergence dates. Image courtesy of Clement others., doi:10.1038/s41467-024-51238-4.

“Ngamgawi Wirungari “This discovery gives us great insight into the early anatomy of the lineage that ultimately led to humans,” said Professor John Long, from Flinders University.

“Over 35 years, the Gogo site has yielded some perfectly preserved 3D fish fossils and many other important discoveries, including petrified soft tissue and the origin of complex sexual reproduction in vertebrates.”

“The study of this new species has allowed us to analyse the evolutionary history of all known coelacanths.”

“We calculated evolutionary rates over 410 million years of history,” they said.

“This study reveals that the evolution of coelacanths has slowed significantly since the time of the dinosaurs, with some intriguing exceptions.”

of Survey results Published in a journal Nature Communications.

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Alice M. Clement othersLate Devonian coelacanths reconstruct phylogeny, differentiation and evolutionary dynamics of Actinobacteria. Nature Communicationsin press; doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-51238-4

Source: www.sci.news

Neanderthal fossil genome uncovers ancient tribe isolated for centuries

Posted on September 11, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The jawbone of a Neanderthal known as Thorin, thought to have belonged to an isolated group

Xavier Mus

Genetic analysis of Neanderthal fossils found in France has revealed that they are the remnants of a previously unknown lineage of ancient people that remained extremely isolated for more than 50,000 years, shedding new light on the final stages of the species' existence.

The fossil has been named Thorin, after a character from J.R.R. Tolkien's novels. The HobbitIt was discovered in 2015 in the Mandolin Cave in the Rhône Valley in southern France. Ludovic Slimak Researchers from the Centre for Human Biology and Genomics in Toulouse discovered a few teeth in the soil of the cave, and after nine years of painstaking excavation, they uncovered 31 teeth, a jawbone, part of a skull, and thousands of other bone fragments.

The discovery of so many fossils of Neanderthals, who lived in Eurasia from about 400,000 to 40,000 years ago and are now extinct, is extremely rare and a surprising find in itself.

Even more surprising, even though DNA doesn't normally preserve in warm climates, a fragment of Thorin's tooth yielded his genome, revealing that the fossil was male but solving a mystery that will take years to unravel.

Srimak and his colleagues compared Thorin's genome with those of other Neanderthals and estimated that he lived about 105,000 years ago, but archaeological evidence and isotope analysis of his bones clearly show that Thorin lived no more than 50,000 years ago, making him a “late Neanderthal” from the final stage of Neanderthal existence.

“We have been together for a long time [geneticists] “We were confident that Thorin was indeed an early Neanderthal precisely because his genetic lineage is very distantly related to modern Neanderthals from the same region,” the team said. Tarshika Vimala “On the one hand, archaeologists were convinced he was a late Neanderthal. It took years of work on both sides to arrive at the answer,” said a researcher from the University of Copenhagen.

Eventually, the researchers realized they must have discovered a previously unknown Neanderthal lineage: Thorin was part of a small group that lived between 42,000 and 50,000 years ago. This group was likely a remnant of a much older Neanderthal population that split off from the main Neanderthal population about 105,000 years ago and remained genetically isolated for more than 50,000 years afterwards.

Thorin's bones unearthed in the Mandolin Cave in France

Ludovic Slimak

Thorin's DNA showed no evidence of interbreeding between his lineage and the main Neanderthal population, despite their close proximity. “Thorin was completely different from other Neanderthals,” Slimak says.

This isolation may have made this population particularly vulnerable: “Prolonged isolation and inbreeding can reduce genetic diversity over time, which is detrimental to a population's survival, which in turn can negatively affect its ability to adapt to a changing environment,” Vimala says.

Srimak, Vimala and their colleagues then reanalyzed the genome of another Neanderthal who lived about 43,000 years ago at Les Côtés in France, and found traces in its DNA of a “ghost population” that interbred with another, previously unknown, Neanderthal group about 15,000 to 20,000 years ago.

“This means that there weren't just two populations among late Neanderthals, but possibly three,” says Slimak. Previously, it was thought that all Neanderthals before their extinction were part of a single genetically similar population.

“The evidence from Mandrin Cave is very exciting because it gives us fascinating insights into late Neanderthal populations and their movements.” Emma Pomeroy At Cambridge University.

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Discovery of Giant Fossil Legume Seed from Extinct Plant in Borneo Island, Indonesia

Posted on August 16, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists unearthed three large seeds (up to 7.2 centimeters long) and 43 fossil leaves of the ancient legume at the Wahana Baratama coal mine near Satui in South Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo.

Juntungspermum gunneriImages/Photos Courtesy of: Spagnuolo others., doi: 10.1086/730538.

The newly identified legume lived in Southeast Asia between 40 and 34 million years ago (the Eocene Epoch).

Named Juntungspermum gunneriIt is very similar to the Australian black bean plant. Cassis.

“The tree currently occurs only in the coastal rainforests of northern Australia and nearby islands,” said Professor Peter Wilf of Pennsylvania State University and his colleagues.

Paleontologists found three fossil seeds, 43 leaves and pollen samples. Juntungspermum gunneri of Tanjun Formation South Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo.

Also found were fossil tracks of a variety of birds, burrowing evidence of marine invertebrates, and the fossil remains of turtles.

“The seeds Juntungspermum gunneri “Apart from coconuts and other palm trees, it is one of the largest in the fossil record,” the researchers said.

“They probably grew up to a metre (3 feet) in length – about the length of a baseball bat – and in pods that could hold up to five seeds.”

“This fossil is the oldest legume fossil ever found in the Malay Archipelago and the first fossil record of a plant related to the black bean plant anywhere in the world.”

The researchers suggest that ancestors of the black bean plant migrated from Asia to Australia during a plate collision that brought the continents closer together, allowing for the exchange of plants and animals between the continents.

“The collision of the Southeast Asian and Australian plates, which began approximately 20 million years ago and is ongoing today, has led to a large-scale exchange of plant and animal species between the two continents,” the researchers said.

“This discovery provides the first macrofossil evidence of a migration of plant lineages from Asia to Australia following the Asia-Australia tectonic collision.”

“These fossil seeds are Cassis “They migrated from Southeast Asia to Australia during a tectonic collision and then became extinct in Asia,” said Edward Spagnolo, a doctoral student at Pennsylvania State University.

“This proposal runs counter to most of the existing direct macrofossil evidence of plant migration, which shows lineages migrating from Australia into Asia.”

of result Appears in International Journal of Plant Science.

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Edward J. Spagnuolo others2024. Giant seeds of extant Australian legumes are discovered in Eocene Borneo (South Kalimantan, Indonesia). International Journal of Plant Sciencein press; doi: 10.1086/730538

Source: www.sci.news

Key gap in pterosaur evolution filled by fossil dating back 150 million years

Posted on August 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

New genus and species of monophenestratan pterosaur named Propterodacillus frankellae It documents the transition from the older rhamphorhynchoid pterosaurs to pterodactyloids.

The holotype Propterodacillus frankellaeImage credit: Frederik Spindler, doi: 10.26879/1366.

Propterodacillus frankellae It lived about 150 million years ago, during the Kimmeridgian stage of the Late Jurassic Period.

This flying reptile had a moderately long skull, about 9 centimetres (3.5 inches) long, and an estimated wingspan of about 55 centimetres (21.7 inches).

This species also had a very short tail and a small but functional fifth finger with two phalanges.

Propterodacillus frankellae a kind of Monophenestratan (Monofenestrata) is a large group of pterosaurs that includes the family Turconopteridae and the suborder Pterodactyloidea.

“As the earliest actively flying vertebrate lineage, pterosaurs were highly successful in evolution throughout the Mesozoic Era.” Dr. Frederick Spindler “The dinosaur museum's Altmühlthal writes in the new paper:

“For most of the long history of research, every specimen could be classified as belonging to one of two major types: the more ancestral long-tailed Rhamphorhynchioidea and the derived short-tailed Pterodactyloidea.”

“The rare anurognathids, the only short-faced pterosaurs, have similarly short tails but otherwise look like rhamphorhynchids and are therefore generally thought to have been deep-nesting rhamphorhynchids.”

“True intermediate, and therefore plausible transitional, forms between the major types were unknown until the discovery of the Curculionoptera.”

The fossil, named the Painten protterosaur, was discovered beneath the Rigol limestone quarry near Painten in Bavaria, Germany.

The specimen consists of a complete and fully articulated skeleton with soft tissue remaining in the radial fibrils of the torso and wings.

“Propterodacillus frankellae It is contemporary with the oldest Archaeopteryx “It came from a nearby basin,” the paleontologists wrote in their paper.

According to Dr Spindler, the discovery fills one of the largest knowledge gaps in the evolution of pterosaur morphology.

“Propterodacillus frankellae “It's a near-perfect mix of rhamphorhynchoid, curcunopteroid and derived pterodactyloid pterosaur features,” he said.

“Similarities with the derived Pterodactyloidea include the shape of the skull and the short tail.”

“For example, the ancestral traits shared with the Turconogopteridae family are Propterodactyl The most distinctive features of this pterosauroidea animal are its functional fifth toe and long caudal snout.”

“Intermediate conditions apply for neck extension, metacarpal extension, and shortening of the fifth toe.”

of paper Published online in the journal Palenitrogy Electronica.

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Frederick Spindler. 2024. Pterosaur articulation from the Late Jurassic of Germany. Palenitrogy Electronica 27(2):a35; doi:10.26879/1366

Source: www.sci.news

Fossil of Cambrian long-tailed chordate discovered in Utah

Posted on July 26, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

It has a torpedo-shaped body with no fins. Nuucichthys lyoncocephalus It was the first molluscan vertebrate discovered in the Great Basin of the United States.

Nuucichthys lyoncocephalus It was a pelagic organism with limited swimming ability. Image courtesy of Franz Anthony.

Nuucichthys lyoncocephalus It lived in the Cambrian oceans between 505 million and 500 million years ago.

This ancient animal had a finless, torpedo-shaped body with many of the characteristics characteristic of vertebrates.

It is one of only four species that document an early evolutionary stage in the vertebrate lineage.

“discovery Nuucichthys lyoncocephalus “This discovery is a valuable contribution to early vertebrate evolution and biodiversity, as few organisms of this type have been found in Cambrian fossil sites (such as southern China, the northeastern United States, and British Columbia),” said paleontologists Rudy Leroy Aubril and Javier Ortega Hernández of Harvard University.

“Early vertebrates began to have large eyes and a series of muscle blocks called myotomes, which are very recognizable in fossils.”

The subject of the study Nuucichthys lyoncocephalus It is a single partial fossil found in the Marjum Formation in the House Mountains of western Utah, USA.

“Nuucichthys lyoncocephalus “This is the first soft-bodied vertebrate to be discovered in the Marjum Formation of the American Great Basin,” the paleontologists said.

They also found that despite its overall similarity to larval fish (with primitive gill-like cavities), the new species lacked fins, limiting its swimming ability.

“But all these features clearly show similarities to vertebrates,” Dr. Lerosay-Aubril said.

