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| node: | Fallen Boulder Reveals 313 Million-Year-Old Fossil Footprints At Grand Canyon |
| template: | 4 |
| parent: | Archaeology |
| owner: | toxygen |
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| created: | 23.08.2020 - 12:27:30 |
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https://www.npr.org/2020/08/21/904943006/fallen-boulder-reveals-313-million-year-old-fossil-footprints-at-grand-canyon
A geologist has discovered a pair of fossil footprints that researchers say are the oldest of their kind in the Grand Canyon, dating back 313 million years.
...
"More significantly," he added, "they are among the oldest tracks on Earth of shelled-egg-laying animals, such as reptiles, and the earliest evidence of vertebrate animals walking in sand dunes."
One of the features scientists noticed was the distinct gait of the ancient tetrapods, called a lateral-sequence walk. That's when the legs on one side of the animal move in succession, the rear leg and then the foreleg, alternating with the opposite side.
"Living species of tetrapods―dogs and cats, for example―routinely use a lateral-sequence gait when they walk slowly," says Rowland.
"The Bright Angel Trail tracks document the use of this gait very early in the history of vertebrate animals. We previously had no information about that," Rowland added.
A geologist has discovered a pair of fossil footprints that researchers say are the oldest of their kind in the Grand Canyon, dating back 313 million years.
...
"More significantly," he added, "they are among the oldest tracks on Earth of shelled-egg-laying animals, such as reptiles, and the earliest evidence of vertebrate animals walking in sand dunes."
One of the features scientists noticed was the distinct gait of the ancient tetrapods, called a lateral-sequence walk. That's when the legs on one side of the animal move in succession, the rear leg and then the foreleg, alternating with the opposite side.
"Living species of tetrapods―dogs and cats, for example―routinely use a lateral-sequence gait when they walk slowly," says Rowland.
"The Bright Angel Trail tracks document the use of this gait very early in the history of vertebrate animals. We previously had no information about that," Rowland added.