Articles tagged with Paleontology
Researchers identified two new species of ancient bird fossils found in northwestern China. One species, Brevidentavis zhangi, had small peg-like teeth and a movable bony appendage at the tip of its lower jaw that may have helped it root for food.
Researchers discovered abnormal bone growths in a 150-million-year-old diplodocid dinosaur, suggesting an avian-style respiratory infection. The infection likely caused symptoms like coughing, trouble breathing, and fever, potentially leading to the animal's death.
A young diplodocid dinosaur with abnormal bony protrusions in its neck bones may have suffered from a fungal respiratory infection similar to aspergillosis. The study provides the first evidence of an avian-style respiratory infection in a non-avian dinosaur.
A new study reveals that early echinoderm body shape evolution outpaced ecological innovation, contradicting long-standing expectations. The researchers found that morphological diversification occurred at a rate of 71% faster than ecological evolution during the Cambrian and Ordovician periods.
Researchers from Harvard University have confirmed a previously unknown species as the second opabiniid to be discovered, Utaurora comosa. The ancient arthropod shares characteristics with both radiodonts and Opabinia, highlighting the complexity of Cambrian evolution.
A new study by DePaul University researchers has found that all previously proposed body forms of the Megalodon shark are based on speculations. The lack of scientific evidence means that the public image of a massive, monstrous shark remains unchanged, while paleontologists continue to search for clues in the fossil record.
A new study using a two-dimensional drawing technique has found no general patterns in the fin and body shapes of five warm-blooded Lamniformes species to determine Megalodon's shape. The research challenges previous conclusions about the extinct shark's body form, suggesting that warm bloodedness does not make sharks differently shaped.
Researchers found that low volcanic temperatures caused high sulfur dioxide emissions, leading to short-term cooling and contributing to the fourth mass extinction. The study suggests that this cooling enabled small-bodied dinosaurs to grow and prosper, ultimately thriving during the Jurassic period.
Researchers analyzed 23,000-year-old fisher-hunter-gatherer camp remains near the Sea of Galilee, finding a diverse diet and lifestyle that defies previous expectations. The site's abundance of animal bones reveals a robust subsistence strategy that utilized varied food sources.
A study published in Scientific Reports uses fossilized mollusk shells to investigate ocean chemistry during the end-Permian mass extinction. The analysis found no signs of severe ocean acidification, contradicting previous theories.
Researchers have discovered the earliest known ant mimics in mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber, extending the geological range of myrmecomorphy by approximately 50 million years. The study found that these ancient organisms closely mimic different hymenopteran models during different stages of development.
A warmer Earth will see smaller fish species dominate ecosystems, mainly due to increased temperatures and decreased oxygen levels. This shift could have significant impacts on marine biodiversity and fisheries worldwide.
Researchers have found exceptionally large ichthyosaur fossils, suggesting that these ocean giants evolved rapidly over just 1% of their 150-million-year history. The discovery hints at the presence of Triassic marine food webs capable of supporting massive creatures despite the Permian extinction
A 72-66-million-year-old dinosaur embryo discovered in a fossilized egg is found to have a bird-like posture, similar to modern bird embryos. The discovery suggests that these postures may be an evolutionary precursor to the tucking behavior seen in modern birds.
Researchers discovered a new simple mechanism of tooth class transformation in vertebrate lizards, affecting teeth size and attachment type. The EDA gene mutation led to significant changes in dental features, shedding light on tooth development in non-mammalian lineages.
A new UC Riverside-led study reveals that tiny microbes belching toxic gas helped cause and prolong the biggest mass extinction in Earth's history. The heat accelerated microbes' metabolisms, creating a deadly cycle of hydrogen sulfide production.
A massive fossil of the giant millipede Arthropleura has been discovered in Northumberland, England, revealing it was up to 2.7 meters long and weighed 50 kilograms. The find sheds new light on the animal's habitat and evolution, suggesting it preferred open woodland habitats near the coast.
A new fossil discovery reveals an extinct early bird that could stick out its tongue, with a bony tongue nearly as long as its head. This finding provides insights into the evolution of feeding mechanisms in birds, highlighting the variation in skull shape and size among ancient species.
A team of researchers has uncovered a previously unrecognised process contributing to the disappearance of ancient megafauna communities across south-eastern Australia. Changing food supply driven by climatic changes or human land use in the Late Pleistocene era might have facilitated the extinction of the biggest herbivores.
New research on the world's largest pterosaur, Quetzalcoatlus, reveals that it likely leaped into the air before lifting off, using its wings to generate lift. The study, published by the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, is the most comprehensive on the species yet and provides new insights into its flight mechanics.