“It's such an early stage in vertebrate evolution that we don't have any bones yet, which is why these fossils are so rare.”

The authors speculate: Nuucichthys lyoncocephalus It probably lived high in the ocean's water column.

Because of this, and because they lacked biomineralized parts like bones or shells, they tended to deteriorate and decay quickly after death, which explains why very little fossilization occurred.

“What's interesting about this new species is that without fossils it's hard to understand how the morphology evolved from an invertebrate to a vertebrate form, but this new fossil tells us a little bit about that,” Dr Ortega-Hernández said.

Discovery Nuucichthys lyoncocephalus It has been reported paper In the journal Royal Society Open Science.

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Rudy Lerozay Aubril & Javier Ortega Hernández. 2024. A long-headed Cambrian soft-bodied vertebrate from the Great Basin region of the United States. R. Soc. Open Science 11(7):240350; doi: 10.1098/rsos.240350

Source: www.sci.news

Snake evolution is rewritten by 38-million-year-old fossil

Posted on July 23, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have described a new species of snake that lived during the Early Oligocene of Wyoming, based on four nearly complete, articulated specimens found curled together in a burrow.

Hibernophis Brighthaupti It lived 38 million years ago in what is now western Wyoming. Image courtesy of Jasmine Croghan.

Hibernophis Brighthaupti It lived in North America 38 million years ago (Early Oligocene Epoch).

The fossil has unique anatomical features, in part because the specimen is articulated, meaning that it was found all together with its bones in the proper order, which is unusual for a fossil snake.

Hibernophis Brighthaupti Probably an early member Boideia A group that includes modern boas and pythons.

“Modern boas are widespread across the Americas, but their early evolution is poorly understood,” said researchers from the University of Alberta. Professor Michael Caldwell And my colleagues.

“These new and extremely complete fossils add important new information, especially about the evolution of the small burrowing boas known as rubber boas.”

“Traditionally, there has been a lot of discussion about the evolution of small burrowing bores.”

“Hibernophis Brighthaupti This suggests that northern and central North America may have been an important base for their development.”

According to the team: Hibernophis Brighthaupti Thanks to its location, the specimen has been remarkably well preserved for tens of millions of years.

“38 million years ago, these particular Hibernophis Brighthaupti “At the time the snakes lived, the Southern Basin-Range volcanic system was incredibly active, emitting huge amounts of volcanic ash,” said Professor Caldwell, lead author of the study.

“The ash settled and helped preserve the remains of the organisms found within the fine sandy mudstone matrix typical of the White River Formation.”

Paleontologists speculate that the animals may have fallen victim to a small flood.

“Geologically speaking, they were preserved in very unusual conditions,” Professor Caldwell said.

“Fossilization is a brutal process. You need exactly the right conditions to preserve something.”

Four discoveries Hibernophis Brighthaupti The curled-up sleeping arrangement also suggests that this may be the oldest evidence of communal hibernation, a behaviour we know today.

“Modern garter snakes are notorious for congregating in the thousands and hibernating together in burrows and holes,” Professor Caldwell said.

“They do this to take advantage of the ball effect created by hibernating animals to conserve heat.”

“It's fascinating to see evidence of this social behavior and hibernation going back 34 million years.”

of study Published in Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.

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Jasmine A. Croghan othersMorphology and taxonomy of a new fossil snake from the early Rupelian (Oligocene) White River Formation, Wyoming. Zoological Journal of the Linnean SocietyPublished online June 19, 2024; doi: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae073

Source: www.sci.news

Exceptionally well-preserved fossil unveils intricate 3D anatomy of Cambrian trilobite

Posted on June 28, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have unearthed a well-preserved collection of Cambrian trilobite fossils in Morocco's High Atlas Mountains. The 510-million-year-old specimens are among the best-preserved three-dimensional trilobite fossils ever found.

Artistic reconstruction of two species of trilobites shortly before they were buried under volcanic ash flows 510 million years ago. Image by Abderrazak El Albani, University of Poitiers.

Trilobites are extinct arthropods that dominated the marine fauna of the Paleozoic Era.

During their lifetime on Earth, which lasted much longer than the dinosaurs, they survived two major extinctions and dominated undersea ecosystems.

Trilobites are among the best-studied marine animal fossils because their hard, calcified exoskeletons are well preserved in the fossil record.

Over the past two centuries, paleontologists have described more than 20,000 species of organisms.

However, until now, comprehensive scientific understanding of this incredibly diverse group has been limited by the relative lack of soft tissue preservation.

“I've been studying trilobites for nearly 40 years but I've never felt as though I was looking at a living animal as I did in this case,” said Dr Greg Edgecombe, a palaeontologist at the Natural History Museum in London.

“I've seen a lot of representations of the soft-body anatomy of trilobites, but the 3D preservation here is truly astounding.”

“An unexpected outcome of our research is the discovery that shallow marine volcanic ash could be a huge repository for the preservation of exceptional fossils.”

The Moroccan trilobite was encased in hot ash in seawater, so its body fossilized very quickly as the ash turned to rock.

The ash molds preserved parts of their bodies, their legs, and even the hair-like structures running along their appendages.

The trilobite's digestive tract was also preserved after being buried in the ash.

Tiny “lamp shells” attached to the trilobite's exoskeleton also remained attached by fleshy stalks, just as they were when the animal was alive.

Microtomographic reconstruction of trilobite species. Zygothera mauretanica Ventral view. Image courtesy of Arnaud Mazurier, IC2MP, University of Poitiers.

Using CT scans and computer modelling of virtual X-ray slices, the researchers found that an appendage found at the edge of the mouth had a curved, spoon-like base, but was so small that it went undetected in the less well-preserved fossils.

In fact, while trilobites were previously thought to have three pairs of head appendages behind their long antennae, this study shows that both Moroccan species have four pairs.

The fleshy leaf-like part covering the mouth, called the labia, was recorded for the first time in a trilobite.

“The results reveal in incredible detail the clustering of specialised pairs of legs around the mouth, giving us a clearer picture of how trilobites fed,” said Dr Harry Burks, a palaeontologist at the University of Bristol.

“We found that the head and body appendages had rows of densely packed spines that pointed inwards, like those of today's horseshoe crabs.”

“As a scientist who has studied fossils from different times and places, finding such amazingly well-preserved fossils in a volcanic area was a very exciting experience for me,” said geologist Professor Abderrazak El Albani of the University of Poitiers.

“I believe that pyroclastic deposits should become new research subjects because of their excellent potential for capturing and preserving biological remains, including delicate soft tissues.”

“These discoveries are expected to lead to important discoveries about the evolution of life on Earth.”

The results of this study today are journal Science.

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Abderrazak El Albani others2024. Rapid volcanic ash deposition reveals 3D structure of Cambrian trilobite. Sciencein press.

Source: www.sci.news

Paleontologists Uncover Secrets of ‘Elgin Marvel’ Fossil

Posted on June 18, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The “Elgin Marvel” fossil is a block of reddish sandstone containing a natural cast of a Permian skull and jaw. Dicynodonts It was discovered in the Hopeman Sandstone Formation near Elgin, Scotland. According to a new study, the specimen Gordonia traquairi A type of dicynodont that lived between 254 and 252 million years ago, when the Earth was made up of a single land mass called Pangaea.

Artist image Gordonia traquairi Image courtesy of Scott Reed.

Gordonia traquairi It belongs to a group of extinct species known as dicynodonts, and is characterized by its stocky body, beak, and tusks.

This organism lived relatively shortly before the end-Permian extinction (the Great Dying), the worst mass extinction event in history, which occurred about 252 million years ago and wiped out much of life on Earth.

The Elgin Marvel specimen is one of the best-preserved in a series of fossils collected near Elgin in northeast Scotland.

These are collectively known as the Elgin reptiles. Gordonia traquairi are closely related to mammals.

In the new study, paleontologist Heidi George of the University of Edinburgh and her colleagues performed micro-CT scans of the cavities the animal carved into the sandstone before the bones deteriorated.

The scan produces a three-dimensional representation of the skull anatomy, including details of the brain.

These insights help us understand animal behavior and the biology behind it, providing clues about the evolution of this and other species.

Gordonia traquairi The fossil shares many physical characteristics with similar remains found in China, indicating that dicynodonts were diversifying around the world just before the devastating extinction.

The Elgin reptile is the only known example of this type of fossil from Western Europe.

Palaeontologists hope that the increasing use of micro-CT scanning as a tool to study fossils in detail, combined with the trend toward open sharing of data, will provide opportunities to add to the body of knowledge in the field.

“The Elgin Marvel is a fascinating fossil of an ancient mammal relative that is one of the best-preserved of the world-famous Elgin reptiles,” Dr. George said.

“Most of these famous fossils were discovered more than a century ago, but it’s only recently that new techniques have revealed more detail and provided valuable insights into their skull and brain anatomy and lineage.”

“It’s hard to imagine, but about 250 million years ago Scotland was a desert covered with sand dunes. Gordonia “God was in control of the world,” says Professor Steve Brusatte of the University of Edinburgh.

“By studying them, we can learn about some of the earliest stages of our own evolution.”

This study paper In Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.

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Heidi George others Micro-CT data reveal new information about the craniomandibular and neuroanatomy of dicynodonts. Gordonia (Therapsid: Heterodontida) Lived in the Late Permian of Scotland. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society Published online June 18, 2024; doi: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae065

Source: www.sci.news

Rare nothosaurus fossil discovered in New Zealand

Posted on June 18, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The 246-million-year-old specimen is the geologically oldest marine reptile to inhabit the Southern Hemisphere.

This image shows a nothosaurus swimming along the ancient Antarctic coast of what is now New Zealand about 246 million years ago (during the Triassic Period). Image courtesy of Stavros Kundromichalis.

“Reptiles dominated the seas millions of years before dinosaurs dominated the land,” said Dr Benjamin Kear from the Museum of Evolution at Uppsala University and his colleagues.

“The most diverse and geologically longest-surviving group are the sauropods, with an evolutionary history spanning more than 180 million years.”

“This group included the long-necked plesiosaurs. Nothosaurus was their distant ancestor.”

“Nothosaurus could grow up to 7 metres (23 feet) in length and swam using four paddle-like limbs. It had a flattened skull with a web of narrow, conical teeth that it used to catch fish and squid.”

The 246-million-year-old Nothosaurus fossil was discovered in 1978 in rocks found along a major tributary of the Balmacaan River at the foot of Mount Harper in the Harper Ranges of New Zealand's central South Island.

“The New Zealand nothosaurus is more than 40 million years older than the oldest sauropod fossil yet found in the Southern Hemisphere,” said Dr Keir, lead author of the paper. paper Published in the journal Current Biology.

“We show that these ancient marine reptiles lived in shallow coastal environments rich in marine life within the Antarctic Circle at that time.”

“The oldest nothosaurus fossils date back to about 248 million years ago and were found along an ancient low-northern latitude belt that stretched from the remote northeastern to northwestern edges of the Panthalassa superocean.”

