A recent study reveals that fossil claw prints found in Australia were likely made by early amniotes, ancestors of reptiles, birds, and mammals. This suggests their origin dates back to the early Carboniferous period, approximately 355 million years ago, rather than 319 million years ago as previously recorded. Discovered near the Broken River in Victoria, these tracks provide critical insights into tetrapod evolution and underscore the importance of amniotic membranes in enabling land egg-laying. The findings significantly advance our understanding of the evolutionary timeline for these vertebrates.
The recent discovery of fossil claw prints in Australia suggests that early amniotes existed 35 million years earlier than believed, dating back to 355 million years ago.
These markings, found in a sandstone block, indicate that the evolution of reptiles, birds, and mammals began much earlier than the fossil records previously indicated.
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