The 'echidnapus' is one of newly described ancient monotremes from a fossil hotspot in NSW that could give us more clues about an era when egg-laying mammals diversified.
Palaeontologists have named three new monotreme species, including an "echidnapus", which shares platypus and echidna characteristics.
Another of the creatures shares close similarities with modern platypus, and could represent the oldest-known monotreme to have a platypus-like body. But not all palaeontologists are convinced there is enough evidence yet to make the "age of monotremes" claim definitively.Two years ago, Australian Museum mammalogist Tim Flannery, lead author of the new study, was looking through the institution's collection when he came across pieces of five jaw bones in a drawer."That was astonishing, because over the last, I think, 40 years, we've only found four fossilised monotreme jaw bones from Lightning Ridge.
"The discovery really has revealed a very fundamental fact about Australia, which was that during the late Cretaceous, Australia was a land of monotremes with a very diverse group of monotremes existing there," he said. "Although that is going to be hard to come by in Australia. Perhaps sub-Antarctic Islands or South America will yield the older fossil-bearing sediments."Professor Wells said he hoped the Lightning Ridge discoveries would spur more exploration of less traditional environments for fossils to piece together the monotreme story.
Tim Flannery Monotremes Platypus Echidna Echidnapus Fossils Opal
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