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| Reconstruction of an Early Reptile from 350 Million Years Ago – Artwork by Martin Ambrozik (Image Credit: Martin Ambrozik) |
Reptiles Evolved Earlier Than We Thought, New Fossil Footprints Reveal
A groundbreaking discovery in Australia has stunned paleontologists and reshaped our understanding of reptile evolution. Fossilized claw marks uncovered in the Snowy Plains Formation of Victoria reveal that reptiles may have walked the Earth around 350 million years ago, significantly earlier than previously believed.
According to a new study published on May 14 in Nature, these ancient tracks push back the emergence of reptile-like tetrapods by approximately 30 to 40 million years, challenging long-held assumptions based on fossil records from the Northern Hemisphere.
A Window into the Distant Past
These fossilized footprints, preserved in a 20-inch (50 cm) slab of rock, were found by two amateur fossil hunters and later studied by an international team of paleontologists. The tracks appear to have been made by a small creature with long toes and distinct claws — anatomical features associated with early amniotes, the group that includes reptiles, birds, and mammals.
"Once we identified this, we realised this is the oldest evidence in the world of reptile-like animals walking around on land," said John Long, professor of palaeontology at Flinders University. "It pushes their evolution back by 35-to-40 million years older than the previous records."
Why These Tracks Matter
Modern reptiles belong to a larger group known as amniotes, four-limbed vertebrates that lay eggs with a protective membrane (amnion), allowing reproduction on land. This evolutionary adaptation marked a significant departure from amphibians, which require moist environments for reproduction.
The discovery of clawed footprints from the Carboniferous period (about 350 million years ago) suggests that these reproductive adaptations may have developed during the late Devonian, when other transitional species like Tiktaalik — a fish-like creature with limbs — began moving onto land.
"This single track-bearing slab calls into question everything we thought we knew about when modern tetrapods evolved," said Per Ahlberg, a paleontology professor at Uppsala University.
Claws: The Key Evidence
Claws are a defining feature of early amniotes and are rarely found in other tetrapods. The unique combination of clawed toes and foot shape in the tracks led the researchers to conclude that the trackmaker was likely a primitive reptile, possibly an early sauropsid — a group that includes all modern reptiles and birds.
"The combination of the claw scratches and the shape of the feet suggests that the track maker was a primitive reptile," Ahlberg noted.
A New Chapter in Evolutionary History
This discovery not only extends the timeline of reptilian evolution but also highlights the scientific value of fossilized tracks, which can preserve critical evidence even when bones do not.
"It's all about the relative length of different branches in the tree," Ahlberg explained. By combining fossil data with modern DNA analysis, scientists can now better estimate when major evolutionary events occurred — even in periods where the fossil record is thin.
As co-author Grzegorz Niedźwiedzki summed it up:
“The most interesting discoveries are yet to come. These footprints are just one example of how much we still have to learn from the rocks beneath our feet.”
Final Thoughts
This discovery invites us to rethink the story of terrestrial life on Earth. As more hidden fossils are uncovered, we may find that the timeline of evolution is far older — and far more complex — than we ever imagined.
What other evolutionary surprises do you think are buried in Earth's ancient rocks? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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| Researcher Compares Modern Iguana Claw to Ancient Fossilized Footprints – Study of Evolutionary Links (Image Credit: Traci Klarenbeek) |
Sources:
- Nature Journal (May 14, 2025)
- Flinders University
- Uppsala University
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