Articles tagged with Devonian Period
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A new study reveals that Dunkleosteus was an oddball among ancient armored fishes, with a cartilage-heavy skull and unexpected feeding behavior. The research places Dunkleosteus in proper evolutionary context, highlighting the diversity of arthrodire groups.
The discovery of a 355-million-year-old sandstone slab in Australia reveals the earliest clawed footprints ever found, challenging the long-held timeline of tetrapod evolution. The findings suggest that reptiles evolved significantly earlier than previously thought, impacting the entire evolutionary history of amniotes.
A new study suggests that violent supernovae caused at least two mass extinction events in Earth's history, including the late Devonian and Ordovician extinctions. Researchers believe a nearby supernova could have stripped the planet's atmosphere of ozone, sparking acid rain and exposing life to harmful ultraviolet radiation.
Researchers have discovered a new plant seed fossil, Alasemenia, which provides insight into the origin and early evolution of wind dispersal strategies in plants. The study found that Alasemenia's three-winged seeds are more adapted to wind dispersal than one, two, or four-winged seeds.
Scientists discovered ancient stromatoporoids survived the Late Devonian extinction and continued to thrive as major reef-builders during the Carboniferous Period. The findings shed light on the resilience and adaptability of marine ecosystems.
Scientists have reconstructed climate information from rocks dating back to the Devonian period, finding significant geological events such as oceanic openings and mountain uplift. The study's findings may help improve the usability of deep geothermal energy.
Scientists have discovered the oldest fossilized forest on Earth, dating back 390 million years, in the Devon and Somerset coast of South West England. The fossils, known as Calamophyton, are a 'prototype' of modern trees, with characteristics such as hollow trunks and twig-like structures.
A new species of ancient air-breathing fish, Harajicadectes zhumini, has been discovered in remote fossil fields west of Alice Springs. The fossil is approximately 380 million years old and features distinctive spiracular structures that facilitate surface air-breathing.
Researchers have long debated the cause of the Late Devonian mass extinction event, with some attributing it to large-scale volcanic eruptions and others to a mass deoxygenation event caused by land plants. A new study now posits that both factors played a role, highlighting the environmental tipping points the planet faces today.
A team of scientists has discovered the oldest evidence of tylosis formation in a 360-million-year-old fossil from Ireland, providing insights into the evolution of plant defenses. The discovery sheds light on how early woody species protected their wood from pathogens and water loss.
The study analyzed fossils of brachiopods and found that some species survived the mass extinction event with conserved niches, while others went extinct. The results suggest a complex interplay between environmental changes and organism responses.
A research team uncovered a specific kill mechanism responsible for several biotic disruptions during the late Devonian Period. The discovery linked sea level changes, climate fluctuations, and ocean chemistry to mass extinctions, with implications for today's oceans affected by global warming.
Researchers from Case Western Reserve University suggest that the length of the prehistoric fish Dunkleosteus terrelli was greatly exaggerated. The study proposes a new method to estimate the size based on the head, which is consistent among living fishes and smaller relatives. According to this method, Dunkleosteus was only 11-13 feet...
Researchers analyzed ancient fossils in South Africa to discover a new predatory fish species from the Late Devonian period, estimated to be around 360 million years old. The species, Hyneria, may have grown up to 2.5m long, making it one of the largest known fish species from this era.
Researchers found evidence of fibrolamellar bone in early tetrapod Whatcheeria, suggesting rapid juvenile growth. This contradicts the long-held assumption that slow growth was ancestral for tetrapods, and instead reveals a more complex life history.
A new study suggests that ray-finned fish diversified earlier than previously thought, accumulating small changes before the Carboniferous period. The fossil specimen Palaeoneiros clackorum shows features typical of younger species, indicating a more complex picture of species diversification.
A study led by Gabriel Filippelli suggests that the evolution of tree roots during the Devonian Period caused massive algae growth, depleting ocean oxygen and triggering mass extinctions. The researchers found that tree roots released excess nutrients into the oceans during times of decay, leading to catastrophic events.
A new study describes Qikiqtania wakei, a close relative of Tiktaalik roseae with features more suited for swimming and life in the water. The fossil includes partial jaws, neck, and scales, as well as a complete pectoral fin with a smooth and curved upper arm.
Researchers used high-resolution micro-CT scans to reveal key features in Palaeospondylus fossils, placing it as an early ancestor of tetrapods. The study resolves long-standing evolutionary mysteries, including the lack of teeth and dermal bones in the fossil record.
A massive volcanic eruption at the end of the Triassic period caused a global cooling effect, leading to the mass extinction. The event paved the way for the rise of dinosaurs as their natural predators went extinct.
A team of researchers has found a 390-million-year-old hyper-facet eye system in trilobites that is unique to the animal kingdom. The discovery suggests that this ancient eye may have been an adaptation for life in low light conditions, and could provide insights into the evolution of visual systems.
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.
Researchers reconstructed the oldest known form of roots in a 407-million-year-old plant fossil, revealing a complex branching system that differed from modern plants. This discovery provides insight into the evolution of early land plants and their impact on the environment.
Scientists have discovered that ancient giant armored fish Titanichthys likely fed on plankton using a continuous ram-feeding technique. This finding contradicts previous assumptions about the species' feeding strategies, and sheds new light on the evolution of suspension-feeding vertebrates.
