Tag

Gondwana

All articles tagged with #gondwana

science18 days ago•47 min saved

Discovery of 20-meter Brazilian sauropod hints at an ancient Europe-to-South America highway

A new long-necked sauropod, Dasosaurus tocantinensis, from Maranhão, Brazil, dating to about 120 million years ago, was found eight meters underground at a construction site; at roughly 20 meters long, it is the largest known Brazilian dinosaur from the region and is closest to a Spanish species, Garumbatitan morellensis, implying a European lineage that dispersed to South America via Africa around 140–120 million years ago and suggesting earlier intercontinental faunal exchange; the discovery expands northeastern Brazil’s dinosaur record and highlights construction sites as windows into ancient ecosystems, though dating uncertainties remain and researchers plan further excavations with the site owner.

via Yahoo|

#dasosaurus-tocantinensis #europe-to-south-america-dispersal #gondwana

science28 days ago•6 min saved

Morocco Titanosaur Hints at Ancient Dinosaur Highways Across Seas

A newly identified Moroccan titanosaur, Phosphatotitan khouribgaensis, dating to about 70 million years ago, bears surprising similarities to South American Lognkosauria, implying ancient intercontinental links or dispersal routes and highlighting a previously overlooked, endemic North African dinosaur fauna shaped by island-like sea barriers.

via Indian Defence Review|

#dinosaurs #gondwana #morocco

science-paleontology1 month ago•9 min saved

Twisted-Jaw Tetrapod from Gondwana Illuminates Early Plant-Eating Life

Researchers describe Tanyka amnicola, a 275-million-year-old stem tetrapod known from seven to nine jawbones found in Brazil’s Pedra de Fogo Formation. The jaws are twisted with outward-facing teeth and a denticle-covered inner surface, indicating a grinding mechanism for plant matter and suggesting early herbivory among stem tetrapods. The discovery places this “living fossil” in Gondwana’s Permian ecosystems and helps fill gaps in the fossil record, though the full skeleton remains unknown and may have measured up to about 0.9 meters in length.

via SciTechDaily|

#gondwana #jaw-morphology #paleontology

science4 months ago•20 min saved

Antarctica's Hidden 34-Million-Year Landscape Revealed by Satellite

Canada’s RADARSAT satellite surfaced a buried, 34-million-year-old landscape under East Antarctica’s ice, including an ancient riverbed and forested terrain preserved before glaciation, offering new clues on Earth’s past climates and how ice sheets may respond to warming and sea‑level rise.

via Diario AS|

#antarctica #climate-change #geology

science5 months ago•3 min saved

Revolutionary Fossil Challenges Evolutionary History

The discovery of the fossil Telmatomyia talbragarica in Australia challenges previous beliefs that certain freshwater midges originated in Laurasia, suggesting instead a Gondwanan origin and providing new insights into insect evolution and the breakup of Gondwana.

via Indian Defence Review|

#biogeography #evolution #fossil

paleontology6 months ago•35 min saved

New Filter-Feeding Pterosaur Discovered in Santana Group

A new filter-feeding pterosaur species, Bakiribu waridza, has been discovered in the Santana Group of Northeast Brazil, representing the first archaeopterodactyloid from this formation and providing insights into the evolution and paleobiogeography of ctenochasmatids in Gondwana. The specimen, preserved as a regurgitalite, exhibits unique dental features, including dense, elongated, and subquadrangular teeth, and suggests a complex trophic interaction involving likely predation by spinosaurid dinosaurs.

via Nature|

#cretaceous #filter-feeding #gondwana

science7 months ago•2 min saved

Ecuador Amber Unveils 112-Million-Year-Old Insect Fossils

Scientists discovered 112-million-year-old amber in Ecuador containing well-preserved insects and plant fossils, offering new insights into the prehistoric ecosystems of Gondwana and filling a significant gap in Southern Hemisphere paleontology.

via ScienceDaily|

#amber #ecuador #fossil-insects

science7 months ago•4 min saved

112-Million-Year-Old Insects Unveiled in Ecuadorian Amber

Scientists discovered 112-million-year-old insects and plant material preserved in amber from Ecuador, providing valuable insights into Gondwana's Cretaceous ecosystem and the biodiversity of the southern Hemisphere during that period.

