In amber found the remains of frogs age 99 million years
Paleontologists have discovered in the amber of the remains of frogs, the age of the finds is estimated at 99 million years, reported in the journal Scientific Reports. This is the earliest direct evidence that frogs live in wet tropical forests in the Cretaceous period.
Today about one third of the known species of frogs lives in the tropics. It is believed that these amphibians appeared 200 million years ago, however, the early period of their evolution, almost nothing is known of the fossils belonging to that period are almost absent. Now, thanks to discovered in amber fossils, scientists determined that the frogs have inhabited the rainforest for 100 million years ago.
A new species, dubbed Electrorana limoae, was discovered in Myanmar by a team of paleontologists, under the leadership of xing Lida (Lida Xing) of Chinese geological University. The age of the finds was determined through the Dating of zircon contained in the rocks, where they found amber (98,8 ± 0.6 million years). In the past researchers have found the remains of amber age of 40 million years (Caribbean region) and 25 million years (Mexico). The earliest fossils of frogs date from the period 199 million years ago.
The remains of frogs survived only in part: the researchers were able to identify only a skull with teeth, front paws, back and hind legs. Near the amphibian were also found fragments of plants and an unidentified beetle, which she probably tried to eat. Computed tomography of the remains showed that the ancient frog is not much different from today. Most of all they were like toads and toads-midwives. It is interesting that now they are found in temperate latitudes of Eurasia, and not in the tropics, as their ancient kin. Found the remains became the most direct evidence that frogs have lived in tropical rain forests about 100 million years ago — in an era when on Earth dinosaurs were still living. However, the detected fragments is not sufficient to make final conclusions about the internal structure of the animals or their way of life. In the future, scientists hope to find more complete fossils.
Myanmar is quite rich in well-preserved remains of ancient flora and fauna. In the past the country was discovered ancient tailed spider, beetle perekraska, as well as the flowers age 99 million years. In addition, researchers find new species now in the past year, zoologists have described 19 new species of geckos.