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Plesiosaurs evolved over five million years, rapidly developing their characteristic long necks, according to a recent study introducing a new ancestor. Chusaurus xiangensis. Research shows that plesiosaurs developed
Plesiosaurs evolved over five million years, rapidly developing their characteristic long necks, according to a recent study introducing a new ancestor. Chusaurus xiangensis. Research shows that plesiosaurs developed their iconic long necks in an extremely short period of time. These long necks, thought to be used to chase fast-moving fish, evolved rapidly over a period of 5 million years, approximately 250 million years ago.
The findings were recently published in the journal BMC Ecology and Evolution Studies conducted by scientists from China and England show that the species known as Pachypleurosaurs essentially extended its neck by adding new vertebrae. This species had 25 vertebrae, while some Late Cretaceous plesiosaurs, such as Elasmosaurus, had as many as 72 vertebrae and its neck was five times as long as its body.
These creatures first appeared in the early Triassic, just four million years after the mass extinction at the end of the Permian period; This resulted in the extinction of almost 90% of species on Earth. This period was characterized by rapid transformations following this catastrophic event.
In the study, researchers describe a new plesiosaur ancestor with a short neck. Chusaurus xiangensis From the Early Triassic period of Hubei province, China. Its neck has begun to grow, but it is only half the size of its body, compared to 80% or more in later relatives.
An image showing rapid evolutionary rates and patterns. Research shows that plesiosaurs, marine reptiles known for their long necks, developed these unique features more than five million years ago, approximately 250 million years ago. Author: Qi-Ling Liu
“We were lucky to find two complete skeletons of this new animal,” said Qi-Ling Liu of the China University of Geosciences in Wuhan, who led the project. “It was small, less than half a meter long, but close to the origin of an important group of marine reptiles called Sauropterygia.
“Our new reptile, ChusaurusPachypleurosaur is one of a group of small marine predators that were very important during the Triassic period. “At first I wasn’t sure if it was Pachypleurosaurus because its neck looked so short.”
Dr. from China University of Geosciences in Wuhan, who led the project. “The fossils come from the Nanzhang-Yuan’an fauna in Hubei,” Li Tian said. ‘It has been studied very carefully in recent years as one of the oldest groups of marine reptiles from the Triassic period. ‘We have good radiometric dates showing that the fauna dates back 248 million years.’
Co-author Professor Michael Benton, from the University of Bristol’s School of Earth Sciences, said: “The mass extinction at the end of the Permian period was the largest mass extinction of all time, with only one in twenty species surviving.
“The Early Triassic was a period of recovery, and marine reptiles evolved very rapidly during that time; many of them were predators of shrimp, fish, and other marine creatures. They emerged soon after the extinction, so we know that rates of change were extremely rapid in the new post-Crisis world.”
“Pachypleurosaurs essentially lengthened their necks by adding new vertebrae,” said co-author Professor Chen Long from the Wuhan China Geological Research Center.
“Generally, vertebrates such as reptiles and mammals (and us) have seven cervical vertebrae. in a chusaurus it already had 17, while Pachypleurosaurus later had 25. Some Late Cretaceous plesiosaurs, e.g. elasmosaurusIn fact, he was 72 years old and his neck was five times longer than his body. “With so many vertebrae, these long necks must have been super curved, and they likely rotated their necks to catch prey while keeping their bodies stationary.”
Dr. from the Open University of the United Kingdom. Tom Stubbs added: ‘Not all long-necked animals do it the same way. For example, giraffes have the standard seven cervical vertebrae, but each one is so long that they can reach as high as trees. Flamingos also have long necks, so they can reach water to feed thanks to their long legs, and they have up to twenty extra vertebrae, but each one is long too.’
From the University of Bristol, Dr. “Our study shows that the neck length of pachypleurosaurs doubled within five million years, and that the rate of increase subsequently slowed,” added Ben Moon. “They have probably reached the ideal neck length for their lifestyle.
“As small predators, we think they probably fed on shrimp and small fish, so their ability to sneak up on a small school and then hang out in the water by throwing their heads forward after fast-swimming prey was a remarkable survival skill. But they did add a much longer neck.” “It would incur costs, so it was fixed at a length equal to the length of the body.” Source
Source: Port Altele
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