Ancient Fossils Uncover Secrets Before Earth's Greatest Mass Extinction
An international team of paleontologists has spent over 15 years excavating fossils from Africa, unveiling new insights into the Permian period. This era, spanning from 299 to 252 million years ago, concluded with Earth’s most catastrophic mass extinction event known as the 'Great Dying'. Spearheaded by experts from the University of Washington and the Field Museum of Natural History, the group is working to understand the thriving species of southern Pangea—the supercontinent that existed before the mass extinction wiped out a significant percentage of life.
Christian Sidor, a professor at the University of Washington, emphasized the critical nature of this extinction event, describing it as a turning point for evolution. Sidor's team has been focusing on fossils collected from Tanzania and Zambia to piece together a global perspective of this pivotal period. According to Sidor, these fossils offer a rare glimpse into the ecosystems that existed just before the mass extinction.
Alongside Kenneth Angielczyk from the Field Museum, Sidor co-edited a series of 14 articles published on August 7 in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. These papers reveal fascinating new findings about Permian-era creatures, such as saber-toothed predators, burrowing foragers, and a salamander-like amphibian.
The discoveries were made in three key locations: the Ruhuhu Basin in Tanzania, and the Luangwa and Mid-Zambezi Basins in Zambia. The fossils, some collected on recent expeditions and others from museum collections, are shedding light on life before the extinction. Sidor described these fossils as "absolutely beautiful," providing an unprecedented view of the period.
Beginning in 2007, Sidor and his team, including students and postdoctoral researchers, conducted multiple field trips to these regions with the cooperation of local governments. Their adventures included encounters with wildlife and the challenges of the African terrain. All collected fossils will be returned to their countries of origin after thorough analysis.
The Permian period marked the end of the Paleozoic Era, a time when life transitioned from ocean to land. The extinction event that followed led to the rise of the Mesozoic Era, known for the evolution of dinosaurs and other significant developments. Until recently, the Karoo Basin in South Africa was the primary source of information about this era. However, ongoing research in Tanzania and Zambia is now providing equally valuable insights.
The team has identified several new species, including burrowing herbivores called dicynodonts and large predators known as gorgonopsians. These findings enable scientists to make detailed comparisons with other regions like South Africa, helping to identify which species survived the mass extinction and which did not.
This research was supported by institutions from around the world, including the University of Chicago, Loyola University Chicago, and Virginia Tech, among others. Funding came from the U.S. National Science Foundation and the National Geographic Society.