In Portugal, ancient amphibians found the size of a car
text: Alexander Temples / Infox.ru
Published March 25 ’15 00:02
Paleontologists have unearthed ancient cemetery in Portugal amphibians, resembles a salamander. These creatures are living at the dawn of the era of the dinosaurs were comparable in size of a small car.
This is stated in the article Scottish specialists from Edinburgh
University
published in Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
The find was made in the south of Portugal, where scientists stumbled on deposits
ancient lake. They extracted from the rock bones of at least 10 large
amphibians. They all died when the lake dried up and became a mass grave for
its inhabitants. According palaeontologists at this location can be disposed
Remains of dozens of vertebrates.
Among the recovered material, paleontologists have identified representatives
new species metopozaurid - predatory amphibians Temnospondyli flat
head and hundreds of sharp teeth that lived in the Triassic period. A new kind of
was named Metoposaurus algarvensis - its representatives reach a length
about 2 meters.
Metopozauridy, judging by their size, were standing on the top of the food chain and play
role in the ecosystems of the past crocodiles. M. algarvensis lived about 220-230
million years ago, when only just begun to appear dinosaurs, which
took the place of the late Triassic giant amphibians.
close relatives M. algarvensis found throughout Europe and in metopozauridy
generally were common in that era in the lower latitudes throughout the world. According to
authors of the article, they have the same area as their prey contemporaries,
Phytosaur, also lived in the water - we recall, was recently tooth Phytosaur
found in the bones of land ravizuha.
No comments:
Post a Comment