Ancient reptile birth preserved in fossil: Ichthyosaur fossil may show oldest live reptilian birth
This is the maternal specimen with three embryos. Credit: Ryosuke Motani, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0088640; CC-BY |
The new specimen may contain the oldest fossil embryos of Mesozoic marine reptile, about 10 million years older than those indicated on previous records. The authors also suggest that live births in land reptiles may have appeared much earlier than previously thought.
Dr. Motani added, "The study reports the oldest vertebrate fossil to capture the 'moment' of live-birth, with a baby emerging from the pelvis of its mother. The 248-million-year old fossil of an ichthyosaur suggests that live-bearing evolved on land and not in the sea."
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