A new study published in the journal Anatomical Record reveals that gharial species, native to India, suffer from nasal septal deviation, a condition common among humans. The researchers found that this deviated septum affects the breathing rate and may lead to high shearing stresses along the nasal walls.
A new study in Scientific Reports reveals the first palaeontological site with multiple, exceptionally complete dinosaur skeletons from Italy. The Villaggio del Pescatore site in north-eastern Italy has yielded seven individuals of Tethyshadros insularis, the biggest and most complete dinosaur ever found in Italy.
A groundbreaking analysis of the fossilized remains of Effigia, a 205-million-year-old herbivore, has cast doubt on the prevailing notion that it fed by pecking at plant material. Instead, researchers suggest that its unique beak and jaw structure would have allowed it to nibble at soft, vulnerable tissues like young shoots or ferns.
A new marine reptile fossil from 130-million-year-old rocks in Colombia has revealed a unique dentition allowing it to eat large prey. The discovery clarifies the evolutionary tree of ichthyosaurs and tests new ideas on their evolution.
The loss of large-bodied grazers worldwide drastically altered fire regimes, increasing grassy ecosystem fire activity. This finding highlights the need to incorporate herbivore controls into fire models to better understand and predict global fire activity.
A new study reveals the oldest known punctate ivory pendant found in Eurasia, dating back 41,500 years. The pendant provides direct evidence of Homo sapiens' use of decorative motifs in Poland.
A fossil previously believed to be a four-legged snake is actually a long-bodied marine lizard, according to a new study. The discovery challenges the long-held assumption that a 'snake with four legs' exists in the evolutionary chain.
The discovery of mineralized sponge fossils in Fontanarejo, Spain, has provided new insights into the evolution of living beings. The fossils, dated to around 530 million years ago, offer a unique window into the early Cambrian period.
A recent study published in eLife suggests that xylophagous beetles played a key role in the Permian carbon cycle and experienced severe ecological consequences due to end-Permian deforestation. This research provides new insights into the ecological response of insects to deforestation and global warming.
Researchers have developed a database of parasite-host interactions among ancient ocean animals, shedding light on the evolution of biodiversity and the impact of parasitism on ecosystems. The study suggests that parasites can positively stabilize coastal ecosystems, making them more stable despite individual harm to hosts.
Researchers uncover fossil remains of Issi saaneq, a long-necked herbivore that lived on Greenland during the Late Triassic Period. The discovery sheds light on the evolutionary pathways and timeline of sauropods, iconic land animals that existed for nearly 150 million years.
The discovery of insect larvae with elongated appendages and early flying insects shed light on ecology, developmental biology, and the evolutionary history of insects. The findings suggest that lacewings played a more prominent ecological role in the Cretaceous Period and challenge traditional assumptions about developmental constraints.
Researchers found that tiny pterosaur juveniles, known as flaplings, dominated the Late Cretaceous period due to their exceptional growth rates and feeding ecology. These findings suggest that the smaller species of pterosaurs were overshadowed by their giant parent's offspring.
Researchers shed light on the evolution of mammalian tusks by tracing them back to ancient mammal relatives called dicynodonts. Dicynodonts had protruding tusks in their upper jaws, but they were not always true tusks – instead, some had enamel-coated teeth that did not fit the definition.
Researchers at North Carolina State University developed formulas to calculate primate body size based on tooth root surface area. This discovery can be applied to partial and incomplete fossils, allowing scientists to determine the diet of ancient primates.
A new study reveals that tusks originated from ancient mammals before the dinosaurs, with dicynodonts being their closest living relatives. The researchers defined what makes a tusk and found that some dicynodont teeth are indeed tusks, while others have large teeth.
A study published in Scientific Reports found fossilized remains of sauropodomorphs, including eggs and skeletal remains, that suggest the earliest evidence of herd living in dinosaurs. The fossils, dated to approximately 193 million years old, show age-specific clusters of individuals, indicating possible herding behavior.
A 'raptor-like' dinosaur was actually a timid, long-necked herbivore, according to recent reanalysis of fossil footprints found in an Australian coal mine. The Prosauropod, a plant-eating dinosaur with legs about 1.4 metres tall and a body length of six metres, is the earliest evidence of its kind in Australia, marking a 50-million-yea...
A team of scientists has discovered the oldest modern-looking crab, Cretapsara athanata, preserved in 100-million-year-old amber. The fossil is remarkably complete, including delicate tissues and well-developed gills, revealing an aquatic to semi-aquatic animal that defies explanation for its preservation in tree resin.
A study led by Ludovic Orlando found that modern domestic horses were first domesticated in the Pontic-Caspian steppes around 2000-2200 BC. The genetic profile of these horses spread rapidly across Eurasia, replacing other horse populations and facilitating their conquest of the region.
