Articles tagged with Animal Fossils
Researchers from the University of Bristol found that a recently developed molecular clock method called RelTime failed to relax the clock, sparking debate on the age of animals. The team's findings suggest that animals are unlikely to be older than approximately 850 million years, in agreement with previous studies.
Researchers discovered the oldest known evidence of Homo at Ledi-Geraru, dated to 2.8 million years ago, with early Homo associated with open and arid grassy environments. The diet of early Homo appears similar to that of Australopithecus, challenging previous assumptions about the origins of Homo.
The Weng'an Biota fossils, once thought to be among the world's oldest evidence of animal life, may actually belong to other groups like algae. Researchers have found that characteristics previously used to define animals are not unique to them, leaving room for alternative identifications.
The discovery of three new species and insights into a fourth indicates the Palaeothentidae family was diverse and widespread across South America as recently as 13 million years ago. The findings complicate existing theories about their extinction, suggesting it may not have been a slow process.
Researchers have re-evaluated and re-classified Diandongosuchus fuyuanensis, a reptile previously labeled as a poposauroid, linking it to the phytosaurs. The fossil's shape reveals its connection to this extinct group of semi-aquatic reptiles that lived during the Triassic Period.
Scientists have discovered a 430 million-year-old crustacean fossil, named Cascolus ravitis, in recognition of Sir David Attenborough's contributions to natural history. The exceptionally well-preserved fossil reveals details about the animal's body plan, limbs, and respiratory-circulatory physiology.
A new study confirms the existence of 'living fossils' by measuring evolutionary rates in the tuatara, a reptile that has remained relatively unchanged for millions of years. The research found that the tuatara's anatomy is remarkably conservative and shows slow evolution compared to its fossil relatives.
A remarkable 250 million-year-old fossil found in China shows an embryo inside the mother, providing clear evidence for live birth. The discovery rewrites the understanding of reproductive evolution in a wide group containing birds, crocodilians, dinosaurs, and pterosaurs.
A new study by CSIC researchers reveals that environmental factors were the primary driver of horse diversification over 20 million years. The team found that newly evolved species were ecologically similar, with external factors such as ecosystem fragmentation and energy availability playing a key role.
Scientists have discovered a new species of 'unfossilizable' loriciferans, a type of animal so small it was considered impossible to find fossils of. The fossils date back to the late Cambrian Period, around half a billion years ago, and provide insight into early animal evolution and ecosystem diversity.
A new species of bird, Tingmiatornis arctica, has been discovered in the Canadian Arctic, dating back to approximately 90 million years ago. The fossil finds reveal a hyper-warm interval during the late Cretaceous period, with conditions allowing large birds to thrive.
Fossils previously thought to be generic carnivorans are identified as earliest known members of the beardog family, offering a clearer picture of the species' phylogeny. The research reveals that beardogs may have originated in parts of what is now the southwestern U.S.
Researchers found that 360-million-year-old Acanthostega fossils were immature individuals, indicating a possible aquatic juvenile stage. The study also revealed differences in limb ossification and size variation between individuals, suggesting potential adaptations for life on land.
Scientists have found fossil evidence of cannibalism among 300-million-year-old Orthacanthus sharks. The ancient predators used coastal swamps as nurseries for their babies before turning on them when resources became scarce.
A new study by the University of Leicester has identified details in fossil vertebrate eyes that shed light on how vertebrates evolved their complex eyes. The research shows that ancient species of hagfish could see, while living counterparts are blind, revealing a 'reverse evolution' process.
New fossil discoveries from the Ediacaran Doushantuo formation in South China reveal embryonic features similar to those of living animals. The fossils display unique structures preserved through discoidal cleavage, supporting the conclusion that animal lineages evolved by the mid-Ediacaran period.
The end-Ediacaran extinction, 540 million years ago, was triggered by ecosystem engineers - newly evolved organisms altering the environment, leading to the demise of older species. Fossil evidence found in Namibia preserves a mixed community of Ediacarans and animals, providing key insights into their interaction.
Researchers have reconstructed the feeding habits of ancient elephants in China over the last two million years using tooth wear analysis. Sinomastodon and Stegodon coexisted before Sinomastodon's extinction, while Elephas showed a more catholic feeding habit incorporating both grazing and browsing.
A new species of extinct flesh-eating marsupial, Whollydooleya tomnpatrichorum, has been identified from a fossil discovery in New Riversleigh, Queensland. The hypercarnivore is thought to have weighed around 20-25 kilograms and lived during the Late Miocene period, around 5 million years ago.
A doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania has identified a new species of fossil dog, Cynarctus wangi, found in Maryland. The specimen, dating back to 12 million years ago, represents a distinct species from the extinct subfamily Borophaginae.