“The origin, distribution and timing of the arrival of nothosaurs in these remote areas remain a matter of debate.”

“Some theories suggest that they migrated along Arctic coastlines, swam through inland seas, or used ocean currents to cross the Panthalassa superocean.”

Morphology and biogeographical context of the earliest sauropod-finned fish in the Southern Hemisphere. Image courtesy of Kear others., doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.035.

New fossils discovered in New Zealand overturn these long-held assumptions.

“Using a time-calibrated evolutionary model of the global distribution of sauropods, we show that nothosaurs originated near the equator and then rapidly spread north and south at the same time that complex marine ecosystems were being re-established after the great extinction that marked the beginning of the Age of Dinosaurs,” Dr Kear said.

“The beginning of the age of the dinosaurs was marked by extreme global warming, which allowed these marine reptiles to thrive in Antarctica.”

“This also suggests that the ancient polar regions were likely routes for their earliest global migration, similar to the epic transoceanic journeys undertaken by modern whales.”

“There are surely fossils of long-extinct sea monsters still waiting to be discovered in New Zealand and other parts of the Southern Hemisphere.”

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Benjamin P. Kear others2024. Earliest southern sauropods reveal early globalization of marine reptiles. Current Biology 34(12):562-563; doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.035

Source: www.sci.news

Australia Unearths New Flying Reptile Fossil

Posted on June 13, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Australian paleontologists have discovered the fossilized skeleton of a previously unknown Anhangeria pterosaur, dating back 100 million years.

Reconstructing your life Haliskia petersenii Image courtesy of Gabriel N. Ugueto.

The newly identified pterosaur species lived in what is now northeastern Australia's state of Queensland during the Early Cretaceous period, about 100 million years ago.

Scientific Name Haliskia petersenii This flying reptile had a premaxillary crown and curved teeth.

It also had a long wingspan of about 4.6 metres (15.1 feet).

“Haliskia petersenii “About 100 million years ago, when much of central-west Queensland was underwater and covered by a vast inland sea, and on Earth where the southern Victoria coastline is now, it would have been a fearsome predator,” said Adele Pentland, a PhD student at Curtin University.

Fossilized remains Haliskia petersenii Kevin Petersen, curator of the Kronosaurus Corner Museum, in November 2021 Toule back formation Of the Eromanga Basin.

“Haliskia petersenii “The fossil is 22 per cent complete, more than twice as complete as the only other partial pterosaur skeleton found in Australia,” Mr Pentland said.

“The specimen includes a complete lower jaw, the tip of the upper jaw, 43 teeth, vertebrae, ribs, both wing bones and part of a leg.”

“There are also very thin and delicate throat bones present, indicating the presence of a muscular tongue, which would have been useful when eating fish and cephalopods.”

Pentland and colleagues Anhangeria is a group of pterosaurs known to have lived all over the world, including in what is now Brazil, Britain, Morocco, China, Spain, and the United States.

“The global nature of the Anhang-area pterosaurs, and in particular their success across Gondwana (e.g. in the Eromanga and Araripe basins), may have been made possible by niche partitioning within this clade,” the paleontologists said.

“However, rigorous testing of this hypothesis will require multiple locations and better time constraints.”

“Additional data on this clade are available Haliskia petersenii ” sheds light on the palaeoecology of Anhangeria pterosaurs and highlights the taxonomic diversity of these flying reptiles from the Cretaceous of Australia.”

Team paper Published in the journal Scientific Reports.

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A.H. Pentland others. 2024. Haliskia petersenii A new Anhangelian pterosaur that lived in the early Late Cretaceous of Australia. Scientific Reports 14, 11789; doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-60889-8

Source: www.sci.news

Argentina unearths new fossil of cephalopod resembling a nautilus

Posted on June 11, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have redescribed Epitornoceras bardisi Using new fossils from the Chigua Formation, researchers have uncovered a mysterious species of ammonite cephalopod that lived in the Devonian Period of Argentina.

Artistic Reproduction of an Ammonite Epitornoceras bardisi During the Middle Devonian. Image courtesy of H. Santiago Druetta / CICTERRA / National University of Córdoba.

Epitornoceras bardisi It lived in the marine environment of the supercontinent Gondwana during the Late Givetian Stage of the Middle Devonian, approximately 383 million years ago.

“During the Early to Middle Devonian, southwestern Gondwana was characterized by a circumpolar marine environment with a remarkable phase of increasing specificity and the near absence of typical Palaeozoic groups (mainly conodonts, graptolites and stromatoporoids),” Dr. Ninon Allaire By the National University of Córdoba and colleagues.

“One of these families is Ammonite They are extremely rare, with only a few reported finds in deposits from the Early Eifelian to Early Frasnian (393 to 383 million years ago) in Bolivia and Argentina.

Epitornoceras bardisi It was first described as a member of the cephalopod genus in 1968. Tornoceras.

The team's new findings suggest that the species should be reclassified into a separate genus. Epitornoceras.

The genus has been recorded from North America, North Africa and Europe, but this is its first record from South America.

“Epitornoceras “It inhabits North Africa, the Rhine-Bohemian basin and the Appalachian basin,” the paleontologists said.

“Their diversification and acquisition of a wide geographic range occurred after the Taganic biotic crisis in the mid-late Givetian.”

“therefore, Epitornoceras Its occurrence in the southernmost part of West Gondwana during the Late Givean is not surprising, given the well-documented pattern of tropical migration into the circumpolar basins following the Taganic biotic crisis.”

New specimens Epitornoceras bardisi From the type area of the Chigua Formation, San Juan Province, Argentina. Image courtesy of Allaire others., doi: 10.5252/geodiversitas2024v46a7.

In this study, the authors examined 10 new specimens. Epitornoceras bardisi It was collected from the top of the Chigua Formation in San Juan Province, Argentina.

The study area is located in the Argentine Precordillera, an intraplate fold-fault zone at the southern edge of the Central Andean foreland basin.

“Epitornoceras “Records from Appalachia, Morocco and Europe indicate that the genus is distributed worldwide and diversified after the Taganic biotic crisis in the mid-late Givetian,” the researchers said.

“Its presence at the southernmost tip of western Gondwana suggests a late Givetian migration from the tropics into the cooler Malvinocossan realm.”

“Despite the presence of ammonites from all over the world in the Argentine Precordillera, the coexisting trilobites are Carmoniaceae Additional endemic genera include Bellenopigue“We confirm that the Malvinoxosan (Malvinocafric) realm is still identifiable as a major biogeographic unit during the Late Givettian of southernmost West Gondwana, based on its typical diagnostic elements.”

Team paper Published in the journal Geodiversitas.

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N. Alaïa others2024. Late Givetian (Middle Devonian) ammonoids Epitornoceras Flake, 1902, from Argentina (southwest Gondwana). Geodiversitas 46(7):327-341; doi: 10.5252/geodiversitas2024v46a7

Source: www.sci.news

Newly Identified Species: Fossil of Small Ape Discovered in Europe

Posted on June 8, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Two teeth from the newly identified ancient ape Buronius manfredschmidi, viewed from multiple angles

Böhme et al., 2024, PLOS ONE, CC-BY 4.0

A small, herbivorous ape may have lived in Western Europe 11.6 million years ago. Smaller and lighter than any great ape known to date, the newly discovered 10-kilogram (22-pound) primate was probably a skilled climber that ate leaves, researchers say. Madeline Boehme At the University of Tübingen, Germany.

“This is a fairly small primate,” she says, “but it's different from all the known fossils and certainly different from all the modern great apes we've known so far.”

About 15 million years ago, during the Miocene, hominoids (great apes) became rare in Africa and more abundant in Europe. Hominoids sometimes shared habitats with other primates, including apes and pliopithecoids, extinct relatives of Old World monkeys, but hominoids do not appear to have coexisted with each other in Europe.

In 2019, Boehme and his colleagues reported the discovery of 37 bones at the Hammerschmiede site in Bavaria that appear to belong to an early, bipedal ape dating back 11.6 million years ago, which they named “hominoid.” Danubius Guggenmosi.

During the excavation, Boehme was surprised to find two small ape-like teeth and a kneecap in the same sedimentary layer. Danubius fossil.

“We kept saying, 'What is this?'” she says of these tiny fossils, “and we concluded that this is clearly something new.”

The fossils are too old for DNA analysis, Boehme said, so the researchers took detailed measurements of the juvenile's 7-millimeter-long molar and 16-millimeter-wide kneecap, as well as a fragment of a premolar that they believe to belong to a young adult. They also calculated the thickness of the enamel and took microscopic CT scans of the teeth.

The gorilla-like thin enamel suggests they probably ate soft foods like leaves, Boehme said, and the shape, thickness and ligament attachment sites of the kneecap are similar to those of arboreal primates, suggesting the apes were good climbers.

Researchers look at new ape Bronius ManfredschmidyThe fossil, named after the medieval name of the nearby Hammerschmiede site, was discovered by dentist Manfred Schmidt, who has been collecting fossils at the site since the 1970s.

Lack of competition for resources Bronius and Danubius Apes can coexist, says Boehme – Danubius They are thought to have eaten tough foods such as nuts and meat, and the team can't rule out the possibility that great apes, which could have been up to three times as heavy, may have preyed on smaller species, she added.

But these three fossils alone may not be enough to reach such a “big” conclusion, the researchers say. Sergio Almesia It is on display at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. “Small fossil elements may date to infancy. Danubius “The teeth definitely look like baby teeth. [baby teeth]. “

He also thinks the kneecap may represent the same species as the tooth: “It has been suggested that it belongs to a juvenile individual, but its size overlaps with the lower range of adult orangutans.” [which are much larger apes]” says Almesija.

Clement Zanolly A researcher from the University of Bordeaux in France also has doubts: “I'm not sure whether the teeth, especially the molars, belong to a hominoid or to another primate superfamily, a pliopithecoid.”

Boehme and his colleagues say their comparison rules out the possibility that the tooth is a milk tooth or a pliopithecoid tooth.

In any case, the fact that the two primate species shared the same habitat and possibly even interacted with each other is a “fantastic discovery,” Zanolli said, “and it reinforces the idea that Europe at that time was a luxurious and comfortable place for primates to evolve.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Rare T-Rex Fossil Found by 10-Year-Old Boy in North Dakota

Posted on June 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

During a family walk in North Dakota, a rare fossil was unexpectedly discovered buried in the soil — that of a teenage boy, a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

This discovery is significant as it could provide greater insight into the life of this famous dinosaur known as “Teen Rex,” who was discovered by two younger brothers, his father, and a cousin.

The fossil was found in the North Dakota wilderness, about 10 miles from the town of Marmarth, in 2022 by children aged 7, 9, and 10. While on a walk, one of the children and his father noticed a large foot bone sticking out of the ground.

Tyrannosaurus Rex was smaller than a full-grown Tyrannosaurus and had not yet fully matured – Courtesy of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science

The father, Sam Fisher, contacted Tyler Lyson, curator of paleontology at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, who confirmed the discovery through research.

