China describes first fully marine stem amphibian — The Express Tribune

In Guizhou Province in southwestern China, an international group of scientists has described Gerrothorax maritimus, the first known stem amphibian that lived entirely in a marine environment. The study was published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, The Express Tribune reports .

Remains dating back 237 million years The conclusions were based on two nearly complete Late Triassic skeletons dating back about 237 million years. The remains are at least 737 millimeters long. Scientists reconstructed the animal's appearance: it had a flattened body covered with heavy bony armor, a broad flat head, a wide mouth, and well-developed gill arches.

Adaptation to the seafloor Researchers suggest that the body shape of Gerrothorax maritimus was adapted to life on the seafloor and enabled it to hide in bottom sediments. In their assessment, the heavy bony covering may have reduced water loss through the skin in salt water. More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram .

Adults retained gills and could breathe underwater, possibly without rising to the surface to breathe with their lungs. More than 8,000 amphibian species exist today, but none lives exclusively in the sea. Some modern amphibians can tolerate brackish water, but previous fossil finds were insufficient to confirm a fully marine lifestyle among ancient amphibians.

Study participants Specialists from the Guizhou Geological Museum, Peking University, and the University of California, Davis participated in the work. Jiang Dayong is listed as the corresponding author of the scientific paper.