The discovery of the fossil monkey provides evidence for the interchange of mammals between South and North America, challenging long-held views of South America as an island continent. The new genus and species, Panamacebus transitus, suggests that monkeys may have unintentionally rafted across on mats of vegetation.
Scientists find 21-million-year-old fossil evidence of mammals traveling from South America to North America. The discovery sheds light on the evolution of Western Hemisphere monkeys, revealing they stopped migrating north due to a barrier of North American vegetation.
A 13-million-year-old fossil discovery suggests that South American and Indian species evolved separately to acquire protruding, 'telescoped' eyes. This finding provides insight into the parallel evolution of long-snouted gavialoids in these regions.
Researchers at the University of Leicester identified the ancient 'Tully Monster' as a vertebrate, solving a 300 million-year-old mystery. The discovery was made possible by analyzing the fossil's melanosomes, which contain melanin, and revealed two distinct shapes, indicating that the creature had good vision.
Researchers developed mathematical models to identify areas in Australia with high potential for fossil discovery. The models combined factors such as species distribution, geological suitability, and ease of discovery to predict ideal locations for fossil hunting.
Researchers have found ancient multicellular marine algae fossils over 555 million years old, providing crucial insights into the earliest evolution of multicellular life. The discovery helps scientists understand life in the Ediacaran Period and its correlation with Earth's ancient environments.
Field Museum scientists, along with colleagues, have solved the mystery of the Tully monster, a bizarre aquatic animal found in Illinois 307 million years ago. The team determined that the monsters are jawless fish similar to today's lampreys, based on analysis of over 2,000 specimens from the Field's collection and X-ray scans.
Researchers have discovered a 520-million-year-old fossilized nervous system, providing the most detailed example yet found. The fossil, from southern China, has revealed individual nerves visible for the first time in a fossil of this age.
A team of researchers from China and CU Boulder confirms the existence of a massive, flightless bird called Gastornis that roamed the Arctic 53 million years ago. The fossil evidence includes a single toe bone found on Ellesmere Island, which was previously discussed but never closely examined.
The discovery of ancient tortoise and turtle fossils in the Andes Mountains suggests that the region was less than a kilometer above sea level 13 million years ago. The findings support alternative estimates to a recent study and provide insights into climate change caused by rising mountains.
A nearly complete skeleton of a well-preserved early carnivorous mammal, Galecyon, has shed light on the ecology and evolutionary relationships of hyaenodontids. The fossil, dating back to the Eocene Epoch, suggests that these ancient animals were adaptable ground-dwelling creatures, unlike their tree-climbing or runner relatives.
A team of researchers has discovered fossils of kinorhynch worms, also known as mud dragons, dating back over 530 million years. The historic find provides crucial insights into the evolution of body segmentation among animals.
A newly discovered skeleton of the hyaenodontid Galecyon provides insight into the ecology and evolution of early mammalian carnivores. The study reveals diverse habitat preferences among early hyaenodontids, explaining how they coexisted despite similar diets and body sizes.
Researchers have discovered a mouse-sized mammal fossil dating back to the Middle Jurassic, which belonged to a single species of 'stem therian' mammal. The new findings indicate that three previously recognized species are actually one, providing novel information about early mammal evolution.
A new analysis of the jaw of Haramiyavia clemmenseni clarifies the timeline of early mammalian evolution. The study found complex teeth and chewing motions adapted for an herbivorous diet, indicating diverse feeding adaptations evolved early among proto-mammal lineages.
Researchers from the University of Oxford discovered a 170-million-year-old fossil on the Isle of Skye that challenges the existence of three previously recognized species. The find reveals that the three species are actually one, with differences in tooth shape being present in the single lower jaw found on the Isle of Skye.
Researchers detect melanin in fossilized tissues of fish, frogs, and other ancient animals, revealing their original color patterns. The discovery sheds light on the evolution of color recognition in ancient life forms.
Smithsonian scientists have discovered a new genus and species of river dolphin, Isthminia panamensis, from a fossil specimen found in Panama. The ancient creature is estimated to be around 9 feet long and lived in the salty waters of a Caribbean Sea before the full closure of the Panama Isthmus.
The discovery of Tetrapodophis amplectus, a four-legged snake fossil from Brazil's Crato Formation, supports the idea that snakes evolved from burrowing ancestors. The species' unique features, including short snout and flexible jaw, suggest it was adapted for grasping prey or clasp during mating.
A new study has definitively identified the head of a 500-million-year-old creature, revealing a ring of teeth and simple eyes. The discovery helps scientists reconstruct the common ancestor of ecdysozoans, a group including insects, spiders, and crustaceans.
