After 130 Years, Fish-Like Fossil Finally Recognized as Earth's Earliest Crawlers

For the first time since its discovery 130 years ago, one of the most enigmatic fossil vertebrates has been identified, expanding our understanding of the Earth's earliest crawlers.

"Since its discovery in 1890, this unique species has perplexed scientists as an unsolvable enigma," said Dr. Daisy (Yuzhi) Hu, a researcher and Ph.D. graduate from The Australian National University (ANU).

Palaeospondylus Gunni

Palaeospondylus gunni is a curious fish-like fossil animal with a peculiar morphological profile, including the absence of teeth and dermal bones in the fossil record.

Around 390 million years ago, a little mammal with an eel-like body thrived. Despite its antiquity, its evolutionary position has remained unknown until now.

According to research headed by the University of Tokyo in collaboration with ANU and the RIKEN Evolutionary Morphology Laboratory, the species was likely one of the oldest progenitors of four-limbed creatures.

"For biologists, morphological comparisons of this species have always been incredibly difficult," Dr. Hu remarked.

"However, recent advances in high-resolution 3D segmentation and visualization have enabled this hitherto difficult feat."

"Finding a specimen as perfectly preserved as the ones we utilized is like hitting the jackpot, or even better!"

Placing this fossil on the evolutionary tree has always been difficult due to previously damaged or poorly preserved specimens of the animal.

Palaeospondylus was most likely a member of the Sarcopterygii family of lobe-finned fishes, according to the researchers, because of its cartilaginous skeleton and lack of paired appendages.

"Despite the examination, it's still difficult to pinpoint exactly what the animal was," Dr. Hu stated.

Scientists may be able to uncover previously undiscovered morphological traits and the evolutionary history of four-limbed animals due to the new results.

"Even with this new knowledge, long-term research, including the collaboration of experts worldwide, is required to provide us with the definitive answer to what Palaeospondylus gunni is."

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Studying Prehistoric Animals

Before humans could read or write, prehistoric creatures lived more than 5,000 years ago. Some of them resembled the creatures that we see today. On the other hand, others were considerably different from those who today dwell on our planet. Among them were giant dinosaurs with wingspans of up to 40 meters and large flying reptiles with wingspans of up to 12 meters.

By analyzing fossils, scientists have learned a lot about these prehistoric creatures. They are traces of life found inside an ancient rock. Shells, bones, and animal trails are all possibilities. The fossils are extracted from the rock and studied by scientists. This allows them to determine where, when, and how the animals lived.

Fossils

Fossils provide valuable information on the evolution of life on Earth. They may educate us about the origins of life and humanity, how the Earth and its environment have evolved through geological time and how continents that are currently separated were once linked.

Fossils are crucial for understanding evolution and how plants and animals adapt to their surroundings. Fossil data shows how organisms developed and how this process may be represented as a 'tree of life,' demonstrating that all species are connected.