A new species of mixopterid, Terropterus xiushanensis, has been found in South China's Lower Silurian deposits. The discovery expands our understanding of the morphological diversity and geographical distribution of mixopterids.
Scientists at Stanford University have discovered a pattern in how life reemerges after mass extinctions. In the past half-billion years, smaller marine genera were substantially more likely to be wiped out during mass extinction events, but during recovery intervals, originators tended to be tiny compared to holdover species.
Researchers have discovered a new genus and species of tardigrade fossil, Paradoryphoribius chronocaribbeus, preserved in 16-million-year-old Dominican amber. The specimen is the first tardigrade fossil recovered from the Cenozoic era and offers insights into the evolution of this ancient lineage.
A new study analyzing over 3,000 shark teeth reveals the importance of diet in shaping modern shark communities. The research suggests that dietary specialisation among top predatory sharks may increase their risk of extinction.
Researchers describe a new modern-looking tardigrade fossil, Paradoryphoribius chronocaribbeus, found in Miocene Dominican amber. The study reveals unique foregut organization and contributes to the scant tardigrade fossil record, providing insight into the ancient superfamily Isohypsibioidea.
Scientists have discovered two new species of spinosaurid dinosaurs on the Isle of Wight, providing significant insights into the UK's spinosaurid population. The newly found fossils, including Ceratosuchops and Riparovenator, measure around nine meters in length and suggest a diverse ecosystem with multiple predators.
A 63-bone fossil discovery of Archaehierax sylvestris, a 25-million-year-old eagle-like raptor, has been made in South Australia. The species is one of the oldest eagle fossils known from this period and provides insight into raptor evolution in Australia.
An international team of scientists has resolved a half-century-old mystery by discovering that ancient burrow traces in Australian quartzite were made by crustaceans around 40 million years ago. The discovery was made possible by analyzing unusual radioactive minerals in the sand, which revealed that the burrows were more than a billi...
Researchers found that ancient Siberian human populations interacted with outside dog populations at least 2,000 years ago, suggesting dogs were traded as goods. The study reveals that modern dog breeds like Samoyeds and Siberian Huskies maintain significant ancestry from a lineage established prior to 9,500 years ago.
A new species of enantiornithine with a pintail has provided insights into the importance of sexual selection in early avian evolution. The discovery highlights the diversity of tail plumages evolved by this clade and challenges previous hypotheses about aerodynamic costs.
Researchers discovered fossilized footprint tracks of straight-tusked elephants, indicating a Late Pleistocene nursery site in Huelva, Spain. The tracks suggest that young elephants, possibly up to two years old, were raised in this area, which may have provided a food source and reproductive habitat for female elephant herds.
Researchers have discovered a new species of otter in Germany that dates back to 11.4 million years ago. The Vishnu otter genus was previously known only from Asia and Africa, but this finding suggests they also occurred in Europe.
Reproductive complexity in plants arose in two pulses, corresponding to the origin of seeds (~375 million years ago) and flowers (~125 million years ago). These pulses are characterized by significant evolutionary innovations, including the diversification of flowering plants.
A team of researchers has discovered a new species of giant penguin, named Kairuku waewaeroa, in the North Island of New Zealand. The fossil, estimated to be between 27.3 and 34.6 million years old, was found by school children on a fossil hunting field trip in 2006.
Land plants underwent major diversification in two dramatic bursts, driven by the development of seeds and flowering plants. The second burst was more dramatic, giving rise to intricate reproductive structures like those found in passionflowers.
A new study suggests that modern snakes originated from a few species that survived the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction event, which wiped out dinosaurs and other species. Snakes began to diversify into new habitats and exploit new prey, leading to the emergence of diverse lineages such as vipers, cobras, and pythons.
Scientists have identified a new genus of extinct elephant fish, Moskovirhynchus robustus, from Jurassic-era deposits in Moscow. The study reveals unique dental features that set it apart from modern elephant chimaeroids.
A study published in Scientific Reports discovered dental caries in prehistoric primates, indicating a high fruit diet or sugar-rich foods. The prevalence of caries fluctuated over time, suggesting changes in the primates' diet between sugary and non-sugary foods.
Researchers uncover a 500-million-year-old 'worm-like' fossil, expanding the number of worm-like species known from this time period in North America. The discovery provides new clues about prehistoric environments and ecologies, helping scientists better understand the diversity of ancient animals during the Cambrian explosion.
A recent study reconstructed environmental conditions in Europe during early human occupation, revealing a range of climates and vegetation types. The research suggests that early humans preferred sites with mild climates and wooded environments, but later phases saw absences from areas with severe conditions.