An international team of researchers finally found a fossilised skeleton of a giant basal tetrapod in the arid region of Namibia after three years of research.

Basal tetrapods were four-legged vertebrates which existed when the predators made the crucial transition from water to land.&nbsp;

The researchers have now found the three-metre-long skeleton in the Ugab River valley which is the largest one ever discovered. Its discovery has also jeopardised the theory that early vertebrates existed only in the northern hemisphere.&nbsp;

The skeleton's discovery gave scientists insight into the terrestrial animals' early evolution.

<h2>A nearly complete skeleton leaves scientists amazed</h2>

The team was surveying the rugged terrain during the fieldwork in Namibia when they made the significant discovery.&nbsp;

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/black-hole-of-palaeontology-dinosaur-that-burrowed-and-lived-underground-discovered-739519">&nbsp;'Black hole of palaeontology': Dinosaur that burrowed and lived underground discovered</a>

In a statement, study co-author Roger Smith said, "The nearly complete skeleton was preserved in mudstone from an ancient freshwater lake. As the soft tissue decomposed, gasses formed that caused calcium carbonate to crystallize around the bones, creating a hard crust that protected them from being crushed as they were buried deeper."

Meanwhile, Iziko Museum's skilled fossil technician, Sibusiso Mtungata, remembered how the discovery was made.&nbsp;

“We had found isolated vertebrae of something big, so we were looking for a more complete&nbsp;skeleton. I came across two round cylinders of rock with bone in the middle, which fitted together – and then a third. I called Roger over to help me find more, and as we walked upslope, he spotted a large flat rock, which he recognised as the head," said Mtungata.

He added, “When we looked along the edge and saw rows of teeth, we knew we had finally found what we had been searching for – a nearly complete skull and skeleton!"

<h2>Basal tetrapod with large interlocking fangs&nbsp;</h2>

Palaeontologist at the&nbsp;University of Buenos Aires, Argentina and lead author Claudia Marsicano said that she knew it was different from other species.

“As soon as I saw this enormous animal, I knew it was a different species. There is no record of giant basal tetrapods during the Carboniferous-Permian transition (approximately 299 million years ago) anywhere in the world, and certainly none from the southern continents that made up Gondwana," Marsicano said.

Watch:&nbsp;South African government to ban captive breeding of Lions

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/south-african-government-to-ban-captive-breeding-of-lions-740291/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

“What caught my attention next was the structure of the front part of the skull, which was sticking out of the ground. It showed unusually large interlocking fangs," she added.

The scientists suggested that it was an ambush predator who was feeding on fish which lived in the same lake.

(With inputs from agencies)

An international team of researchers finally found a fossilised skeleton of a giant basal tetrapod in the arid region of Namibia after three years of research. Basal tetrapods were four-legged vertebrates which existed when the predators made the crucial transition from water to land.

An international team of researchers finally found a fossilised skeleton of a giant basal tetrapod in the arid region of Namibia after three years of research. Basal tetrapods were four-legged vertebrates which existed when the predators made the crucial transition from water to land. The researchers have now found the three-metre-long skeleton in the Ugab River valley which is the largest one ever discovered. Its discovery has also jeopardised the theory that early vertebrates existed only in the northern hemisphere. The skeleton's discovery gave scientists insight into the terrestrial animals' early evolution. A nearly complete skeleton leaves scientists amazed The team was surveying the rugged terrain during the fieldwork in Namibia when they made the significant discovery. Also Read: 'Black hole of palaeontology': Dinosaur that burrowed and lived underground discovered In a statement, study co-author Roger Smith said, "The nearly complete skeleton was preserved in mudstone from an ancient freshwater lake. As the soft tissue decomposed, gasses formed that caused calcium carbonate to crystallize around the bones, creating a hard crust that protected them from being crushed as they were buried deeper." Meanwhile, Iziko Museum's skilled fossil technician, Sibusiso Mtungata, remembered how the discovery was made. “We had found isolated vertebrae of something big, so we were looking for a more complete skeleton. I came across two round cylinders of rock with bone in the middle, which fitted together – and then a third. I called Roger over to help me find more, and as we walked upslope, he spotted a large flat rock, which he recognised as the head," said Mtungata. He added, “When we looked along the edge and saw rows of teeth, we knew we had finally found what we had been searching for – a nearly complete skull and skeleton!" Basal tetrapod with large interlocking fangs Palaeontologist at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina and lead author Claudia Marsicano said that she knew it was different from other species. “As soon as I saw this enormous animal, I knew it was a different species. There is no record of giant basal tetrapods during the Carboniferous-Permian transition (approximately 299 million years ago) anywhere in the world, and certainly none from the southern continents that made up Gondwana," Marsicano said. Watch: South African government to ban captive breeding of Lions “What caught my attention next was the structure of the front part of the skull, which was sticking out of the ground. It showed unusually large interlocking fangs," she added. The scientists suggested that it was an ambush predator who was feeding on fish which lived in the same lake. (With inputs from agencies)

Researchers discover fossilised giant predator which once survived on water and land in Namibia

The latest research suggests that fossilised remains of humanity's oldest ancestors are one million years older than scientists had originally thought. In the past, Australopithecus fossils have been found at Sterkfontein caves at the Cradle of Humankind world heritage site southwest of Johannesburg.

The latest research suggests that fossilised remains of humanity's oldest ancestors are one million years older than scientists had originally thought. In the past, Australopithecus fossils have been found at Sterkfontein caves at the Cradle of Humankind world heritage site southwest of Johannesburg. The site had more Australopithecus fossils than any other site in the world. The most famous one, "Mrs Ples", was among them. Mrs Ples is the popular nickname for the most complete skull of an Australopithecus africanus ever found in South Africa in 1947. ALSO READ | Scientists develop AI that can gauge distress signals of baby chickens Previously, experts estimated that Mrs Ples and other fossils found at a similar depth of the cave were between 2.1 and 2.6 million years old. Now the previous measurements appear to be untrue. As per the new radioactive dating techniques, Mrs Ples, and the others discovered around her, are actually one million years older than thought. In the latest study, French scientist Laurent Bruxelles, noted that the "chronologically that didn't fit". Bruxelles is one of the authors of a study published Monday in the PNAS science journal. He told the news agency AFP, "It was bizarre to see some Australopithecus lasting for such a long time." ALSO READ | Research tells how online searches can predict cases of domestic violence Modern testing methods now suggest the group of early humans roamed the earth between 3.4 and 3.7 million years ago. Possibly, they walked the Earth around the same time as their East African relatives like the famous "Lucy". Around 2.2 million years ago the Homo habilis was already roaming the region. But there were no signs of Homo habilis at the depth of the cave where Mrs Ples was found. Homo habilis, is the earliest species of the Homo genus that includes Homo sapiens. (Wih inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Fossilised remains of humanity's oldest ancestors one million years older than thought

fossilised-remain

Fossilised Remain, News on Fossilised Remain, stories on Fossilised Remain, articles on Fossilised Remain, Fossilised Remain stories at Wion, Fossilised Remain news, Fossilised Remain latest news