The oldest tadpole fossil ever discovered was unearthed by scientists in Argentina.
At least 161 million years old, the fossil is remarkably well-preserved.
An ancient tadpole fossil discovered in Argentina is the oldest ever found, dating back at least 161 million years.
In October 2024, Nature published news of the fossil discovery made in January 2020.
By chance, the team stumbled upon their monumental discovery without intentionally seeking it out.
According to National Geographic, the team was on a quest to discover dinosaur fossils.
According to The Associated Press, the oldest-known fossil of a tadpole was discovered on a piece of sandstone.
According to the source, the fossil included fragments of the tadpole's skull, spine, eye sockets, and nerve impressions.
According to AP, Mariana Chuliver, a biologist at Buenos Aires' Maimonides University, stated that the tadpole being studied is not only the oldest known but also the most beautifully preserved.
Ben Kligman, a paleontologist at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, stated that the research is helping to narrow the timeframe in which a frog transforms into a frog, according to the source.
According to research, the tadpole discovered belongs to the Jurassic species Notobatrachus degiustoi and offers insight into the evolution of the frog's life cycle.
The tadpole-like fossil exhibited a filter-feeding mechanism similar to modern-day tadpoles, according to research.
The exceptionally large tadpole fossil measured to be about six inches in length.
The Goliath frog is the largest surviving frog species today, with modern frogs exhibiting a wide range of sizes.
The tadpoles of certain species can grow up to 12.5 inches and weigh up to 7.2 pounds, according to the San Diego Zoo's website.
The discovery of a tadpole fossil was immediately identified, but further investigation uncovered more information about the remarkable find.
"Upon first viewing the fossil, I confidently declared it to be a tadpole, leaving no room for doubt," Chuliver stated, as reported by NPR. "However, upon further examination under a binocular microscope, I exclaimed, 'This is the best tadpole I've ever seen!' because until this point, no other type of fossil tadpole had been discovered with a preserved gill skeleton."
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