ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Environment → Animals

Treasure trove of Permian fossils discovered in Brazil

The fossils were discovered in the Parnaiba Basin of north-eastern Brazil, and are some 278 million years old, corresponding to the Permian period, when all the continents we know today were still fused together.

Alexandru MicubyAlexandru Micu
November 6, 2015
in Animals, Archaeology, Fossil Friday, Geology, History, News, Science
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

An international team of archaeologists unearthed a treasure trove of reptile and amphibian fossils in the Parnaiba Basin of north-eastern Brazil. The fossils are some 278 million years old, corresponding to the Permian period, when all the continents we know today were still fused together.

This illustration shows the two new amphibian species, T. anneae (left) and P. nazariensis (right), with one of the larger “rhinesuchidae” lurking in the background.
Image via bbc

Among the findings were two new species of “dvinosaurs,” ancient relatives of modern salamanders measuring about 40 centimeters in length, with preserved fangs and gills. South America’s oldest ever terrestrial reptile skeleton was also retrieved from the site.

Very little is currently known of the fauna and flora of the southern tropical regions of Pangaea during the Permian. Fossil finds for this period are exceedingly rare, and researchers are anxious to fill the gaps in the evolutionary history of the area. But it may be that this last fossil — of a lizard-like creature named Captorhinus aguti — that may be the crowning jewel of the site:

Previously only found in North America, discovering C. aguti here allows scientists to better understand the Permian era — up to now, it was described predominantly by North American and European fossils.

“This discovery is remarkable as most of what we understand about the evolution and adaptation of amphibians through time is based on animals located in Europe and North America,” said Dr Martha Richter from the Natural History Museum in London.

“Now that we know that their distant relatives inhabited a vast lake system in the tropical region of the super continent Pangaea… we can find out more about their abundance, paleontology, and how wide their distribution away from the equator was,” she concluded.

The researchers described one of the newly found fang-and-gill amphibian, dubbed Timona anneae, as being like a cross between a Mexican salamander and an eel.The other amphibian, Procuhy nazariensis, was probably closely related to it but fewer bones have been found and its anatomy remains unclear.

Both species appear to have spent their entire lives in the water.

The team also recovered skull remains belonging to another, much larger amphibian, part of the rhinesuchidae family described up to now in South African fossils. The animal was about as big as a medium-sized dog, scientist report.

RelatedPosts

Sprawling termite complex from Brazil is visible from space — and 4,000 years old
Burning in the Amazon is already reaching the record levels seen in 2019
Giant 160-million-year-old tadpole sheds new light on frog evolution
Brazil now has the second-highest number of coronavirus cases
The skull of Timonya anneae is just a few centimetres across.
Imaeg via bbc

This variety of fossils help researchers get an idea of how prehistoric animals dispersed and evolved.

“Fossils from classic areas in North America and Europe have been studied for over a century, but there are long-standing questions about how different animal groups dispersed to other areas,” said another of the paper’s authors, Dr Ken Angielczyk from the Field Museum in Chicago, US.

“Exploration in understudied areas, such as north-eastern Brazil, gives us a snapshot of life elsewhere that we can use for comparisons. In turn, we can see which animals were dispersing into new areas, particularly as an ice age was ending in the southern continents and environmental conditions were becoming more favorable for reptiles and amphibians.”

Tags: brazilfossilspermian

ShareTweetShare
Alexandru Micu

Alexandru Micu

Stunningly charming pun connoisseur, I have been fascinated by the world around me since I first laid eyes on it. Always curious, I'm just having a little fun with some very serious science.

Related Posts

Geology

A Romanian grandma used a strange rock as a doorstop for decades. It turned out to be a million-dollar relic from the age of dinosaurs

byTudor Tarita
1 month ago
Anthropology

A Population Collapse 110,000 Years Ago May Have Doomed The Neanderthals

byTudor Tarita
2 months ago
GeoPicture

From Wood to Rock: The Fascinating Process of Petrified Wood

byMihai Andrei
6 months ago
Biology

Giant 160-million-year-old tadpole sheds new light on frog evolution

byMihai Andrei
6 months ago

Recent news

CERN Creates Gold from Lead and There’s No Magic, Just Physics

May 9, 2025

A New AI Tool Can Recreate Your Face Using Nothing But Your DNA

May 9, 2025

How Some Flowers Evolved the Grossest Stench — and Why Flies Love It

May 9, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.