Scientists identify 248 million-year-old lizard-like creature that survived what dinosaurs couldn't
Reconstruction of Arenaerpeton supinatus
Decades after a retired chicken farmer found curious bones in Australia's New South Wales, scientists have identified the remains as those belonging to an almost 250 million-year-old lizard-like species. With this, the mystery which has captivated scientists for years has finally come to an end.
A head-scratching mystery
The amazing discovery, as per experts, may "rewrite the evolution of amphibians in Australia," and prove that the nation was a "great place for animals to evolve and find refuge after mass extinctions".
As per a BBC report, scientists estimate that the "new" species of amphibians roamed Australia some 247 million years ago.
Based on the nearly complete skeleton, scientists estimate that the amphibian was approximately 1.5 metres (around 5 feet) long and had a salamander-shaped body.
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The remarkable lizard-like amphibian is said to have survived not just one, but two mass-extinction events. It is part of the Temnospondyli family — which refers to resilient amphibians that survived two of the earth's five mass extinction event; including a series of volcanic eruptions that wiped off about 70-80 per cent of all dinosaurs around 66 million years ago.
As per experts, the amphibian which has been named Arenaepeton supinatus, latin for "sand creeper on its back" once lived in the freshwater lakes and streams of Sydney.
Lachlan Hart - the palaeontologist who ultimately decoded the petrified remains and identified the fossil, says that the find is remarkable, and shows that "Australia was a great place for animals to evolve and find refuge after mass extinctions."
Till date, only three fossils capturing the Temnospondyli species have been successfully identified in Australia.
Where was the fossil found?
As per BBC, the find was serendipity. The farmer, Mihail Mihaildis, was attempting to fix a broken garden wall at his home in Umina, a suburb located around 86 kilometres from Sydney.
For this, he purchased a 1.6 tonne sandstone slab in which he ultimately found the immortalised outline of an unknown creature, this remarkable amphibian of the species Arenaepeton supinatus.The extraordinary find soon goes on full-time display at the Australian Museum.
(With inputs from agencies)
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