A remarkable discovery has surfaced from the fossil fields west of Alice Springs in Australia's 'Red Centre'—the remains of a sleek predatory lobe-finned fish named Harajicadectes zhumini. Dr. Brian Choo, a paleontologist from Flinders University, spearheaded the international team that unveiled this ancient fish.
Named after the Harajica Sandstone Member and the Greek word for "biter," this fish boasts large fangs and bony scales, symbolizing its predatory nature. The moniker also honors Professor Min Zhu of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who has made significant contributions to early vertebrate research.
Harajicadectes stands out for its large openings on the top of its skull, believed to aid in surface air-breathing—a trait observed in modern-day African bichir fish. Dr. Choo, who examined the most complete specimen measuring about 40cm, highlights the significance of this feature across various Tetrapodomorph lineages during the Middle-Late Devonian period.
The synchronized appearance of air-breathing adaptations among these ancient fish might coincide with a time of reduced atmospheric oxygen during the mid-Devonian era, suggests Professor John Long, a coauthor of the discovery. This adaptation likely conferred an evolutionary advantage, supplementing gill respiration with aerial oxygen.
The journey to unveil Harajicadectes has been a culmination of 50 years of exploration and research. Fragmentary specimens first discovered by ANU Professor Gavin Young in 1973 were further investigated, leading to the unearthing of more fossils in 1991. However, it was the 2016 expedition by Flinders University that unearthed an almost complete specimen, shedding light on the mysterious fish.
This discovery challenges our understanding of early vertebrate evolution and offers a glimpse into the ancient rivers that once flowed across Australia's arid interior. The findings, published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, mark a significant milestone in paleontological research, opening new avenues for exploration and understanding of our prehistoric past.
what is a tetrapod
how do paleontologists know how old fossils are
what are coprolites
fossils that are most useful for correlation tend to be
what do scientists need to look at before developing an argument?
what name did wegener give to the single large landmass composed of all continents? eurasia gondwanaland laurasia pangaea
what are the practical uses of paleontology
on which continent were fossils of both glossopteris and lystrosaurus discovered? australia south america antarctica north america
lystrosaurus provided which type of evidence supporting continental drift? land features fossil evidence glacial evidence climate change evidence
which is a way that paleontologists have contributed to humans' understanding of the history of life?
which sources would preserve the soft tissues of an early mammal? check all that apply. amber in russia frozen soil in the arctic shale in virginia sandstone in the badlands foraminifera in the ocean ice sheets in greenland
what is the name of the theory that explains why mountain ranges in africa and south america line up? pangaea theory landmass theory continental drift theory plate movement theory
the type of dating that involves testing an actual fossil, or the layers above and below it, and assigning an age to the fossil in relation to the present is called ______ dating.
what character links chordates with their sister group the echinoderms?
the fossil record shows that the average size of black bears was large during cold glacial periods and got smaller during warmer time periods. what is this an example of?
which factors affect natural selection?
recall what you learned about the state of virginia. choose the statements that describe the paleontology of the state. check all that apply.
which statement indicates what the fossil record suggests about evolution on earth?
study the timeline. which statement indicates what the fossil record suggests about evolution on earth? humans have only recently existed on earth. organisms originally lived only on land. life on earth started before water formed on earth. multicellular life evolved before complex single-celled life.
tetrapods definition
what is most likely to happen to a population of mice that becomes isolated on an island?
fossils that are most useful for correlation
if the half-life of carbon-14 is about 5,730 years, then a fossil that has 1/16th the normal proportion of carbon-14 to carbon-12 should be about how many years old?
how are adaptations beneficial to organisms?