via Indian Defence Review|

#amber #cretaceous #ecuador

science11 months ago•5 min saved

Ancient Dinosaur Footprints Across the Atlantic Confirm Connection

Fossilized dinosaur footprints found in Cameroon and Brazil, dating to about 120 million years ago, reveal a once-connected land corridor across the Atlantic, providing new insights into dinosaur migration and the breakup of Gondwana.

via Earth.com|

#brazil #cameroon #continental-drift

science1 year ago•2 min saved

Discovery of Earth's Hidden Eighth Continent

Geologists have completed mapping Zealandia, a submerged landmass considered Earth's eighth continent, covering nearly two million square miles. The research involved analyzing rock samples from North Zealandia, revealing its geological history tied to the ancient supercontinent Gondwana. Despite being mostly underwater, Zealandia's mapping highlights its significance as a geological entity.

via Yahoo! Voices|

#continents #geology #gondwana

science2 years ago•3 min saved

Tectonic Plate Shifts Linked to Ancient Mass Die-Off

New research suggests that a major extinction event 513 million years ago, known as the Sinsk event, was triggered by tectonic activity around the supercontinent Gondwana, causing the drowning of ancient reefs and altering the oceans. The study, led by sedimentologist Paul Myrow, found links between rock layers in Antarctica and Australia, indicating similar geological dynamics at the time of the extinction. The uplift of mountains and the release of greenhouse gases from large igneous provinces led to a decrease in ocean circulation, resulting in the death of many organisms. This sheds light on the role of tectonics in driving mass die-offs and provides insights into potential parallels with modern climate change.

via Livescience.com|

#gondwana #mass-extinction #science

science2 years ago•3 min saved

Ancient Trilobites Unravel Geographic Mystery

Ten newly discovered species of trilobites, ancient arthropods that lived nearly 490 million years ago, may hold the key to understanding Thailand's position on the former supercontinent Gondwana. The trilobite fossils, found in tuffs containing zircon crystals, can be used to determine the age of the fossils and the eruption that formed the tuffs. This discovery not only helps date the fossils in Thailand but also provides insights into other parts of the world, such as China and Australia, where similar fossils have been found. The findings contribute to unraveling the complex puzzle of ancient geography and offer valuable information for understanding our planet's history.

via arkeonews|

#ancient-geography #fossils #gondwana

science2 years ago•2 min saved

Ancient Trilobites in Volcanic Rock Unravel Geography Mystery

Fossils of 490-million-year-old trilobites discovered in Thailand's Ko Tarutao region could provide insights into the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana. The fossils were found in a layer of volcanic rock called tuff, which contained zircon crystals that allowed researchers to date the eruption and the trilobites. The discovery of 10 new trilobite species and their correlation with other regions could shed light on the geological history of Gondwana. This finding may also help in dating similar fossils in other parts of the world and provide valuable information for understanding evolutionary change and extinctions.

via IFLScience|

#ancient-geography #fossils #gondwana

paleontology2 years ago•3 min saved

Ancient Bird Tracks Found in Australia Rewrite History

Researchers have discovered the oldest bird footprints ever found in the Southern Hemisphere in Wonthaggi, Australia, dating back to around 120 million years ago. The tracks provide evidence that birds once lived in the southern polar regions of the supercontinent Gondwana. The findings shed light on how early birds dispersed across landmasses and biomes, suggesting that they may have migrated seasonally to and from other environments. The discovery of these tracks may inspire further exploration for evidence of Cretaceous birds in the Southern Hemisphere.

via Livescience.com|

#bird-tracks #early-cretaceous #gondwana

science2 years ago•2 min saved

"Argoland: The Miraculous Rediscovery of a Lost Continent"

Geologists from Utrecht University have located the long-lost continent of Argoland, which broke off from western Australia and drifted to sea 155 million years ago. The continent, once part of the supercontinent Gondwana, has since broken into several shards and is now located beneath the jungles of Indonesia and Myanmar. The discovery of Argoland, similar to the rediscovery of Greater Adria in 2019, provides valuable insights into Earth science and helps understand processes such as the evolution of biodiversity, climate, mountain formation, and plate tectonics.

via New York Post |

#argoland #geology #gondwana