“This finding is particularly interesting because Tyrannosaurus Rex “All the fossils found so far have been of adults,” said Lyson. “Studying the remains of young animals will shed light on different aspects of dinosaur life, such as growth patterns.”

“Furthermore, three young scientists have embraced their passion and the excitement of discovery, making incredible dinosaur discoveries that advance science, deepen our understanding of the natural world, and inspire other explorers and scientists of the future.”

Tyrannosaurus is one of the best-known dinosaurs of all time and lived in western North America during the Late Cretaceous Period, between 90 and 66 million years ago.

In a paper published in 2023, it was initially believed that dinosaurs like T. rex were particularly clever, with brains containing about 3 billion neurons, more than a baboon’s. However, recent studies have shown intelligence comparable to that of a reptile.

It is now thought that this Teen Rex was around 13 to 15 years old, measuring 7.6 meters (25 feet) in length and weighing around 1,500 kilograms. They reach full growth at around 18-21 years of age and can weigh more than twice as much as this specimen.

After careful excavation and extraction, “Teen Rex” was airlifted by Blackhawk helicopter and is now displayed at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. The fossil and its plaster encasement weigh over 2,000 kg.

A team of museum paleontologists and volunteers will now clean the skeleton and prepare it for study in the Teen Rex Discovery Preparation Lab where the progress can be followed by the public.

Read more:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Newly discovered fossil of hybodontiform shark found in Japan

Posted on June 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Japanese paleontologists have described a new species of shark-like cartilaginous fish based on fossil teeth found in the Momonoki Formation of the Late Triassic Period.

Fossilized teeth Parvodus ominechonensisScale bar – 0.5 mm. Image courtesy of Breeden III others., doi: 10.1080/02724634.2024.2322749.

Named Parvodus ominechonensis The newly identified shark species lived during the Late Triassic period, between 237 million and 227 million years ago.

it is Parvodas Small extinct genus Hybodontiform Shark It has been known since the Mesozoic era.

“Hybodontiforme is an extinct lineage of sharks that is generally considered to be the sister lineage of Neoselachia (i.e. rays, rays, and modern sharks) within the chondrichthyes Euselaciidae,” he said. Dr. Benjamin T. Breedon III Researchers from the National Museum of Nature and Science in Tsukuba and his colleagues.

“The oldest clearly hybodontiform fossils are from the Mississippian, but the discovery of isolated teeth has pushed the oldest record of this group back to the Late Devonian.”

“Hybodontiform fossils have been found primarily in coastal and lagoonal deposits throughout the Late Palaeozoic, suggesting a shallow-marine palaeoecology of the clade's ancestors.”

“However, some hybodontiforms appear to have become euryhaline early in the evolution of their lineage, and since the Mississippian, hybodontiforms have repeatedly invaded freshwater environments.”

“Hybodontis were the most abundant group of sharks among marine and non-marine vertebrate groups throughout the Early Mesozoic, but their diversity declined after the Early Jurassic until their extinction at or near the end of the Cretaceous.”

Ecological reconstruction of the hybodontiform shark Strophodus rebeccae Image credit: Jorge Blanco / CC BY 4.0.

Some isolated teeth Parvodus ominechonensis It was collected from the non-marine peach tree layer in Ominecho (romanized as Ominecho) in the western part of Mine City, Yamaguchi Prefecture.

“The diversity of Triassic hybodontids is known from Japan, among which Parvodus ominechonensis It is the only species known from non-marine sediments and the first reported occurrence of this family. Ronchididae” the paleontologist said.

According to the study: Parvodus ominechonensis Filling in gaps in the geological record Parvodas Between occurrences in Middle Triassic and Middle Jurassic strata.

“The Triassic Global Record Parvodas include Parvodus physodus From the Chinese Olenekians, Parvodas Chinese Anisian sp., and Parvodus ominechonensis The Carnian period in the Japanese Archipelago Parvodus ominechonensis and Parvodus physodus “It is also known from non-marine deposits,” the authors say.

“Since the Triassic Period, Parvodas It is known to have lived in marine and non-marine strata throughout Laurasia and South America until its extinction in the Early Cretaceous.

“this is, Parvodas They may have originated in freshwater habitats in the southern Chinese region of Pangaea after the end-Permian mass extinction, diversified throughout the Triassic in what is now East Asia, and achieved a global distribution during the late Mesozoic.”

Discovery Parvodus ominechonensis It has been reported paper In Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

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Benjamin T. Breedon III others2023. A new species of hybodontiform shark (Chondrichthyes, Elasmobranchia), a freshwater shark from the Upper Triassic Momonoki Formation of Yamaguchi Prefecture. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 43(5); doi:10.1080/02724634.2024.2322749

Source: www.sci.news

Australia unearths remarkably intact fossil skull of extinct colossal bird

Posted on June 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Australian paleontologists Genyornis neutoni A species of giant flightless Mihirn that became extinct approximately 45,000 years ago.

This illustration is, Genyornis neutoni Waterside in a wetland or marsh-like environment. The scene itself was inspired by places that exist in southern South Australia today, such as the Coorong and the Narrindjeri region of the Lower Murray River. Genyornis neutoni If this type of environment were widespread across the country, many Genyornis The fossils were found in Lake Carabonna, more than a day’s drive north, which is now a dry salt lake. It was probably much wetter in the past. Image by Jacob C. Blokland.

Genyornis neutoni Belongs to Dromornithidae The Mihirung is a species of flightless bird from Australia that became extinct during the Oligocene and Pleistocene epochs.

Also known as Newton’s Mihirn, this species lived in Australia between 48,000 and 45,000 years ago.

The bird was over two metres tall, weighed 220-240 kilograms, had tiny wings and huge hind legs, and laid a melon-sized egg weighing around 1.5 kilograms.

The only previous known skull of this species was reported in 1913, and it was so badly damaged that very little of the original bone remained, meaning not much could be inferred about the skull.

The well-preserved new specimen was discovered in the dry, salty lake bed of Lake Carabonna, in a remote area of inland South Australia.

As would be expected from such a large bird, its skull was far from ordinary, with an enormous cranium, large upper and lower jaws, and an unusual skull crown.

The upper beak in particular displays a remarkable morphology that distinguishes this bird even from its closest relatives, which are otherwise quite similar.

“Genyornis neutoni “It had a high, mobile upper jaw like a parrot, but was shaped more like a goose, with a wide mouth opening, powerful biting force and the roof of its mouth capable of crushing soft plants and fruit,” says American zoologist Dr Phoebe McInerney. Flinders University.

“Skull features also showed undeniable and complex affinities with early-diverging waterfowl lineages, the South American screamer and, more recently, the Australian magpie goose.”

” Genyornis “The mysteries within this group have been difficult to unravel, but with this new skull we begin to piece together the puzzle that shows this species is a giant goose.”

“we, Genyornis“For the first time we’ve been able to work out the face of this bird – it’s quite different to other birds but does resemble a goose,” said Dr Trevor Worthy, also from Flinders University.

skull Genyornis neutoniImage courtesy of McInerney others., doi: 10.1080/08912963.2024.2308212.

By assessing the morphology of the skull, the researchers were able to evaluate the muscles and movements of each joint, building a detailed picture of how the head functioned.

“Bone shape and bone structure are in part related to the soft tissues that interact with them, such as muscles and ligaments and their attachment sites and pathways,” said Flinders University researcher Jacob Blokland.

“By using modern birds as a comparison, we can put flesh on fossils and bring them back to life.”

Moreover, paleontologists Genyornis neutoni It has several unusual adaptations to adapt to its aquatic habitat, allowing it to protect its ears and throat from the influx of water when its head is submerged underwater.

These adaptations provide further support that the species was nothing more than a giant prehistoric goose, and may be linked to its extinction as the freshwater bodies of northern South Australia are now mainly salt lakes.

“Thanks to this skull, we Genyornis neutoni “We now have a much better understanding of these birds, which once roamed widely across the Australian outback, and the reasons for their eventual extinction,” the researchers concluded.

their paper Published in the journal Historical Biology.

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Phoebe L. McInerney othersMysterious skull shape Genyornis neutoni Stirling & Zeitz, 1896 (Aves, Dromornithidae), with implications for functional morphology, ecology and evolution in the Gallopodidae. Historical BiologyPublished online June 3, 2024; doi: 10.1080/08912963.2024.2308212

Source: www.sci.news

Vermont Mandates Fossil Fuel Companies to Provide Compensation for Climate Damage

Posted on June 1, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Vermont’s groundbreaking new law is set to become the first in the United States to mandate that fossil fuel companies contribute to the expenses associated with weather-related disasters caused by climate change.

The bill was authorized by Republican Governor Phil Scott on Thursday night without his signature, following its passage in the state Legislature with majority support from Democrats.

According to Vermont law, the Climate Superfund Act is designed to hold companies accountable, similar to the EPA’s Superfund program, by requiring large oil and high-emission companies to cover expenses related to preparing for and recovering from extreme weather events resulting from climate change.

The companies subject to taxation and the specific amounts they must pay will be determined based on a calculation of the role of climate change in Vermont’s weather disasters and the costs incurred by the state. Each company’s share will be based on their carbon dioxide emissions between 2000 and 2019.

Following the bill’s passage in Vermont, there was uncertainty among state lawmakers regarding Governor Scott’s potential veto of the legislation. In a memo to lawmakers, Scott expressed concerns about the bill’s impacts.

However, supporters of the law celebrated its enactment, viewing it as a step towards holding major polluters accountable for environmental damage. Elena Millay, vice president of the Vermont Environmental Protection Law Foundation, praised the legislation.

Ethan Poplawski’s family home was destroyed in a landslide in July 2023 in Lipton, Vermont.
Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images file

Lauren Hierle, executive director of Vermont Environmental Voters, highlighted the importance of the Climate Superfund in distributing cleanup costs fairly and preventing taxpayers from bearing the burden alone.

The funds collected from fossil fuel companies under the new law will go towards upgrading infrastructure, securing schools and public buildings against extreme weather, storm cleanup, and reducing public health expenses related to climate change. State agencies will determine each company’s financial obligations by 2027.

While the law is expected to face legal challenges, including potential lawsuits, critics like the American Petroleum Institute argue that the fees are unjust and damaging to the energy industry.

Other states such as Massachusetts, Maryland, and New York are also contemplating similar legislation in response to escalating climate disasters, showcasing a growing need for financial resources to support recovery efforts.

Jennifer Rushlow, a Vermont Law School professor, emphasized the significance of Vermont’s law in setting a precedent for resilient climate Superfund legislation that could be adopted by other states.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Incredible Discovery: Giant Short-Faced Kangaroo Fossil Unearthed in Australia

Posted on May 29, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Palaeontologists from the Victoria Museum Research Institute and other institutions have discovered Cymostenurus occidentalis Fossils of a eastern grey kangaroo, a species of giant short-faced kangaroo that lived in Australia until about 42,000 years ago, have been discovered in Nightshade Cave in Gunaikurnai County, north of the town of Buchan in eastern Victoria, Australia.

