Argentine scientists have discovered the world's oldest dinosaur tadpole fossil, providing a unique insight into the evolution of frogs and toads from the Jurassic period.
Scientists in Argentina have discovered the remarkably preserved fossil of the oldest known tadpole, the larval stage of a large frog that lived alongside dinosaurs about 161 million years ago, during the Jurassic Period.
The 16-centimeter-long fossil not only provides insight into the evolution of frogs and toads, but also shows that today's tadpoles have remained largely unchanged from their Jurassic ancestors. According to the researchers, the tadpole fossil belongs to the species Notobatrachus degiustoi, with its head and most of its body well preserved. Even soft tissues such as eyes and nerves were recorded as dark imprints in their correct anatomical positions.
The oldest known tadpole fossil was found in Patagonia, Argentina. (Photo: AP)
The discovery was made in 2020 during a dinosaur fossil excavation at a farm in Santa Cruz province, about 2,300 km south of Buenos Aires. "Not only is this the world's oldest tadpole fossil, remarkably well preserved, but it also provides information about the size of one of the few frogs from that period," said study co-author Mariana Chuliver of Fundación Azara-Universidad Maimónides.
Paleontologist Matías Motta at the fossil site "Estancia La Matilde" in Patagonia, Argentina holds an adult specimen of the fossil frog species Notobatrachus degiustoi. (Photo: AP)
Remarkably, the tadpole's hyobranchial bone structure, the cartilaginous framework that supports the gills, was also preserved. This allows scientists to learn more about their diet and lifestyle. "The fossil shows that the tadpole's morphology has not changed in the last 160 million years," Chuliver said.
The research, published in the journal Nature , opens new doors into the evolution of amphibians since prehistoric times.
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