New Fossil Fish Species Bolsters Evidence of Earth’s Evolutionary Progress
“Groundbreaking” new fossil research reveals that climate change, asteroids, and plate tectonics are interconnected with the origins and extinction of animals, highlighting the significant evolutionary role of these factors.
A recent study published in Nature Communications links the discovery of a remarkably well-preserved ancient Devonian coelacanth in remote Western Australia to a period of intense tectonic activity.
Conducted by Flinders University alongside experts from Canada, Australia, and Europe, the study introduces the new fossil, Ngamugawi wirngarri, from the Gogo Formation. This find sheds light on a crucial transition in coelacanth history, bridging the gap between primitive forms and more “anatomically-modern” species.
Tectonic Activity’s Role in Coelacanth Evolution
Dr. Alice Clement, the study’s lead author and an evolutionary biologist at Flinders University, expressed excitement about collaborating with the Mimbi community to name the fish in Gooniyandi language. She noted that their analyses show that tectonic plate movements significantly impacted coelacanth evolution, with new species emerging more frequently during periods of heightened tectonic activity due to the creation of new habitats.
The research highlights the Late Devonian Gogo Formation as one of the richest and best-preserved fossil fish and invertebrate assemblages globally.
Flinders University Strategic Professor of Palaeontology John Long emphasized that the fossil, dating back 359–419 million years, offers valuable insights into the early anatomy of this lineage, which eventually led to humans. He noted that for over 35 years, Gogo site discoveries, including mineralized soft tissues and evidence of complex vertebrate reproduction, have contributed significantly to our understanding of early vertebrate evolution.
Many key aspects of human anatomy, such as jaws, teeth, paired appendages, and lungs, originated in the Early Paleozoic (540–350 million years ago) with early fishes.
The Gogo Formation in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, once a vibrant tropical reef about 380 million years ago, now reveals crucial evolutionary insights, says Professor Long.
Coelacanths’ Slowed Progress and Their Connection to Lungfish and Tetrapods
Research into coelacanth evolution over 410 million years shows significant slowing since the dinosaur era, with some notable exceptions. Today, coelacanths, deep-sea fish found off eastern Africa and Indonesia, are related to lungfish and tetrapods due to their lobe-finned structure.
Over 175 coelacanth species have been discovered, but they disappeared from the fossil record around 66 million years ago, likely due to the Cretaceous extinction event caused by a massive asteroid impact, which also wiped out 75% of Earth’s life, including non-avian dinosaurs.
In 1938, fishermen off South Africa found a large, unusual fish later dubbed the “Lazarus” fish, drawing significant attention in evolutionary biology.
Professor Richard Cloutier from the University of Quebec in Rimouski (UQAR) points out that the new study questions the idea of coelacanths as the oldest “living fossils.” Although coelacanths date back over 410 million years, with some fragmentary fossils from China and Australia, Ngamugawi wirngarri is now the best-known Devonian coelacanth.
Professor Cloutier explains that ongoing research may reveal how modern coelacanths, often called “living fossils,” are actually still evolving and might not deserve this label.
The study included researchers from Mahasarakham University, the South Australian Museum, Max Planck Institute, University of Bristol, Curtin University, and the WA Museum.
Read the original article on: Phys Org
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