“Short-faced kangaroo They appear in the Australian fossil record around 10 to 15 million years ago, when tropical rainforests began to give way to drier habitats.” Said Dr Tim Ziegler, Collections Manager at Museum Research Victoria;

“They especially diversified during the Late Pleistocene, about 500,000 years ago, during the transition to our present-day arid climate.”

“But in a wave of extinction around 45,000 years ago, they disappeared from the entire continent, along with up to 85% of Australia's large animals.”

49,400-year-old skeleton of a giant short-faced kangaroo Cymostenurus occidentalis It was discovered in Nightshade Cave in Victoria.

The animal's skull was discovered by a local cave group in 2011, and just 10 years later, the individual's skeleton below the skull was discovered by expert paleontologists.

“The skull had a deep snout, robust jaws and teeth, characteristic of a short-faced kangaroo,” Dr Ziegler explained.

“Behind it there were many more bones. It was amazing to see the vertebrae, shoulders, hips, limbs and thin rib cage. Many of the bones had not been moved at all and were still in their original position. This was one animal, not just bones scattered randomly. It felt like the Holy Grail of fossils.”

Cymostenurus occidentalisImage credit: Nellie Pease / ARC CoE CABAH / CC BY-SA 4.0 Deed.

According to the team, the discovery was made at a young age. Cymostenurus occidentalis.

“This is a further distinction from other species of this animal as it is a juvenile rather than an adult kangaroo,” Dr Ziegler said.

“The teeth had barely worn down, the skull had not yet fused, and the ends of the limbs had not yet joined together.”

“Based on the size of its limbs, we estimate its weight to be around 80 kilograms, which is roughly the weight of an average human. However, as an adult, it may have been half that size.”

The specimen consists of 150 preserved bones and is the most complete fossil skeleton ever found in a Victorian cave.

This fossil, along with others from Nightshade Cave, are now permanently housed and cared for at the Melbourne Museum.

“The skeleton we found has a perfectly intact spinal column, providing new insights that aren't possible from isolated bones,” Dr Ziegler said.

“Thanks to the detailed 3D model, this nearly complete skeleton can be studied from anywhere in the world.”

“A key idea under investigation is whether the Stenulin kangaroo was striding rather than hopping.”

Source: www.sci.news

Illinois Unearths Remarkable 308-Million-Year-Old Fossil of Spiny Spider

Posted on May 21, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The forests of the Late Carboniferous Period (about 300-320 million years ago) were home to a wide variety of arachnids. In addition to the familiar spiders, harvestmen, and scorpions, there were other strange kinds of spider-like animals. new paper this month, paleontology journal a pair of paleontologists explained. douglas sarachne echinopod a large spider-like arachnid with highly spiny legs (presumably to deter predators) from the world-famous Mason Creek fossil site in Illinois, USA.

douglas sarachne echinopod. Image credit: Paul Selden and Jason Dunlop, doi: 10.1017/jpa.2024.13.

“douglas sarachne echinopod “It comes from Illinois' famous Mason Creek and is approximately 308 million years old,” said Dr. Paul Selden, a paleontologist at the University of Kansas and the Natural History Museum in London.

“This compact arachnid, about 1.5 cm long, has surprisingly strong, spiny legs, and is completely unlike any other known arachnid, living or extinct.”

“Coal measurements are an important source of information about fossil arachnids and represent the first time in Earth's history that most living groups of arachnids arose together. However, the fauna remains quite different from what it is today. It was different.”

Dr Jason Dunlop, a paleontologist at the Berlin Museum of Nature, said: 'Spiders are a fairly rare group, only known from primitive lineages at the time, and they are similar to a variety of long-extinct arachnids and these. They shared a shared ecosystem.”

“douglas sarachne echinopod is a particularly striking example of one of these extinct forms. ”

“Although this fossil's highly spiny legs are reminiscent of modern harvesters, its body structure is quite different from harvesters and other known arachnid groups.”

douglas sarachne echinopod The researchers discovered that it does not belong to any known order of Araneidae.

“Unfortunately, we can't see details such as the mouth parts, so it's difficult to say exactly which group of arachnids are our closest relatives,” Dr Selden said.

“It may belong to a broader group that includes spiders, whip spiders and whip scorpions.”

“Whatever their evolutionary similarities, these spiny arachnids likely come from a time when arachnids were experimenting with different body plans.”

“Some of these later became extinct, probably shortly after the Mason Creek era, during the so-called 'Carboniferous rainforest collapse,' when coal forests began to fragment and disappear. Or perhaps these strange arachnids are hanging on until the mass extinction at the end of the Permian?”

Specimen douglas sarachne echinopod It was discovered in clay and ironstone concretions by Bob Macek in the 1980s.

Macek introduced a common method of cracking stones by leaving them outdoors in water over the winter, allowing frost to penetrate the natural cracks in the stones along the fossil-containing surface.

A sharp hammer blow split the stone along a plane, exposing the fossil.

Around 1990, David Douglas acquired a specimen from Bob, at which point it became part of the David and Sandra Douglas Collection and was displayed in the Douglas Family Museum of Prehistoric Life.

In 2023, when it became clear that the specimen was a new species, David Douglas donated it to the Field Museum of Natural History for study.

“Genus name douglas sarachne We recognize the Douglas family,” Dr. Dunlop said.

“after that, echinopods “Refers to the animal's unique and distinctive spiny legs.”

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Paul A. Selden and Jason A. Dunlop. A remarkable spiny arachnid from Mason Creek Lagerstätte, Pennsylvania, Illinois. paleontology journal, published online on May 17, 2024. Doi: 10.1017/jpa.2024.13

Source: www.sci.news

478-Million-Year-Old Fossil Illuminates the Diversity and Evolution of Early Euchelidae

Posted on May 15, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Euchericherata A large group of arthropods that includes horseshoe crabs, scorpions, spiders, mites, ticks, and the extinct sea scorpions and snails. Abundant cetapedites The new species of Euchelycerate, which lived in what is now Morocco during the Early Ordovician period 478 million years ago, bridges the gap between modern and Cambrian species.

rebuilding the life of Abundant cetapedites. Image credit: Elissa Sorojsrisom.

“Modern scorpions, spiders, and horseshoe crabs belong to a vast lineage of arthropods that appeared on Earth about 540 million years ago,'' said Lorenzo Lustri, a paleontologist at the University of Lausanne. Ta.

“More precisely, they belong to the subphylum, chelicerates, which includes organisms equipped with pincers used specifically for biting, grasping prey, and injecting venom, and therefore chelicerates ( Euchelicerata+Pycnogonida). But what is the ancestor of this very special group?

“This question has puzzled paleontologists ever since the study of ancient fossils began.”

“Among early arthropods, it has been impossible to identify with certainty which forms share enough similarities with modern species to be considered ancestral.”

“The mystery is further complicated by the dearth of available fossils from the critical period between 505 million and 430 million years ago. This has made genealogical research easier. must.”

Abundant cetapedites. Image credit: Lustri other., doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-48013-w.

Dr. Rustri and his co-authors collected fossils of euchelicerate from the 478-million-year-old Fezouata Shale in Morocco, and found that the modern-day euchelicerate and the Cambrian (505 million-year-old) We identified a new species that binds the eucheris cerate.

with scientific name Abundant cetapeditesthe body length of this species was 0.5-1 cm.

“This animal makes it possible for the first time to trace the entire lineage of Euchelicerates, from the appearance of early arthropods to modern spiders, scorpions and horseshoe crabs,” Dr Rustri said.

“Initially, we just wanted to describe this fossil and give it a name.”

“I had no idea it would hold so many secrets.”

“It was therefore an exciting surprise to discover, after careful observation and analysis, that it also fills an important gap in the evolutionary tree of life.”

“Yet, this fossil has not yet revealed all its secrets,” he added.

“Indeed, some of its anatomical features allow for a deeper understanding of the early evolution of the eucherycerate group and perhaps link other fossil forms to this group, the similarities of which are still hotly debated. It is even possible.”

of result appear in the diary nature communications.

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L. Rustri other. 2024. Late Ordovician syndiphosrines reveal the diversity and evolution of early euchelicerates. Nat Commune 15, 3808; doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-48013-w

Source: www.sci.news

New bovid fossil found by paleontologists at Cradle of Humankind site

Posted on May 13, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

chrome dry A Pliocene-Pleistocene ruin in South Africa, the cradle of humanity. It has produced a diverse and rich animal community as well as important human specimens, including: Paranthropus robustus and early homo. Paleontologists have unearthed bovid fossils from 2.9 to 1.8 million years old at Kromdraai, revealing the existence of an unknown species that once roamed this ancient grassland with our ancestors.

Hanon other. It vividly depicts a landscape dominated by vast grasslands and suggests the complex interactions of life that flourished in this region during the Pliocene and Pleistocene periods. Image credit: Wits University.

Dr Raphael Hannon, a researcher at the University of the Witwatersrand, said: “When we think of paleontology, images of dinosaurs often come to mind, but the study of modern animals such as the bovidae is also important.''

“Bovids are diverse and successful in Africa, providing insight into both ancient and modern ecosystems.”

“Their evolutionary history is intertwined with ours. They have been an important part of landscapes and human societies since the Miocene epoch, about 23 million years ago.”

Bovidae is a member of the family Bovidaemodern water buffalo, antelope, and gazelle.

Their diversity and abundance at the Kromdraai site provides a glimpse into the diet and behavior of both large carnivores and our ancient relatives.

As prey, these animals shaped the predation patterns of the region's megafauna and, in turn, influenced the survival strategies of hominids. Paranthropus robustus and early homo seed.

Discovery of extinct species such as gazelles Gazella giant gazella and the existence of an as-yet-unnamed buffalo closely related to it Sincerus acoelotus It represents a grassland-dominated environment.

This finding is supported by comparisons with other Plio-Pleistocene sites across South Africa, suggesting that different hominid species are associated with different habitats.

meanwhile Australopithecus Early on, it seemed to prefer forests and closed, moist environments. homo The species is found in areas adapted to open, dry conditions.

Diverse bovids related to paranthropusHowever, it has been suggested that these hominids have a wide range of environmental adaptability.

“One of the biggest challenges was the small buffalo skull (Sinceras sp.),” Dr. Hannon said.

“The skull was discovered as dozens of small broken bone fragments, but we spent many hours and were able to put most of the pieces back together, allowing us to determine what animal it belonged to. I did it.”

“Even after reinstalling all the parts, it was very fragile and difficult to manipulate and locate.”

“The fossil record of African buffalo is poor, especially in South Africa, so finding relevant information to help identify the skull was difficult.”

The significance of these discoveries extends beyond the mere identification of ancient animals.

The bovid community of Kromdraai is a mix of older Pliocene and younger Pleistocene taxa, providing a window into the changing landscape of ancient Africa.

These changes recorded in bovid bones and teeth reflect the dynamic nature of Earth's ecosystems and the adaptability of life in the face of changing climate and habitat.

Furthermore, studies of these fossils provide a chronological marker for this site, with biochronology showing that Kromdraai Unit P accumulated between 2.9 and 1.8 million years ago.