A 1.57-meter long ancient Elpistostege fish fossil found in Canada has yielded the missing evolutionary link between fish and tetrapods, revealing a humerus (arm), radius, ulna, carpus, and phalanges organized in digits (fingers). The discovery pushes back the origin of digits in vertebrates to the fish level.
A second ancient lungfish has been discovered in Africa, adding to the understanding of evolving aquatic life forms over 400 million years ago. The new genus, Isityumzi mlomomde, was found at high latitudes and represents a significant finding for the study of Western Gondwana.
Researchers have discovered fossils in the Catskill region that suggest the transition to modern forests began earlier than believed, with primitive trees showing extensive root systems dating back 386 million years. The findings point to a complex evolution of forest ecosystems during the Devonian Period.
A newly discovered tetrapod, Parmastega aelidae, provides insight into the earliest stages of evolution from fish to amphibians. The fossil, dating back 372 million years, exhibits fish-like characteristics and may have never left the water.
Researchers have uncovered the oldest fossil forest in Asia, spanning 250,000 square meters and featuring lycopsid trees with branchless trunks. The discovery provides insights into the early evolution of plants and their adaptability to coastal environments.
A new Devonian integrative stratigraphy framework for China has been established, integrating bio-, chronostratigraphy, event stratigraphy, and radioactive isotope ages. The framework provides a high-resolution chronology for the complex ocean-land-atmosphere interactions during the Devonian period.
New fossils from South Africa's Waterloo Farm locality reveal the first African tetrapods lived in Antarctica during the Devonian period. These early vertebrates, named Tutusius and Umzantsia, challenge previous assumptions about tetrapod evolution and terrestrialization.
Hyneria lindae, a 12-foot ancient fish, had a blunt snout, small eyes, and sensory canals to detect pressure waves. Its well-preserved skeleton provides insights into its ecosystem and the evolution of vertebrates during the Devonian Period.
A study published in Geology suggests that major volcanism led to the late Devonian extinction event, marked by a sharp increase in mercury levels in rocks from Morocco, Germany, and northern Russia. The discovery provides new evidence for the role of volcanism in mass extinctions.
Researchers uncover fossil evidence of a novel growth mechanism used by the Earth's first trees, allowing them to achieve large sizes. The study reveals that these early forests played a critical role in shaping global processes.
A rare fossil site in Belgium reveals that ancient placoderms, extinct armored fish, used a common nursery for juvenile development. The site's immature fossils show slow-moving and shallow water conditions ideal for young fish growth.
A newly discovered Chinese fossil, Meemannia, is the oldest known actinopterygian, providing new evidence for the origin of ray-finned fishes. The study reveals that early bony fish had 'cosmine'-like tissues, previously thought to unite lobe-fins and ray-fins, and confirms Meemannia as an early-diverging ray-finned fish.
Dr Robert Gess discovered a 350 million year old fossilized scorpion in the Eastern Cape, named Gondwanascorpio emzantsiensis. This find confirms that land-living invertebrates existed in Gondwana during the Devonian period.
Researchers investigate calving barchan dunes, stress fields on the West Salton detachment fault, and chemical interaction between peridotite and intruding melts. These studies provide insights into geological processes, such as landscape evolution and global climate models.
Researchers discovered that bacteria and algae played a crucial role in the disappearance of coral-stromatoporoid reefs before 370 Ma, leading to insights into modern coral bleaching. This study sheds light on the devastating impact of blooming bacteria and algae on ancient reef ecosystems.
A new study reveals that the Devonian clam fauna experienced fluctuations in species abundance, but its ecological stability remained intact. The research suggests that factors like predation pressure and food web dynamics played a crucial role in maintaining the ecosystem's stability.
Researchers have discovered a new fossil species, Holoptychius bergmanni, in the Canadian Arctic during the Devonian period. The discovery sheds light on the evolutionary transition from finned vertebrates to limbed vertebrates and provides insights into the life of large predatory fish in this ecosystem.
Scientists have discovered a new species of armored fish in north central Pennsylvania, providing insights into evolutionary changes during the Devonian period. The discovery was made possible by a technique used to analyze fossil impressions, which allowed researchers to create a detailed description of the new species.
Researchers found that ammonoids' initial strategy of producing many offspring led to their rapid proliferation after mass extinctions. However, this same strategy may have contributed to their demise at the end of the Cretaceous period.
A new species of ancient predatory fish, Laccognathus embryi, has been discovered in North America during the Devonian Period. The 5-6 foot long fish had a wide head, small eyes, and robust jaws lined with large piercing teeth.
A mass extinction of fish 360 million years ago led to the demise of dominant species and created a new world. The Hangenberg event marked a critical shift in vertebrate diversity, with few surviving species giving rise to modern vertebrates, including humans.
A recent study resolves a long-standing mystery surrounding the giant fossil Prototaxites. Researchers propose that these ancient organisms were mixotrophic liverworts associated with fungi and cyanobacteria. The findings support previous hypotheses that microbial associations and mixotrophy are ancient plant traits.
Scientists at the University of Chicago have reclassified Prototaxites as a giant fungus, based on new evidence and chemical analysis. The fungus is believed to have stood up to 20 feet tall and thrived on land during the Silurian and Devonian periods.
A three-year project led by geologist Brandon Nuttall found that the deeper parts of Devonian black shales in Kentucky could store up to 28 billion tons of injected CO2. The analysis of 43 shale samples from recent drilled wells indicates that the area alone could sequester 6.2 billion tons of CO2.