This Ancient Tadpole Fossil Is the Oldest Ever Discovered

 A fossil of the world's oldest tadpole, which coexisted with dinosaurs in the Middle Jurassic about 165 million years ago, is pictured next to a 3D-printed representation of the tadpole and of a fully developed frog, in Buenos Aires, Argentina October 28, 2024. (Reuters)
A fossil of the world's oldest tadpole, which coexisted with dinosaurs in the Middle Jurassic about 165 million years ago, is pictured next to a 3D-printed representation of the tadpole and of a fully developed frog, in Buenos Aires, Argentina October 28, 2024. (Reuters)
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This Ancient Tadpole Fossil Is the Oldest Ever Discovered

 A fossil of the world's oldest tadpole, which coexisted with dinosaurs in the Middle Jurassic about 165 million years ago, is pictured next to a 3D-printed representation of the tadpole and of a fully developed frog, in Buenos Aires, Argentina October 28, 2024. (Reuters)
A fossil of the world's oldest tadpole, which coexisted with dinosaurs in the Middle Jurassic about 165 million years ago, is pictured next to a 3D-printed representation of the tadpole and of a fully developed frog, in Buenos Aires, Argentina October 28, 2024. (Reuters)

Scientists have discovered the oldest-known fossil of a giant tadpole that wriggled around over 160 million years ago.

The new fossil, found in Argentina, surpasses the previous ancient record holder by about 20 million years.

Imprinted in a slab of sandstone are parts of the tadpole's skull and backbone, along with impressions of its eyes and nerves.

“It's not only the oldest tadpole known, but also the most exquisitely preserved,” said study author Mariana Chuliver, a biologist at Buenos Aires’ Maimonides University.

Researchers know frogs were hopping around as far back as 217 million years ago. But exactly how and when they evolved to begin as tadpoles remains unclear.

This new discovery adds some clarity to that timeline. At about a half foot (16 centimeters) long, the tadpole is a younger version of an extinct giant frog.

“It's starting to help narrow the timeframe in which a frog becomes a frog,” said Ben Kligman, a paleontologist at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History who was not involved with the research.

The results were published Wednesday in the journal Nature.

The fossil is strikingly similar to the tadpoles of today — even containing remnants of a gill scaffold system that modern-day tadpoles use to sift food particles from water.

That means the amphibians' survival strategy has stayed tried and true for millions of years, helping them outlast several mass extinctions, Kligman said.



King Salman bin Abdulaziz Reserve, Desertification Combat Association Sign MoU to Boost Environmental Awareness

The MoU seeks to foster cooperation between the two entities in safeguarding vegetation cover and preserving wildlife within the reserve. SPA
The MoU seeks to foster cooperation between the two entities in safeguarding vegetation cover and preserving wildlife within the reserve. SPA
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King Salman bin Abdulaziz Reserve, Desertification Combat Association Sign MoU to Boost Environmental Awareness

The MoU seeks to foster cooperation between the two entities in safeguarding vegetation cover and preserving wildlife within the reserve. SPA
The MoU seeks to foster cooperation between the two entities in safeguarding vegetation cover and preserving wildlife within the reserve. SPA

The King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Environment and Desertification Combat association to raise environmental awareness within local communities.

The MoU seeks to foster cooperation between the two entities in safeguarding vegetation cover and preserving wildlife within the reserve.

The initiative aligns with the developmental strategy pursued by the authority, actively contributing, along a range of initiatives, to rehabilitating natural habitats.

Such efforts helped transform natural habitats into fertile environments conducive to vegetation growth and reproduction of wildlife, including locally and internationally rare and endangered species.