This range is critical to understanding the timeline of human evolution in this region and provides potential insights into the emergence of humans. Paranthropus robustus and other important species of southern Africa.

“The Kromdraai ruins continue to be evidence of the richness of our Earth's past, inviting scientists and enthusiasts alike to ponder the complex relationship between Earth's history and our origins. “We invite you,” the authors said.

Regarding this research, paper in diary Quaternary Science Review.

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Raphael Hannon other. 2024. New fossil bovidae (Mammalia: Artiodactyla) discovered from Cromdraai Unit P, South Africa and their implications for biochronology and human paleoecology. Quaternary Science Review 331: 108621; doi: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2024.108621

Source: www.sci.news

The mystery of Cretaceous shark hunting techniques revealed through detailed fossil analysis

Posted on April 24, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Petitcodus shark fossil discovered in Mexico

Roman Vullo

A fossil shark that thrived during the Cretaceous period has been found and has shed light on how sharks hunted and their place on the evolutionary tree.

Fossil shark teeth Ptychodus have been in museums for over 200 years. While some members of this group grew to be enormous, the anatomy of others was largely unknown.

This lack of information left researchers uncertain about the shark’s overall appearance and feeding habits, but the wide, flat teeth suggest it was capable of eating hard-shelled prey.

Recently, Professor Roman Vullo at the University of Rennes in France discovered six well-preserved full-body fossils of Ptychodus in Mexico, placing the shark in the order Lamniformes alongside modern shark species like great whites and basking sharks.

What makes this discovery interesting is that while modern white sharks are known for hunting in open waters, Ptychodus were fast swimmers and voracious eaters in the open ocean, preying on armored pelagic fish like large ammonites and sea turtles.

Despite the small size of the studied specimens, estimated to be less than 3 meters long, researchers believe some members of the genus reached lengths of about 9.7 meters – twice the size of a great white shark. Females tended to be larger, measuring between 4.6 and 4.9 meters in length.

During the Cretaceous period, Ptychodus sharks played a significant role in the marine food chain. They likely competed with large marine reptiles with crushing dentition, which may have led to their extinction before the end-Cretaceous extinction event.

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

The discovery of three new fossil kangaroo species in Australia and New Guinea

Posted on April 16, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Three new species belong to the extinct genus Kangaroo Protemnodon was a common member of Cenozoic communities in Australia and New Guinea until extinction in the late Pleistocene.

Artist's impressions of newly described fossil species Protemnodon Viator and their relatives protemnodon anak, compared in scale with modern red kangaroos and eastern gray kangaroos. Image credit: T. Klarenbeek, Flinders University.

Protemnodon Kangaroos lived in Australia and New Guinea from about 5 million to 40,000 years ago.

The first species is Protemnodon Described in 1874 by British paleontologist Owen, he followed the common approach of the time, focusing primarily on fossilized teeth. He observed slight differences in teeth between specimens and described the teeth of six species. Protemnodon.

Protemnodon They looked similar to giant kangaroos, but were generally stockier and more muscular.

Some species weighed around 50 kg, while others were much larger than modern kangaroos.

However, one new species was named as part of the research – Protemnodon Viator – was much larger and weighed up to 170 kg. This is about twice the size of the largest male red kangaroo.

Protemnodon Viator They were well adapted to the arid habitats of central Australia and lived in areas similar to today's red kangaroos.

This species was a kangaroo with long limbs and could jump fairly quickly and efficiently.

The remaining two new species are Protemnodon Mamukura and Protemnodon dorsonae.

“Previously, some or all Protemnodon Dr Isaac Kerr, a paleontologist at Flinders University, says:

“However, our research suggests that this is true for only three or four species of animals. ProtemnodonIt could have animated things like quokkas and potoroos. Sometimes it would jump on four legs, sometimes on two legs. ”

“The newly described Protemnodon Mamukura Probably one of these. A large but thick-boned and strong kangaroo, it probably moved quite slowly and inefficiently. Perhaps it only rarely jumped when it was startled. ”

“The best fossils of this type come from Green Waterhole Cave in south-eastern South Australia, on the land of the Boadick people.”

“It is unusual for a single genus of kangaroos to live in such diverse environments. Protemnodon They are now known to inhabit a wide range of habitats, from the arid regions of central Australia to the rain-rich, forested mountains of Tasmania and New Guinea. ”

Protemnodon dorsonae Compared to the other two species, there are fewer known fossils and more mysteries. It was probably a medium speed hopper, something like a swamp wallaby.

“By about 40,000 years ago, all Protemnodon “It is now extinct in mainland Australia, but may survive for a little longer in New Guinea and Tasmania,” the authors said.

“This extinction occurred despite differences in size, adaptation, habitat, and geographic range.”

“For reasons that are not yet clear, the same thing did not occur in many similar relatives, such as wallaroos and giant kangaroos.” I might be able to answer that.”

“It's great that we now have some clarity on the identity of the animal species.” Protemnodon' said Professor Gavin Prideaux from Flinders University.

“Fossils of this genus are widespread and regularly discovered, but in many cases there is no way to be sure which species you are looking at.”

“This study may help researchers approach their studies with more confidence.” Protemnodon”

This finding is reported in the following article: paper Published in today's magazine Megataxa.

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Isaac AR Carr other. 2024. Systematics and paleontology of the late Cenozoic genus Kangaroo Protemnodon (Marsupialia, Megapoda). Megataxa 11(1); doi: 10.11646/megataxa.11.1.1

Source: www.sci.news

Arkansas Unearths Fossil of Devonian Era Shark

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A team of paleontologists from California State Polytechnic University and others has described a new genus and species of shark-like fish from the Fayetteville Shale in late Mississippi, Arkansas.

Reconstruction by artist Cosmoserax meringii. Image credit: American Museum of Natural History.

The newly described species lived in the Devonian seas, about 326 million years ago.

named Cosmoserax meringii This is one of many well-preserved shark fossils discovered from oil-producing seas. fayetteville shale formation Stretching from southeastern Oklahoma to northwestern Arkansas, it has been studied for many years for its well-preserved invertebrate and plant fossils.

“These creatures are part of an ecosystem that recovered after the mass extinction of fish communities at the end of the Devonian period, so they're part of the cartilaginous fish family, which includes all sorts of strange anatomy not seen in modern sharks. We're at a point where the morphological diversity of the species is astonishing,” said Dr. Alison Bronson, a researcher at California State Polytechnic Institute.

fossil of Cosmoserax meringii It was collected by Professors Royal and Gene Mapes of Ohio University in the 1970s.

Dr. Bronson and his colleagues performed a CT scan of the specimen and digitally reconstructed it.

They spent months studying to describe its anatomy, which includes dozens of tiny pieces of cartilage.

Once the reconstruction is complete, they Cosmoserax meringii In the early cartilaginous fish tree of life.

Cosmoserax meringii It was photographed in the 1970s and positioned so that the throat, jaw, and underside of the pectoral fins are visible. Image credit: Royal Mapes.

The authors found that this new species plays an important role in understanding the evolution of a mysterious group called green sea turtles. Shinmori form.

“This group has been alternately associated with sharks and mousefish, and different researchers have reached different conclusions,” they said.

“Cosmoserax meringii Most have shark-like features, but with long pieces of cartilage forming gill operculae, which are only seen today in ratfish.”

of study It was published in the magazine geodiversity.

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AW Bronson other. 2024. A new gilllike simoliform chondrich from the Late Mississippian Fayetteville Shale (Arkansas, USA). geodiversity 46 (4): 101-117; doi: 10.5252/geodiversitas2024v46a4

Source: www.sci.news

Fossil of giant freshwater turtle discovered in the Amazon rainforest of Brazil

Posted on March 15, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Pertocephalus maturin Its shell length probably reaches about 1.8 meters (5.9 ft), making it one of the largest freshwater turtles ever discovered. The discovery marks the latest known occurrence of giant freshwater turtles and suggests coexistence with early humans in the Amazon.

rebuilding the life of Pertocephalus maturin. Image credit: Júlia d’Oliveira.

The newly discovered turtle species lived in what is now Brazil during the late Pleistocene, between 40,000 and 9,000 years ago.

named Pertocephalus maturinthe ancient animal may have reached a carapace length of about 1.8 meters.

Dr. Gabriel Ferreira, a paleontologist at the Senckenberg Center, said: “Freshwater turtles, in contrast to their terrestrial and marine relatives, rarely have such gigantic morphologies and are the only known species to date. “This is very surprising since the youngest giant fossils come from Miocene deposits.” Human Evolution and Paleoenvironment at the University of Tübingen.

“The carapace is up to 1.4 meters (4.6 feet) long; Asian narrow soft-shelled turtle (chitra chitra) The length is approximately 1.1 m (3.6 ft). South American river turtle (Podocnemis Expansa) They are some of the largest freshwater turtles alive today. ”

“In the past, only a few freshwater turtles with carapace lengths exceeding 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) were known,” he added.

“Such megafauna are most recently known, mainly from the Miocene period, about 23 million to 5 million years ago.”

huge partial lower jaw Pertocephalus maturin It comes from the Rio Madeira layer.

This specimen was collected by gold miners at a site known as the Taclas Quarry in Porto Velho in the Brazilian Amazon.

Morphological and phylogenetic analyzes of this fossil revealed close kinship with modern Amazonian species and suggested an omnivorous diet.

“Pertocephalus maturin “This is the youngest known giant freshwater turtle and suggests coexistence between this ancient species and early human residents of the Amazon region,” the paleontologists said.

“People settled in the Amazon region about 12,600 years ago. We also know that large turtles have been a food source for humans since the Paleolithic period.”

“Freshwater turtles are much more difficult to catch because of their agility, but we wonder if early humans also ate them.” Pertocephalus maturin It is not yet clear whether they fell victim to human expansion along with South American megafauna. ”

“Here we need further data from late Pleistocene and early Holocene deposits in the Amazon basin,” Dr. Ferreira said.

discovery of Pertocephalus maturin is reported in paper in a diary biology letters.

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GS Ferreira other. 2024.Latest freshwater giants: new Peltocephalus (Pleurodira: Podocnemididae) A late Pleistocene turtle of the Brazilian Amazon. Biol.Let 20(3):20240010; doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2024.0010

Source: www.sci.news

Newly Found Fossil Remains in France Offer Valuable Information on Ordovician Polar Ecosystems

Posted on February 10, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

in new paper in diary natural ecology and evolution, paleontologists described the diversity of the Cabrières biota, a new Early Ordovician site in the Montagne Noire in southern France. During the Early Ordovician, this region was an open marine environment located in the southern hemisphere at high polar latitudes, on the margin of the Gondwana supercontinent.

Artistic reconstruction of Cabrière Biota: in the foreground, Unpix (trilobites) and various ostracods including brachiopods and cryoliths (bottom left corner). Behind the trilobites are lobopods, chelicerates, cnidarians (blue), sponges (green), thin branched algae (red and green), hemichordates (purple), and some soft bodies. There are animals. Bivalve arthropods live in the water column along with graptolites. Image credit: Christian McCall, Prehistorya Art.

