Researchers have identified a new species of amphibian that thrived in Australia around 247 million years ago, the BBC reported. The finding ends a mysterious mystery that has captivated the scientific community since the 1990s. The remains of this creature were discovered as fossilized remains by a former poultry farmer in New South Wales. Fewer than 10 fossils of this lizard-like species have been identified worldwide.
Experts say the discovery could potentially revolutionize the understanding of amphibian evolution in Australia.
The extraordinary fossil was discovered by Mihail Mihaildis almost three decades ago in Umina, located about 90 minutes’ drive north of Sydney. It was found when Mr. Mihaildis was repairing a broken garden wall at his residence. He retrieved a 1.6-ton sandstone slab to repair the wall, and as he cut through the outer layers of the stone, the preserved outline of an unknown creature emerged.
After this remarkable discovery, Mr Mihaildis approached the Australian Museum in Sydney and in 1997 handed over the fossil for further investigation.
Lachlan Hart, the paleontologist who eventually deciphered the fossilized remains, first encountered her during his childhood in a climate-controlled exhibit area at the museum.
“I was obsessed with dinosaurs … so I was 12 years old when I saw that fossil on display in 1997. And 25 years later it became part of my PhD, which is crazy,” Hart said. BBC.
Mr Hart attributed his team’s recovery of the fossil to a “lucky accident”. The team researched life during Australia’s Triassic era, approximately 250 million years ago.
The fossil impression includes an “almost complete skeleton”, something that is extremely rare, Mr Hart said.
“It has an attached head and body and the fossilization of the creature’s skin and fatty tissues around the outside of the body – all of this makes it a really rare find,” he told the paper.
Scientists said the carnivorous amphibian inhabited freshwater lakes and streams around Sydney. This specific species belongs to the Temnospondyli family, a group of hardy amphibians that survived two of the planet’s five major extinction events, including a series of volcanic eruptions that killed 70-80 percent of all dinosaurs 66 million years ago.
