Science, Space and Technology News 2024
New research has unveiled significant Jurassic-era fossils, offering new insights into mammalian evolution and the development of the mammalian middle ear, challenging and expanding current understanding of mammal ancestry. Reconstruction of Feredocodon chowi and Dianoconodon youngi . Credit: Chuang Zhao
Specimens from the Jurassic period found in China illuminate the evolution of teeth, jaws, and ears in mammals.period that provide fresh insights into the early evolution of mammals. The findings, detailed today in two back-to-back studies in the journal, could change how scientists reconstruct the earliest branches in the mammalian tree of life.
The first paper focuses on shuotheriids, a family of mouse-sized mammals with molars that are different from those in any living mammal. The evolutionary position of these animals has been heavily debated, but they have been linked to the australosphenidans, the group that includes today’s monotremes—mammals that lay eggs, such as the platypus.
The modern mammalian middle ear, the area just inside the eardrum that turns vibrations in the air into ripples in the inner ear’s fluids, has three bones, or auditory ossicles—a feature that is unique to mammals. Reptiles and birds only have one middle-ear bone. Scientists know that during the early evolution of mammals from the group that includes lizards, crocodilians, and dinosaurs, bones formed the joints of the jaw were separated, and became associated with hearing.
References: “Jurassic shuotheriids show earliest dental diversification of mammaliaforms” by Fangyuan Mao, Zhiyu Li, Zhili Wang, Chi Zhang, Thomas Rich, Patricia Vickers-Rich and Jin Meng, 3 April 2024,“Fossils document evolutionary changes of jaw joint to mammalian middle ear” by Fangyuan Mao, Chi Zhang, Jicheng Ren, Tao Wang, Guofu Wang, Fakui Zhang, Thomas Rich, Patricia Vickers-Rich and Jin Meng, 3 April 2024,SciTechDaily: Home of the best science and technology news since 1998.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
10 Unfinished Jurassic World Storylines That Jurassic World 4 Could ContinueAll the latest movie news, movie trailers & reviews - and the same for TV, too.
Read more »
New research helps paleontologists to understand horse fossils and those that are missing from the recordMany people assume that horses first came to the Americas when Spanish explorers brought them here about 500 years ago. In fact, recent research has confirmed a European origin for horses associated with humans in the American Southwest and Great Plains.
Read more »
New fossils of tiny, toothy early mammals could be a major missing linkLaura is a science news writer, covering a wide variety of subjects, but she is particularly fascinated by all things aquatic, paleontology, nanotechnology, and exploring how science influences daily life. Laura is a proud former resident of the New Jersey shore, a competitive swimmer, and a fierce defender of the Oxford comma.
Read more »
Scarlett Johansson in Talks for New Jurassic World MovieScarlett Johansson has the opportunity to star in the new Jurassic World movie, which is scheduled to release in 2025. She has met with the director and producer, but has not officially accepted the offer yet.
Read more »
New 'Jurassic World' Movie Taps Scarlett Johansson to LeadA cinematic obsessive with the filmic palate of a starving raccoon, Rob London will watch pretty much anything once.
Read more »
Jurassic World 4: Scarlett Johansson In Talks For Lead Role In New MovieThe film is being fast-tracked for 2025.
Read more »