“Early Paleozoic sites with preserved soft tissues provide a wealth of information about the evolution of past life and improve our understanding of earlier ecosystems, but they are unevenly distributed in time and space. ,” said paleontologist Farid Saleh of the University of Lausanne and his colleagues.

“About 100 soft-tissue preserved assemblages have been recorded from the Cambrian, while about 30 are known from the Ordovician, and only a few have been discovered in early Ordovician rocks. .”

“The distribution of early Paleozoic remains is also paleogeographically biased, as approximately 97% of the biota discovered represents tropical and temperate ecosystems within 65 degrees north and south of the paleoequator.”

“This pattern is especially true for the Ordovician, where very few sites are known to have polar environments.”

“Among the most famous Ordovician sites, Sumchere in South Africa, Big Hill in the United States, and Winneshiek exhibit tropical ecosystems.”

“Given the rarity of Ordovician sites and their lopsided paleogeographical distribution, discovering new biota with preserved soft tissues across the aforementioned paleogeographic zones and environments will deepen our understanding of this period and This is crucial for gaining better insight into the factors driving increases in animal diversity on Earth. ”

Biomineralized species of the Cabriere biota: (a) Trilobites of the genus Unpix(b) gastropods with tubular structures, probably conuraids Sphenothalas(c) biomineralized canine cnidarians; (d) Arthrobrachiopod attached to a spongiosa, probably of the leptomid family. (e) Assemblage formed by an articulated brachiopod (center), a flattened carapace of a probably bivalve arthropod (left and right of center), and the skull of a calimenin trilobite (left). (f) Possibly visceral cyst. Scale bars – (a) and (e) 4 mm, (b) and (d) 1 cm, (c) 5 mm, (f) 2 mm.Image credit: Saleh other., doi: 10.1038/s41559-024-02331-w.

In a new paper, paleontologists describe a group of 470-million-year-old (early Ordovician) fossils, named Cabrière Biota, discovered in southern France's Montagne Noire.

The fossil site was discovered by two French amateurs, Eric Montseret and Sylvie Montseret Goujon.

Saleh and his co-authors examined about 400 extremely well-preserved soft tissue fossils taken from the site.

Fossils typically exhibit shades of brown, red, or orange and are embedded within a siliciclastic matrix of mudstone and siltstone, and their colors range from blue to green to yellow.

The Cabriere biota is characterized by a prevalence of sponges and branched algae, which constitute 26% of all identified fossils.

Also included are molluscs (14%), trilobites (12%), brachiopods (9%), cystoliths (7%), and cnidarians (6%).

An interesting feature of this biota is its rarity, with echinoderms being represented by only three specimens.

The Cabrières biota also exhibits the shells of various bivalve arthropods, which constitute 16% of the fossils identified.

Some wormlike organisms are also present in the biota (approximately 1% of identified fossils).

“The Cabrière biota was once located in close proximity to Antarctica and reveals the composition of the southernmost Ordovician ecosystem,” Dr Saleh said.

“The high biodiversity of this site suggests that the area served as a refuge for species fleeing the high temperatures that were prevalent further north at the time.”

“During this period of global warming, animals were certainly living in high-latitude refuges, escaping the extreme temperatures at the equator.”

Dr Jonathan Antcliffe, a paleontologist at the University of Lausanne, said: “The distant past gives us a glimpse of the near future that could happen to us.''

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F. Saleh other. Cabrières Biota (France) provides insight into Ordovician polar ecosystems. Nat Ecole Evol, published online on February 9, 2024. doi: 10.1038/s41559-024-02331-w

Source: www.sci.news

New species of pterosaur identified by Skye fossil discovery

Posted on February 6, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A new genus and species of pterosaur has been identified from fossils found at the site. Kilmalag Formation Originally from the Isle of Skye, Scotland.

Reconstructed by artists Theoptera evansae. Image credit: Mark Witton / Natural History Museum, London.

Professor Paul Barrett of London's Natural History Museum and colleagues said: “The oldest known pterosaur fossils date from the late Triassic period, but the group persisted until extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period.''

“Pterosaurs are known on every continent and experienced two major peaks in species richness during the Early-Middle Cretaceous and the Late Cretaceous.”

“However, that distribution is highly influenced by the 'Lagerstetten effect' and other forms of sampling bias.”

“Most of our knowledge about the evolutionary history of pterosaurs is based on material from a small number of archaeological sites with limited spatiotemporal extent.”

The newly discovered species lived in what is now Scotland between 168 and 166 million years ago (during the mid-Jurassic period).

named Theoptera evansaeIt was the first pterosaur named in Scotland and the most complete pterosaur discovered in Britain since its discovery by Mary Anning. Dimorphodon Macronix Early 1800s.

The remains of this flying reptile consist of a three-dimensionally preserved partial skeleton, including the shoulders, wings, legs, and part of the spine.

Many of the bones remain fully embedded in the rock and can only be studied using CT scans.

Theoptera evansae, almost as found (top) and with CT reconstruction using the elements (bottom). Image credit: Martin-Silverstone other.

“Theoptera evansae is part of the pterosaur clade Dalwinoptera'' said the paleontologists.

“The discovery shows that this clade is much more diverse than previously thought and persisted for more than 25 million years, from the Late Late Jurassic to the Late Jurassic.”

The discovery also shows that all of the major Jurassic pterosaurs evolved earlier than previously thought, well before the end of the Early Jurassic.

“Theoptera evansae “This helps narrow down the timing of some key events in the evolution of flying reptiles,” said Professor Barrett.

“Most of its relatives are from China, so its appearance in Britain during the mid-Jurassic period was a complete surprise.”

“This shows that the advanced group of flying reptiles to which it belongs appeared earlier than we thought and quickly acquired a near-global distribution.”

“During that period, Theoptera evansae This period is one of the most important in the evolution of pterosaurs, and it is also the period with the lowest number of specimens, demonstrating its importance,” said Dr Liz Martin-Silverstone, a palaeontologist at the University of Bristol. said.

“We found more bones embedded in the rock, some of which were essential to identifying the type of pterosaur.” Theoptera evansae This was an even better discovery than originally thought. ”

“This brings us one step closer to understanding when and where more advanced pterosaurs evolved.”

of the team paper will be published in Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

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elizabeth martin silverstone other. 2024. A new pterosaur and the diversification of early flying reptiles from the Middle Jurassic of Skye, Scotland. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontologyin press.

Source: www.sci.news

Discovery of new Tyrannosaurus species through early fossil findings

Posted on January 11, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Artist's impression of Tyrannosaurus macraensis, a relative of Tyrannosaurus rex

sergei krasinski

A portion of a dinosaur skull discovered 40 years ago has been identified as a new species of dinosaur. tyrannosaurusand is probably the closest relative tyrannosaurus rex. The study adds a new twist to the long-standing debate about how many different tyrannosaurus species there were, and could help shed light on how the iconic predator evolved.

tyrannosaurus They first appeared in North America about 68 million years ago, 2 million years before the mass extinction event that wiped out most dinosaurs. Paleontologists are puzzled about the origins of this carnivore. Some suggest that it is an ancestor of tyrannosaurus Some people walked across land bridges from prehistoric Asia, while others traced their origins to southern North America.

Anthony Fiorillo Researchers from the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science reviewed fossils in the museum's collection that were discovered in a rock formation known as the McRae Formation in western New Mexico.

Skulls were originally classified as: tyrannosaurus, Fiorillo and his colleagues noticed differences in the bones.They proposed that this specimen represented an older species, which they named Tyrannosaurus macraiensis in reference to the rock in which it was found.

They estimated that the dinosaur was about 12 meters long, comparable in size to an aosaurus. Tyrannosaurus, However, it lived about 4 million years ago.

difference between tyrannosaurus and T. macraensis It would have been relatively subtle.on the other hand tyrannosaurus He had a prominent ridge on his eyebrow, and a bone-crushingly wide jaw with the same ridge. T. macraensis The body is less developed and the skull is thinner, Fiorillo said.

Jawbone identified as new species of Tyrannosaurus

nick longrich

Other recent studies have proposed that several species exist. tyrannosaurus And the so-called tyrannosaurus Fossils need to be reallocated. However, such proposals are controversial and are mostly rejected by dinosaur paleontologists. The new study is likely to spark further debate about that number. tyrannosaurus The species was found in North America.

“I hesitate to consider Tyrannosaurus macraiensis as different from tyrannosaurus rex” Jared Voris at the University of Calgary, Canada. He points out that many of the anatomical features that make the new species unique are also present in the specimen. tyrannosaurus.

Regardless of species assignment, the existence of such large tyrannosaurs millions of years ago is tyrannosaurus This suggests that southwestern North America was an important center of dinosaur evolution. “The age range of the proposed specimen is unique and requires further study,” Voris said. That's because it could outline a clearer picture of dinosaur evolution during the last few million years of the Cretaceous.

The New Mexico tyrannosaurus was discovered in the same rock as a giant horned dinosaur, an anthropomorphic duck-billed dinosaur, and a long-necked herbivore up to 30 meters long. Fiorillo and his colleagues tyrannosaurus It may have evolved to its gigantic size to prey on these large herbivores, and later spread north as the last “tyrant lizard” to stalk the planet.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Skin Fossil from 300-Million-Year-Old Reptile is the Oldest Known

Posted on January 11, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Captorhinus aguti, an ancient reptile that may be the source of the oldest skin fossils

michael debraga

The collection of fossilized skin fragments is the oldest ever discovered. This 300 million-year-old fossil belongs to a crocodile-like reptile and could help us understand how skin evolved.

After an animal dies, the skin decomposes quickly, so fossilization is rare. But this early Paleozoic reptile eventually ended up in a suitable place to preserve its skin. It was buried in oily clay deposits in an ancient limestone cave in what is now Oklahoma. There was little oxygen in the cave sediments, which slowed the decomposition process long enough for the tissue to fossilize, trapping the mummified skin mold.

The discovery was a surprise to researchers who had been examining the tiny black fossil fragments using microscopic 3D scans. “They were so small and skinny that we had to be very gentle with them,” he says. tea maho At the University of Toronto, Canada. Their scans revealed a pebble-like scale texture similar to crocodile skin, especially the flatter, smaller scales on the crocodile's flanks.

Researchers concluded that the skin belonged to a Paleozoic reptile, but it is unclear which species. Based on nearby fossils, they suspect the skin belongs to an extinct lizard-like species. Captorinus aguti. It's not clear how the reptile reached its final resting place. Perhaps it fell into the cave from a vertical shaft or was swept into the cave by a heavy rainstorm.

The fossilized skin fragments are about 21 million years older than any previously discovered, showing how and when vertebrates developed skin after they transitioned from living in the sea to living on land. It reveals new clues about how it evolved. “This is a unique opportunity to examine the first chapter in the evolution of higher vertebrates,” he says. ethan mooney at the University of Toronto. Skin helped aquatic animals make the leap to life on land by providing a watertight barrier between sensitive organs and the outside world.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Ancient sponge fossil unearthed in Ireland by paleontologists dating back 315 million years

Posted on January 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Remarkable new species over 50 cm (20 inches) tall Chiatophicus varori is the largest known member of its genus theatophicus and one of the largest sponges in the order mesh.

