2024-01-12 02:46:07
It is a tiny thing, smaller than a fingernail, but of great importance to the scientific community. An international team of researchers has made an unprecedented find: a fragment of fossilized skin from a Paleozoic reptile, which turns out to be 21 million years older than any other skin fossil known to date. This discovery, published in the journal Current Biology, provides a unique insight into the evolution of reptiles and their adaptation to life on land.
A look at the past
The fossil, found in the Richards Spur limestone cave system in Oklahoma, represents the oldest preserved piece of epidermis. According to Ethan Mooney, from the University of Toronto and first author of the study, this discovery is an exceptional opportunity to better understand these pioneer animals. The epidermis was a crucial adaptation in the transition of reptiles, birds and mammals to life on land.
Researchers believe the unique preservation of this fossil is due to the special conditions of the cave system, which included fine clay sediments and oil seeps, creating an environment likely devoid of oxygen. This combination of factors contributed to delaying the decomposition process and allowed the exceptional preservation of the skin.
Unique features revealed under the microscope
Despite its tiny size, microscopic analysis of the sample revealed epidermal tissues typical of amniotes, a group of terrestrial vertebrates that includes reptiles, birds and mammals. This fossil shares traits with both ancient and modern reptiles, including a grainy surface similar to crocodile skin and skin structures similar to those of snakes and lizards.
However, because the skin fossil is not associated with a skeleton, the exact species it belonged to remains a mystery. This finding demonstrates the durability and importance of these structures for survival in terrestrial environments.
This discovery is significant not only because of its age, but also because of what it reveals regarding the evolution of terrestrial vertebrates. The researchers suggest that this skin might represent the ancestral skin structure of early amniotes, a key element in the evolution of feathers in birds and hair follicles in mammals.
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