New Salamander Species Found in Siberia Reveals Jurassic Legacy
Paleontologists from Saint Petersburg State University and the Institute of Diamond and Precious Metals Geology SB RAS worked alongside researchers from the United Kingdom and Germany to uncover a previously unknown salamander species in Siberia. The discovery was reported to socialbites.ca and adds a compelling chapter to the regions fossil record.
The excavation site lies in the Teete region of Yakutia, where the remains of two salamanders were recovered. This find strengthens the case that a fauna once thought to have vanished at the end of the Jurassic period persisted into what is now Siberia.
One specimen is notably large for a primitive salamander, measuring roughly 30 to 40 centimeters. Its vertebrae indicate a new genus that has not been described before. A second, smaller specimen around 10 centimeters was identified from dental fragments only, making precise species classification difficult. Still, its skeletal features show close affinities to known salamanders, suggesting it may also date to the Jurassic era. The researchers emphasized that ongoing analysis will be needed to confirm its status.
The Teete fauna is dominated by Jurassic-era remains that had disappeared elsewhere by the onset of the Cretaceous period. The new evidence implies that Jurassic vertebrates continued to inhabit this part of Siberia longer than previously thought. The findings support the concept of a Great Siberian Refugium, a region where vertebrate species could survive the shift into the Cretaceous era while vanishing elsewhere.
Additional corroboration comes from discoveries near the village of Shestakovo in the neighboring Kemerovo region, where Jurassic remains and a pattern of unusually large and small salamander specimens have been found in proximity.
Researchers envision another expedition to the Teete region to determine the definitive identity of the newly found salamander and to gather more material that will illuminate its evolutionary relationships.
In related paleontological work, scientists have noted the presence of unknown trilobite species in Australia, underscoring the vast and still evolving picture of ancient life across continents. [Source attribution: Saint Petersburg State University]