A new species, Gaiasia jennyae, resembling a salamander with a toilet seat-like head and interlocking fangs, has been found in the Gai-As Formation of Namibia. The discovery sheds light on an ancient ecosystem and the evolution of early tetrapods.
A giant predatory creature named Gaiasia jennyae, resembling a salamander, has been discovered in the Gai-As Formation of Namibia. This species lived 280 million years ago, well before the age of dinosaurs. The fossilized remains reveal a massive creature around 2.5 meters long with a uniquely shaped, toilet seat-like head, featuring large interlocking fangs. It is believed Gaiasia jennyae was an ambush predator in swampy waters, using its powerful jaws to catch prey.
The discovery team, led by Claudia Marsicano from the University of Buenos Aires and Jason Pardo from the Field Museum in Chicago, found several fossil specimens, including a well-preserved skull and spine. The finds point to a flourishing ancient ecosystem in what is now Namibia, suggesting significant biodiversity in the late Ice Age south of Earth.
The study, which was published in Nature, emphasizes the importance of these fossils in understanding prehistoric ecosystems and the evolution of early tetrapods, the ancestors of amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
