The Press Stories
Title: Ancient Crocodile-Like Skin Unearthed in Oklahoma Cave Provides Clues to Evolutionary History
Researchers at an Oklahoma quarry and cave system called Richards Spur have stumbled upon an extraordinary discovery – the fossilized skin of an ancient creature believed to be the oldest on record. Dated to at least 286 million years old, this crocodile-like skin is expected to offer invaluable insights into the evolutionary journey of animals transitioning from water to land.
Published in the prestigious scientific journal Current Biology, the finding could revolutionize our understanding of ancient land animals and what their skin may have looked like. The fossil, a 3D cast with some fossilized tissue attached, was found in an ancient, infilled cave deep below the surface.
The team behind the discovery is confident that the animals fell into the cave system and were preserved by oil and tar, leading to the remarkable state of conservation. Notably, scientists consider the finding of preserved skin from the Paleozoic era to be rare and significant.
While the ancient skin was discovered at a site teeming with fossils of lizard-like creatures, it was not associated with any specific skeleton. Despite this, experts are optimistic that the ancient skin could provide valuable answers regarding the split between reptiles and mammals in evolutionary history.
Moreover, researchers hypothesize that reptile-like skin was a feature of the common ancestor of both reptiles and mammals. With this discovery, they hope to fill the gaps in our knowledge and gain a better understanding of our evolutionary roots.
The significance of this finding lies beyond the fossil itself. Experts believe that the Richards Spur quarry and cave system may hold more important discoveries in the future, unlocking further insights into the mysterious past of life on Earth.
This latest discovery adds another chapter to the ever-growing body of knowledge on Earth’s ancient creatures. As scientists continue to unearth extraordinary fossil finds, they bring us closer to solving the mysteries of our ancestors and shedding light on the fascinating journey that led to the diversity of life we see today.
