Queensland Museum scientists describe the 400-million-year-old fossil Palaeospondylus australis, possibly the smallest vertebrate fossil from Queensland.
Scientists at Queensland Museum have uncovered a 400-million-year-old vertebrate fossil, which could be the smallest of its kind ever found in Queensland.
Now, the discovery of an older species, Palaeospondylus australis, from Early Devonian rocks in Australia sheds new light on this ancient genus.First described in 1890, Palaeospondylus gunni was characterized by a lack of teeth and dermal bones in its fossilized remains. Until recently, this species was the only known representative of the genus. Its fossils, however, are highly compressed, making detailed analysis difficult.
What makes this discovery particularly exciting is the connection between P. australis and the Scottish P. gunni. Despite being separated by continents and millions of years, these species share a common lineage, hinting at a global distribution during the Devonian period.suggests that Palaeospondylus australis holds significant clues about early vertebrate evolution.
The preserved braincase of P. australis, first identified in 2010, has provided critical new evidence about the creature’s neurocranial features. This has prompted paleontologists to reassess its evolutionary placement.
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