Recently, a fossil of ancient turtles around 45 million years old, was found in the Antarctic. The bones were found, only two fragments of shells from the ancient tortoises.
Site of the invention is located in clusters La Meseta on Seymour Island, Antarctica. The expedition was conducted by a team of a Antartic Institute of Argentina. Such as excerpted from Live Science, Wednesday (20/10/2010).
In the meantime, the researchers could not determine the type of turtle species. Turtle shell fragments that were found were probably not from a species of turtle that had previously been known to live in the area in prehistoric era, known as the Eocene Epoch.
This discovery can provide guidance to scientists about the environment and the temperature in Antarctica at that time.
"These new fossils show the diversity of turtles that at times greater in the Eocene of Antarctica from the original allegations," said Marcelo S de la Fuente, researchers from the Natural History Museum in San Rafael, Argentina.
During the Eocene, Earth's condition is different from the conditions today. At the beginning of this period, regions of the continent of Antarctica and the continent of Australia was incorporated, and the continent of Antarctica are much warmer, even still there are rainforests in the beginning.
The discovery of the bones of ancient turtles recently indicated a diversity of types of turtles in the area. The continent of Antarctica is far warmer than predicted.
"Biodiversity is not common in cold waters. Biodiversity exists only in tropical waters, "said de la Fuente.
"Vertebrate Beings (animals, vertebrates, including turtles, actually quite a lot in the Antarctic primeval," added de la Fuente.
In addition to finding the bones of ancient turtles, the team also found many fossils of fish, sharks, penguins, whales, and other small fishes.
Site of the invention is located in clusters La Meseta on Seymour Island, Antarctica. The expedition was conducted by a team of a Antartic Institute of Argentina. Such as excerpted from Live Science, Wednesday (20/10/2010).
In the meantime, the researchers could not determine the type of turtle species. Turtle shell fragments that were found were probably not from a species of turtle that had previously been known to live in the area in prehistoric era, known as the Eocene Epoch.
This discovery can provide guidance to scientists about the environment and the temperature in Antarctica at that time.
"These new fossils show the diversity of turtles that at times greater in the Eocene of Antarctica from the original allegations," said Marcelo S de la Fuente, researchers from the Natural History Museum in San Rafael, Argentina.
During the Eocene, Earth's condition is different from the conditions today. At the beginning of this period, regions of the continent of Antarctica and the continent of Australia was incorporated, and the continent of Antarctica are much warmer, even still there are rainforests in the beginning.
The discovery of the bones of ancient turtles recently indicated a diversity of types of turtles in the area. The continent of Antarctica is far warmer than predicted.
"Biodiversity is not common in cold waters. Biodiversity exists only in tropical waters, "said de la Fuente.
"Vertebrate Beings (animals, vertebrates, including turtles, actually quite a lot in the Antarctic primeval," added de la Fuente.
In addition to finding the bones of ancient turtles, the team also found many fossils of fish, sharks, penguins, whales, and other small fishes.
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