Discover the Oldest Reptile Footprints: Tiny Clawed Tracks Found in Ancient Mud!

Recent discoveries in Australia are rewriting the story of reptile evolution. Paleontologists found clawed footprints in rock that’s 356 million years old. This finding suggests that reptiles and their relatives existed much earlier than scientists once thought—by about 35 to 40 million years.

The tracks indicate the beginnings of amniotes, a group that includes reptiles, birds, and mammals. This discovery sheds light on a major shift in evolution: the move from living in water to thriving on land. Amniotes were unique because they could reproduce away from water, which was a game-changer for evolution.

Before this finding, the oldest evidence of amniotes dated back to 318 million years ago in Canada. The new evidence, published in Nature, challenges those long-held beliefs. It suggests that the shift to terrestrial life might have happened faster than previously thought.

Per Erik Ahlberg, a professor from Uppsala University in Sweden and co-author of the study, expressed his surprise: “This single slab raises questions about our understanding of when modern tetrapods evolved.”

The rock slab was found by amateur paleontologists Craig Eury and John Eason in Victoria’s Snowy Plains. It shows two sets of footprints, possibly belonging to the same animal, which might have resembled a small goanna, a lizard native to Australia.

These footprints provide crucial insights into the transition to life on land. They imply that the ancestors of modern reptiles, mammals, and amphibians diverged earlier than once thought—back in the Devonian period, approximately 380 million years ago.

Before this, the Devonian was seen mainly as a time for primitive fish-like tetrapods. The newfound evidence indicates that both aquatic and terrestrial tetrapods coexisted and might have been more diverse than previously recognized.

This research highlights the significance of the amniotic egg, a key factor that allowed vertebrates to thrive on land. As Ahlberg stated, “This evolution was vital not just for reptiles and mammals but for our own ancestry.”

Stuart Sumida, president of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, noted that this new insight opens up opportunities to search for fossils in southern continents where amniotes may have originated. “Discoveries in regions like Australia, South America, and Africa could reshape our understanding of early amniote evolution,” he stated.

As paleontologists continue their explorations, the findings from this slab shine a light on a pivotal moment in evolutionary history. Understanding when and how life transitioned from water to land is essential for piecing together the complex puzzle of life on Earth.

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