A new bat species, Mystacina miocenalis, lived 16 million years ago and walked on four limbs, weighing 40 grams, three times heavier than its living cousin. The discovery helps understand the capacity of bats to establish populations on islands.
A team of scientists from the University of Leicester has discovered a new species of 425-million-year-old fossil, which is the first parasite of its kind to be found intact with its host. The fossil species, named Invavita piratica, is a 'tongue worm' that was previously known only from isolated juvenile specimens.
Researchers have discovered a 425-million-year-old fossil of an ancient tongue worm parasite, providing significant insights into the origins of parasitism. The new species, Invavita piratica, is remarkably well-preserved and has been found attached to its host animal, an ostracod, in Herefordshire, England.
A new study from the University of Cambridge has enabled researchers to identify previously unrecognised fossil specimens by reconstructing the teeth of penis worms in fine detail. The results have aided in the identification of fossilised teeth from a number of species around the world.
Researchers used UV light to reveal coloration patterns on ancient seashells, showing 28 species with unique patterns, 13 of which are new species. The study helps understand relationships between ancient and modern cone snail species.
A team of researchers from the Universities of Bristol and Cambridge created a 3D reconstruction of the skull of Acanthostega gunnari, a 360 million-year-old near-ancestor of land vertebrates. The new reconstruction shows that early tetrapods had more modern-like crocodile skulls than previously thought, with surprising results.
Fossil discoveries in Libya's Sirt Basin reveal a unique group of ancient mammals, shedding light on climate change and environmental shift. The findings suggest that global cooling and drying led to habitat fragmentation, promoting allopatric speciation and altering the evolution of primates.
Researchers have discovered the earliest known fossil of the genus Homo, dating back to 2.8-2.75 million years ago, in the Afar region of Ethiopia. The fossils provide insights into the environment and ecological community where early Homo lived, suggesting a mixed grassland habitat with gallery forests.
A new open-source resource, Fossil Calibration Database, provides carefully vetted fossil data to calibrate molecular clocks and reveal the ages of plant and animal groups. The database addresses the issue of improper use of fossil record data in 'divergence dating,' a field crucial for understanding biodiversity origins.
A new study reviews fossils from the Weng'an biota, revealing evidence of cellular, tissue, and reproductive differentiation in ancient red algae and animal embryos. The findings support the evolutionary transition into complex multicellularity and shed light on the early evolution of eukaryotic multicellularity.
Researchers have discovered that bacteria play an active role in the decay and preservation of soft-bodied organisms, leading to their fossilization. The study, published in Nature Communications, sheds new light on the process of fossil formation and how it can inform our understanding of early animal evolution.
A rare 520 million-year-old fossil shaped like a 'squashed bird's nest' has been discovered in China, providing new insights into life in ancient seas. The fossil, Nidelric pugio, is a probable 'chancelloriid', a group of bizarre, balloon-shaped animals with defensive spines.
A team of researchers found that most fossil plant lineages from Patagonia are older than the dates predicted by molecular clocks. This study refutes a widely-held idea about how plants and animals arrived at their current distributions, suggesting that molecular clocks may be biased.
New radiocarbon dates reveal American mastodons only lived in the Arctic and Subarctic for a limited time around 125,000 years ago. The results indicate that mastodons suffered local extinction several tens of millennia before human colonization or climate changes at the end of the ice age.
A team of researchers has found fossils indicating complex multicellularity in ancient organisms around 600 million years ago, contradicting previous interpretations. This discovery sheds new light on the evolution of multicellular life and could have significant implications for our understanding of the Cambrian Explosion.
The discovery of three new extinct squirrel-like species confirms that mammals originated at least 208 million years ago in the late Triassic period. The findings support earlier research suggesting a common ancestor for mammals existed during this time, and provide new insights into ancient mammalian evolution.
Scientists have named an extinct swamp-dwelling creature after Mick Jagger due to its oversized lips. The Jaggermeryx naida fossils, found in Egypt's desert, belonged to a family of ancient hoofed animals called anthracotheres.
Research suggests that ancient synapsid relatives, including the famous Dimetrodon, had eyes best suited for low-light conditions at night, 100 million years before the evolution of modern mammals. The findings indicate that nocturnal activity may have evolved in some synapsids as early as 300 million years ago.
A new study estimates the pre-human extinction rate to be 0.1 extinctions per million species per year, 10 times lower than previously thought. This means the current rate is 100 times worse, with extinctions occurring 1,000 times more frequently than in the past.
A 560-million-year-old fossil discovery in Newfoundland, Canada, has provided the oldest evidence of muscle tissue in animals. The find, named Haootia quadriformis, is a rare example of an Ediacaran animal with bundles of fibres similar to those found in modern cnidarians.