Chiatophicus varori. Image credit: Botting other., doi: 10.1016/j.geobios.2023.07.004.

“theatophicus “This is one of the most widely distributed Ordovician and Silurian sponge genera, recorded throughout the Iapetus region and tentatively in Bohemia,” said lead authors Ballen and Moher. said Dr Eamon Doyle, geologist at the Cliffs UNESCO Global Geopark, and colleagues. .

“This genus was widely distributed in offshore marine environments from the Middle Ordovician to the Middle Devonian, but has not previously been recorded in rocks from that period.”

named Chiatophicus varorithe newly identified species lived during the Carboniferous period, about 315 million years ago.

When alive, the vase-shaped sponge had a circular opening at the top surrounded by a ring of eyelash-like structures.

Probably similar to modern times Venus flower basket spongefound in the Pacific Ocean and often featured in deep-sea wildlife documentaries.

“This is a very large example of a type of fossil sponge that was previously only known from much older rocks elsewhere in the world,” Dr Doyle said.

“This is the first record of a sponge fossil of this type found in Ireland and its excellent state of preservation is extremely rare.”

specimen of Chiatophicus varori collected from Kilkee Cyclosem, Central Clare Group, Namuria, County Clare,Ireland.

“Sponges originally consisted of a rectangular network of tiny needles made of silica, held together by a thin organic membrane,” Dr Doyle said.

“Normally they fall apart quickly after death, and often only scattered remains of the needles are preserved as fossils, so we were delighted to find these nearly intact specimens. .”

“This wonderfully preserved fossil dates back to a time when the Atlantic Ocean had not yet begun to form, and the area now known as County Clare was part of an early ocean located near the equator.”

“Discoveries like this help raise awareness of the amazing geological heritage we have here on our doorstep in County Clare, and inspire a new generation of palaeontologists – geologists who specialize in the study of fossils. will help encourage people to visit and learn more about the unique geology of Ireland's west coast. ”

“We were surprised by the size and well-preserved condition of this fossil. This was completely unexpected,” said lead author Dr. Joseph Botting, a researcher at Amgefa Shimul Museum in Wales and the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology. said.

“This discovery provides important insight into the evolution of sponges and how some species are able to survive in niche environments where most other species cannot live. It is unusual for a specimen to be found.”

“This is a fantastic discovery and a reminder that new and interesting fossils are still being discovered that help us understand the story of life on Earth,” said the co-authors, from the Amgefa Cymru Museum in Wales. said Dr. Lucy Muir, a researcher at . .

team's paper Published in Journal October 2023 issue geobios.

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Joseph P. Botting other. 2023. A late surviving extra-large reticulated sponge from the Carboniferous of Ireland. geobios 80: 1-13; doi: 10.1016/j.geobios.2023.07.004

Source: www.sci.news

Controversy Surrounds Identification of Tiny Tyrannosaur Fossil as Potentially Another Species

Posted on January 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Illustration of Nanotyrannus fighting a young Tyrannosaurus Rex

raul martin

tyrannosaurus rex After all, it may not have been the only large carnivore that ruled North America during the Late Cretaceous. Reinterpretation of some fossils of small dinosaurs sometimes classified as young dinosaurs tyrannosaurus This adds weight to the controversial idea that it is a separate small species called . Nanotyrannus lansensislived with the dinosaur king.

“This is the most famous fossil animal in the world,” he says Nicholas Longrich At the University of Bath, UK. “A lot of people are watching. And we can't agree.”

This debate has divided paleontologists for decades. A paper from the 1960s revealed that a skull excavated 20 years earlier in the Hell Creek Formation in Montana was tyrannosaurus that died before reaching full maturity. However, in the 1980s, others argued that the differences between the skull and known skulls were: tyrannosaurus The specimen showed that this fossil was actually an adult of another species, and they named it Nanotyrannus lansensis.

Recent studies based on additional fossils dispute this, arguing that the differences between miniature and full-sized fossils are: tyrannosaurus The fossils were not of different species, but of different times. This discussion has implications for understanding the ecology and diversity of dinosaurs in the period just before their extinction.

Now, with Longrich Evan Saitta Researchers at the University of Chicago have compiled six pieces of evidence that support identifying the smaller fossils as: Nanotyrannus. This includes cataloging more than 150 individual features that differ between the fossil in question and the known fossils. tyrannosaurus Fossils include things like a narrower snout and smoother teeth. They argue that all this cannot change between boys and adults. tyrannosaurus.

The researchers also analyzed the patterns of bone growth rings, which form when bones stop growing each year. As the animal grows slower, the distance between the growth rings decreases. Researchers say they found these rings to be tightened, suggesting that the smaller fossils represent young adults. Nanotyrannus Rather than a boy tyrannosaurus They rate these adults Nanotyrannus Their weight would be between 1,000 kg and 2,000 kg, equivalent to a quarter of an adult. tyrannosaurus 8000 kg. “No matter how you graph the data, you can’t turn it into an animal. tyrannosaurus” Longrich says.

The latest evidence is a fossilized frontal bone (located between the eye and skull) that Longrich unearthed from the archives of the University of California Museum of Paleontology, which researchers interpret as a juvenile fossil. tyrannosaurus Because it is definitely different from the hypothesis, Nanotyrannus fossil. “It's an animal smaller than a human.” Nanotyrannus But it is tyrannosaurus Morphology,” Longrich says.

Some outside researchers say they remain unsure that the tiny fossil is actually a separate species. “No problem Nanotyrannus If science proves it, it’s real.” holly woodward At Oklahoma State University written Juvenile species were identified in a tree ring survey conducted in 2020. tyrannosaurus explanation. “We’re not convinced that their interpretation is any more accurate than ours,” she said, adding that the fully grown animal specimens were “unusual.” Nanotyrannus It will be necessary to resolve different interpretations.

thomas carr A professor at Carthage College in Wisconsin has long argued that the fossil is a juvenile. tyrannosaurus, adding that the front bone found at Berkeley was too incomplete to sway him. “I don’t take this seriously at all,” he says.

scott parsons Professors at the College of Charleston in South Carolina are more welcoming of what he says is a new perspective on a long-stalled rift among paleontologists. “This new paper doesn’t settle this debate, but I’m optimistic that it will be a game-changer,” he says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

New Fossil Discovery Shows Baleen Whales Adapted to Large Bodies in Cold Southern Waters for the First Time

Posted on December 27, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Baleen whales (mysterious animals) are the largest animals on Earth. How they achieved such enormous sizes is still debated, and research to date has focused primarily on when they grew, rather than where they grew. was. Paleontologists now report on the remains of a toothless baleen whale (chaeomysticete) from South Australia. At an estimated length of 9 meters, it is the largest baleen whale from the early Miocene. Analysis of body size over time shows that ancient baleen whales in the Southern Hemisphere were larger than those in the Northern Hemisphere.

Mysterious gigantism from the early Miocene. Image credit: Ruairidh Duncan

It was previously thought that the onset of the Ice Age in the Northern Hemisphere about 3 million years ago triggered the evolution of truly gigantic baleen whales.

The new study, led by Dr James Rule of Monash University and the Natural History Museum in London, reveals that this evolutionary size jump did, in fact, occur as early as 20 million years ago, and in the exact opposite direction in the southern hemisphere. I made it.

The major discovery came from a study of 16- to 21-million-year-old fossils held in Museum Victoria’s collection.

This specimen, the anterior end of the lower jaw of a large edentulous baleen whale, was discovered in 1921 on a cliff face on the banks of the Murray River in South Australia, but was largely unrecognized in collections.

In their study, Dr. Ruhl and colleagues explain how whales evolved to be larger in the southern hemisphere rather than the northern hemisphere, and that whales have been larger in the southern hemisphere throughout their evolutionary history (about 20 million to 30 million years). It was shown that

The discovery highlights the vital importance of the Australian and wider Southern Hemisphere fossil record in putting together a global picture of whale evolution.

The Murray River whale fossil confounds that theory, although previous leading theories were based primarily on fossils found in the northern hemisphere.

“The Southern Hemisphere, and Australia in particular, has always been overlooked as a frontier for fossil whale discovery,” says Dr Eric Fitzgerald, a palaeontologist at Museums Victoria Research Institute.

“Like the Murray River whale, the fossil whale discoveries in the south have shaken up whale evolution, giving us a more accurate, truly global picture of what was happening in the oceans in ancient times. .”

Researchers have discovered that the tip of a baleen whale’s jaw can expand depending on its body size.

They estimated the baleen whale to be about 9 meters long.

“The largest whales alive today, such as the blue whale, reach the length of a basketball court,” Dr. Ruhl said.

“About 19 million years ago, Murray River whales were nine meters long, already a third of this length. So baleen whales were well on their way to becoming ocean giants.”

of result will appear in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

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James P. Rule other. 2023. A huge baleen whale emerges from its cold cradle in the south. Procedure R. Soc. B 290 (2013): 20232177; doi: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2177

Source: www.sci.news

Behavior and evolution illuminated by 312-million-year-old fossil

Posted on December 16, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Department of Biological and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
December 15, 2023

Scientists at Harvard University’s Department of Biological and Evolutionary Biology have made an incredible discovery in the 312-million-year-old fossil of an insect. This discovery has pushed back the presumed origins of leaf mining behavior by 70 million years and provided new insights into the evolution of early insects. Their study shows that this behavior is linked to the evolution of early insects. The study was published on October 5, 2023, in New Phytologist.

The delicacy of prehistoric insects’ soft bodies makes them difficult to preserve as fossils. Due to this fragility, the bodies of these insects are often fragmented or incomplete, making scientific study difficult. As a result, paleontologists often rely on trace fossils to learn about these ancient insects, but they are almost exclusively found as traces of fossil plants. According to Dr. Richard J. Knecht, a candidate in the Department of Biological and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, the excellent preservation of fossil plants provides valuable insights into insect evolution and behavior.

In their study, researchers discovered endoparasitic trace fossils from the leaves of 312-million-year-old Carboniferous seed ferns. These trace fossils show the earliest signs of internal feeding within leaves, known as leaf mining. This discovery pushes the age of leaf mining behavior about 70 million years earlier than once believed.

The study also sheds light on the process and importance of internal nutrition in early insects. Feeding on plants internally is common in holometamorphic insects such as Lepidoptera (moths), Coleoptera (beetles), Diptera (flies), and Hymenoptera (wasps and sawflies), as the larvae make holes in the leaves and feed on the internal tissue, leaving a distinct trail. This behavior, identified in the Rhode Island Formation of the Carboniferous Period, shows how the exceptional preservation of this site allows for valuable insights into the behavior of ancient insects.

The study, led by Knecht and his team, highlights the significance of this discovery in furthering our understanding of early insect evolution and behavior and provides new insights into the origins of leaf mining by linking it to the evolution of early insects.

Source: scitechdaily.com