Fossils representing 2 novel species of saber-toothed prehistoric predators accept been described yesteryear researchers from the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (Raleigh, USA) in addition to the Vyatka Paleontological Museum (Kirov, Russia). These novel species better the scientists' agreement of an of import interval inward the early on development of mammals -- a time, betwixt bulk extinctions, when the roles of sure enough carnivores changed drastically.
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| The therocephalian Gorynychus masyutinae, plough over predator of the Kotelnich fossil assemblage, hunting a tree-dwelling plant eater (Suminia getmanovi) [Credit: Matt Celeskey] |
The vast bulk of Permian therapsids accept been institute inward the Karoo Basin of South Africa, in addition to every bit a result, the South African tape has played an outsized business office influencing scientists' agreement of protomammal evolution. Because of this, therapsid fossils from exterior of South Africa are extremely important, allowing scientists to discern whether observed events inward the protomammal fossil tape stand upwards for global or only regional patterns.
Recent expeditions yesteryear the Vyatka Paleontological Museum accept collected a wealth of spectacularly-preserved Permian fossils nigh the town of Kotelnich along the Vyatka River inward European Russia. These fossil discoveries include the remains of 2 previously unknown species of predatory protomammals, newly described inward the journal PeerJ yesteryear Christian Kammerer of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in addition to Vladimir Masyutin of the Vyatka Paleontological Museum.
The root of the 2 novel species, Gorynychus masyutinae, was a wolf-sized carnivore representing the largest predator inward the Kotelnich fauna. The 2d novel species, Nochnitsa geminidens, was a smaller, long-snouted carnivore amongst needle-like teeth. Gorynychus belongs to a subgroup of protomammals called therocephalians ("beast heads"), whereas Nochnitsa belongs to a unlike subgroup called gorgonopsians ("gorgon faces").
Both novel species are named afterward legendary monsters from Russian folklore, befitting their menacing appearances. Gorynychus is named afterward Zmey Gorynych, a three-headed dragon, in addition to Nochnitsa is named afterward a malevolent nocturnal spirit. (Based on their relatively large oculus sockets, it is probable that Nochnitsa in addition to its relatives were nocturnal.)
Gorynychus in addition to Nochnitsa better scientists' agreement of ecosystem reorganization afterward the mid-Permian extinction (260 mya). Although non every bit well-known every bit the to a greater extent than devastating end-Permian bulk extinction (252 mya, which nearly wiped out protomammals), the mid-Permian bulk extinction also played a major business office inward shaping the class of protomammal evolution.
In typical belatedly Permian ecosystems, the plough over predators were giant (tiger-sized), saber-toothed gorgonopsians in addition to therocephalians were by in addition to large minor insectivores. In mid-Permian ecosystems, yesteryear contrast, these roles are reversed. At Kotelnich, the saber-toothed plough over predator Gorynychus is a therocephalian in addition to the exclusively gorgonopsians are much smaller animals.
"In betwixt these extinctions, at that topographic point was a consummate flip-flop inward what roles these carnivores were playing inward their ecosystems -- every bit if bears all of a abrupt became weasel-sized in addition to weasels became bear-sized inward their place," says Kammerer. The novel species from Russian Federation render the root testify that at that topographic point was a worldwide turnover inward predators afterward the mid-Permian extinction, in addition to non exactly a localized turnover inward South Africa.
Kammerer adds, "Kotelnich is i of the nigh of import localities worldwide for finding therapsid fossils -- non exclusively because they are amazingly consummate in addition to well-preserved there, but also because they render an all-too-rare window into mammal ancestry inward the Northern Hemisphere during the Permian."
Source: North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences [June 08, 2018]
Sumber http://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com
Recent expeditions yesteryear the Vyatka Paleontological Museum accept collected a wealth of spectacularly-preserved Permian fossils nigh the town of Kotelnich along the Vyatka River inward European Russia. These fossil discoveries include the remains of 2 previously unknown species of predatory protomammals, newly described inward the journal PeerJ yesteryear Christian Kammerer of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in addition to Vladimir Masyutin of the Vyatka Paleontological Museum.
The root of the 2 novel species, Gorynychus masyutinae, was a wolf-sized carnivore representing the largest predator inward the Kotelnich fauna. The 2d novel species, Nochnitsa geminidens, was a smaller, long-snouted carnivore amongst needle-like teeth. Gorynychus belongs to a subgroup of protomammals called therocephalians ("beast heads"), whereas Nochnitsa belongs to a unlike subgroup called gorgonopsians ("gorgon faces").
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| The skull of Nochnitsa geminidens, a novel species of gorgonopsian discovered inward the Permian of Russian Federation [Credit: Christian Kammerer] |
Gorynychus in addition to Nochnitsa better scientists' agreement of ecosystem reorganization afterward the mid-Permian extinction (260 mya). Although non every bit well-known every bit the to a greater extent than devastating end-Permian bulk extinction (252 mya, which nearly wiped out protomammals), the mid-Permian bulk extinction also played a major business office inward shaping the class of protomammal evolution.
In typical belatedly Permian ecosystems, the plough over predators were giant (tiger-sized), saber-toothed gorgonopsians in addition to therocephalians were by in addition to large minor insectivores. In mid-Permian ecosystems, yesteryear contrast, these roles are reversed. At Kotelnich, the saber-toothed plough over predator Gorynychus is a therocephalian in addition to the exclusively gorgonopsians are much smaller animals.
"In betwixt these extinctions, at that topographic point was a consummate flip-flop inward what roles these carnivores were playing inward their ecosystems -- every bit if bears all of a abrupt became weasel-sized in addition to weasels became bear-sized inward their place," says Kammerer. The novel species from Russian Federation render the root testify that at that topographic point was a worldwide turnover inward predators afterward the mid-Permian extinction, in addition to non exactly a localized turnover inward South Africa.
Kammerer adds, "Kotelnich is i of the nigh of import localities worldwide for finding therapsid fossils -- non exclusively because they are amazingly consummate in addition to well-preserved there, but also because they render an all-too-rare window into mammal ancestry inward the Northern Hemisphere during the Permian."
Source: North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences [June 08, 2018]
Sumber http://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com
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