. | . |
Long-ignored ichthyosaur determined to be new species by Brooks Hays Washington (UPI) Oct 10, 2017 Fresh analysis of a long-ignored ichthyosaur -- relegated to museum storage closets for decades -- revealed the fossil specimens to represent a new species. The ichthyosaur, a dolphin-like marine reptile, was originally discovered in 1979 by British palaeontologist Robert Appleby, who named the new species Protoichthyosaurus. But Appleby's peers dismissed his discovery, suggesting the species was identical to a common ichthyosaur named Ichthyosaurus. When a team of paleontologists from England and the United States took a fresh look at Ichthyosaurus and Protoichthyosaurus, they found several differences, including the number of bones in front fin. The two species likely used their fin differently while swimming. Researchers also discovered differences in the two species' skull structures. When researchers surveyed Protoichthyosaurus specimens, they realized they'd not only confirmed the species' uniqueness, but had also revealed a bit of scientific forgery. Several Protoichthyosaurus specimens featured an isolated fore fin from Protoichthyosaurus specimens, attached to make the skeletons look more complete. The fake fins distracted from and disguised actual differences between the two types of ichthyosaur. Thus, Appleby's fakery may be responsible for the dismissal of his discovery. "In some instances, an isolated fin of an Ichthyosaurus had been added to a Protoichthyosaurus skeleton to make it appear more complete, which led to the genuine differences being missed," Dean Lomax, a researcher at the University of Manchester, said in a news release. "This has been a major problem because it stopped science from progressing." Researchers described their discovery in a new paper published this week in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. During their survey of museum collections, researchers teamed up with Rashmi Mistry, an undergraduate student at the University of Reading, who had been studying an unusually small ichthyosaur. "Whilst doing my dissertation in 2016, I studied several ichthyosaurs in the collections, including a very small skeleton," Rashmi said. "It had an unusual forefin that matched Protoichthyosaurus, which I understood to be a widely unrecognized genus. However, when I contacted Dean, he was very excited. He told me that this little skeleton is the only known small juvenile Protoichthyosaurus." Their survey ultimately turned up 20 Protoichthyosaurus specimens. The Jurassic era specimens were dated between 190 million and 200 million years old. The survey also turned up a third species, Protoichthyosaurus applebyi, with a unique skull and humerus.
Hamilton, Canada (SPX) Oct 05, 2017 Life on Earth began somewhere between 3.7 and 4.5 billion years ago, after meteorites splashed down and leached essential elements into warm little ponds, say scientists at McMaster University and the Max Planck Institute in Germany. Their calculations suggest that wet and dry cycles bonded basic molecular building blocks in the ponds' nutrient-rich broth into self-replicating RNA molecules that ... read more Related Links Explore The Early Earth at TerraDaily.com
|
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us. |