Tag Archives: oregon

Ancient 29-Million-Year-Old Footprints of a ‘Saber-Toothed Cat’ Found in Oregon

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Paleontologists have unearthed fossil footprints from both invertebrates and vertebrates, dating back between 500,000 and 25 million years, including a faux Saber Tooth cat (Nimravid).

Nimravid footprints from the John Day Formation in Oregon, USA. Image credit: NP.

John Day Fossil Bed National Monument (Joda) is renowned in central and eastern Oregon for its ancient mammalian fossils.

Paleontologists indicate that these specimens provide a nearly continuous 50 million-year record of mammalian evolution.

Within the Joda, four geological layers are identified: Clarno (50-39 million years), John Day (31-25 million years), Muscoll (16-12 million years), and rattlesnakes (8-6 million years).

The recently uncovered footprints belong to the Clarno and John Day layers.

“These footprints reveal intriguing behaviors and species previously undocumented in the extensive fossil records of the monument,” the researchers stated.

The series of footprints in the 29 million-year-old volcanic ash layer of the John Day Formation may have been created by Nimravid, a saber-toothed predator comparable in size to a bobcat, Hoplophoneus.

The absence of nail marks supports the notion of retractable nails, akin to modern-day felines.

Additionally, three round hoof prints of the same age likely belong to large herbivores, such as ancient tapirs and rhinoceroses.

Two small bird impressions, as well as a beak mark and an invertebrate trail, were found in the Clarno Formation.

These findings suggest ancient shorebirds were foraging for food in shallow waters.

Connor Bennett, a paleontologist at Utah Institute of Technology, remarked:

“It’s captivating; such a long duration for a species to maintain foraging patterns as seen in its ancestors.”

Within the same layer, scientists discovered an unusual fossil track featuring scattered toe impressions.

This indicates that lizards breaking through the lakebed represent one of the few known reptile trajectories from this period in North America.

“These tracks provide a unique window into ancient ecosystems,” stated Dr. Nicholas Famoso, Joda’s paleontology program manager.

“They add behavioral context to the body fossils amassed over the years, enhancing our understanding of prehistoric Oregon’s climate and environmental conditions.”

“Fossil tracks not only confirm the presence of these animals but also reveal their lifestyles,” Bennett added.

The team’s survey results will be published in the journal Palaeontologia Electronica.

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Connor J. Bennett et al. 2025. Following their footsteps: Reports of vertebrate fossil tracks from John Day Fossil Bed National Monument, Oregon, USA. Palaeontologia Electronica 28(1): A11; doi: 10.26879/1502

Source: www.sci.news

Unexpected surprise: Giant fish thought to be sunbathing on Oregon beach turns out to be a curiosity

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The name “sunfish” is of Latin origin and means “milestone,” referring to the flat, circular body of this fish, which is known to drift along the ocean’s surface, a move some scientists lightly refer to as “sunbathing.”

But Nygard said the activity serves an important purpose: capturing jellyfish and other gelatinous creatures for prey.

When hunting, sunfish dive deep into cooler waters. Their bodies cannot regulate their body temperature efficiently, so they use the sun to warm themselves. While the fish lie on the surface, birds clean them by eating parasites from their skin.

Nyegaard said there are a few features that distinguish the giant sunfish from the giant sunfish: The giant sunfish’s skin becomes wrinkly as it grows, while the sunfish’s skin is always perfectly smooth.

Unlike normal fish, which have tails, sunfish have wings that are wavy and have a bony structure. The sunfish’s wings are divided into two parts, each of which can move independently.

“We don’t yet know why the two species need different rear structures,” Nygard says, adding that one theory is that the two-part flap could be for maneuvering or agility purposes.

Nygard said sunfish in general remain a mystery to scientists: There are five sunfish species in total, including the hoodwinker, and it’s unclear whether they can or will coexist in the same place.

It’s also unclear whether the hoodwinkers of Australia and New Zealand are related to those in the Pacific Northwest and have somehow migrated across the equator, Nygard said.

Since its discovery, people have been flocking to Gearhart Beach to see the lone hooded winker on the sand.

“This isn’t the first time this has been washed ashore, but it is the largest one to have been washed ashore,” said Tierney Thys, a marine biologist at the California Academy of Sciences.

“Strandings like this remind us that humans live on just 1 percent of the available habitable space on this vast ocean planet,” she said. “Encountering these amazing creatures is humbling and inspiring, and a powerful reminder that we still have much to learn.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com