<p>Scientists have recently discovered a new species of an extinct land snail called Ferussina.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The specimen was found in Hațeg Basin, Romania and is believed to have lived about 72 million years ago&nbsp;during the Maastrichtian age of the Late Cretaceous epoch.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The newly-described species, Ferussina petofiana, belonged to a small genus of land snails that existed during the Paleogene period and is currently classified in its own family, Ferussinidae, in the superfamily Cyclophoroidea.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to Dr Barna Páll-Gergely from the HUN-REN Centre for Agricultural Research, “Ferussina was until now recorded only from Paleogene (Middle Eocene to Upper Oligocene and maybe to Upper Miocene) deposits of Western Europe (France, Germany, Switzerland, northern Italy).”</p>

<p>“The new species is the oldest, as well as the easternmost representative of its genus,” he was quoted as saying by Sci.News.</p>

<p>The size of its shell was around 10.8 mm in diameter and 4.4 mm in height.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“The shell is depressed with flat base, domed dorsal surface, and rounded or slightly shouldered body whorl,” the palaeontologist said.</p>

<p>This species is known only from a single specimen found in the Densuș-Ciula Formation in Romania.</p>

<p>Dr Barna’s colleagues added that uppermost Cretaceous deposits discovered from western Romania “are primarily known for their fossil vertebrate fauna, which includes dwarf dinosaurs first described more than a century ago, although rare invertebrates and plants have also been reported from them.”</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-devise-way-to-convert-toxic-cigarette-butts-into-green-fuel-673690"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;Scientists devise way to convert toxic cigarette butts into green fuel</strong></a></p>

<p>The discovery of the new snail species adds to the brief list of European groups that appear to have survived the end-Cretaceous mass extinction event.</p>

<p>According to the researchers, “The occurrence of Ferussina in layers of Maastrichtian age, represents a minimum chronostratigraphic range extension of about 23 million years for this genus.”</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;New evidence suggests size of the Sun could be smaller</strong></p>

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<p>“The most important implication of the discovery of Ferussina petofiana in the uppermost Cretaceous of Hațeg Basin is that the resulting extended chronostratigraphic range of the genus (and that of its parent subfamily, Ferussininae) crosses the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary which coincides with one of the most devastating mass extinctions of the Phanerozoic,” the authors noted in a detailed study published in the journal Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Scientists have recently discovered a new species of an extinct land snail called Ferussina. The specimen was found in Hațeg Basin, Romania and is believed to have lived about 72 million years ago during the Maastrichtian age of the Late Cretaceous epoch.

Scientists have recently discovered a new species of an extinct land snail called Ferussina. The specimen was found in Hațeg Basin, Romania and is believed to have lived about 72 million years ago during the Maastrichtian age of the Late Cretaceous epoch. The newly-described species, Ferussina petofiana, belonged to a small genus of land snails that existed during the Paleogene period and is currently classified in its own family, Ferussinidae, in the superfamily Cyclophoroidea. According to Dr Barna Páll-Gergely from the HUN-REN Centre for Agricultural Research, “Ferussina was until now recorded only from Paleogene (Middle Eocene to Upper Oligocene and maybe to Upper Miocene) deposits of Western Europe (France, Germany, Switzerland, northern Italy).” “The new species is the oldest, as well as the easternmost representative of its genus,” he was quoted as saying by Sci.News. The size of its shell was around 10.8 mm in diameter and 4.4 mm in height. “The shell is depressed with flat base, domed dorsal surface, and rounded or slightly shouldered body whorl,” the palaeontologist said. This species is known only from a single specimen found in the Densuș-Ciula Formation in Romania. Dr Barna’s colleagues added that uppermost Cretaceous deposits discovered from western Romania “are primarily known for their fossil vertebrate fauna, which includes dwarf dinosaurs first described more than a century ago, although rare invertebrates and plants have also been reported from them.” Also read: Scientists devise way to convert toxic cigarette butts into green fuel The discovery of the new snail species adds to the brief list of European groups that appear to have survived the end-Cretaceous mass extinction event. According to the researchers, “The occurrence of Ferussina in layers of Maastrichtian age, represents a minimum chronostratigraphic range extension of about 23 million years for this genus.” Watch: New evidence suggests size of the Sun could be smaller × “The most important implication of the discovery of Ferussina petofiana in the uppermost Cretaceous of Hațeg Basin is that the resulting extended chronostratigraphic range of the genus (and that of its parent subfamily, Ferussininae) crosses the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary which coincides with one of the most devastating mass extinctions of the Phanerozoic,” the authors noted in a detailed study published in the journal Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae. (With inputs from agencies)

A snail species survived the mass extinction event which killed the dinosaurs

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A snail species survived the mass extinction event which killed the dinosaurs