Prehistoric Frog Discovery Revises Australia’s Evolutionary Timeline
Scientific discoveries occasionally upend established knowledge, and a recent find in Australia is a prime example. A tiny fossilized frog, silent for 55 million years, has emerged to challenge our understanding of the evolution of modern tree frogs.
The Ancient Frog: Litoria tylerantiqua
This newly identified species isn't just another fossil; it acts as a crucial time marker, pushing back the origin of Australia's famous tree frogs by over 20 million years.
Previous Understanding vs New Evidence
- For many years, scientists believed that Australian and South American tree frogs diverged from a shared ancestor around 33 million years ago.
- The discovery of Litoria tylerantiqua, described in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, dates the fossil at an astonishing 55 million years old.
- This makes it the oldest known member of the Pelodryadidae family, indicating tree frogs existed in Australia far earlier than previously thought.
Roy Farman of UNSW Sydney noted that earlier estimates were "off by at least 22 million years," emphasizing the significance of this revision.
Significance of the Discovery
This fossil provides the first definitive proof that tree frogs were diversifying in Australia much earlier, offering a new framework to study their unique evolutionary traits.
Location and Cultural Context
The discovery was made near Murgon, a small town in southeast Queensland, on the traditional lands of the Waka Waka people.
"This is not just a small correction; it’s a full evolutionary shake-up," commented researchers involved in the study.
Author's summary: The finding of a 55-million-year-old frog fossil in Australia rewrites the evolutionary timeline, revealing tree frogs emerged 22 million years earlier than previously believed.