Captorhinus aguti fossil reveals earliest rib-powered breathing in land vertebrates
Updated
Updated · ScienceDaily · Apr 27
Captorhinus aguti fossil reveals earliest rib-powered breathing in land vertebrates
9 articles · Updated · ScienceDaily · Apr 27
Scientists studied a 289-million-year-old mummified Captorhinus aguti found in Oklahoma, using advanced scans to uncover preserved skin, cartilage, and proteins nearly 100 million years older than previously known examples.
The fossil provides the first direct evidence of costal aspiration breathing, a rib-based system now used by reptiles, birds, and mammals, marking a major evolutionary step for vertebrate life on land.
Exceptional preservation at Richards Spur allowed researchers to reconstruct early amniote anatomy, highlighting how innovations in breathing enabled vertebrates to thrive and diversify in terrestrial environments.
What other evolutionary secrets can new scanning technologies unlock from inside ancient fossils?
How does a 289-million-year-old reptile's breathing system rewrite the story of life on land?
Could Oklahoma's unique caves hold more 'mummified' fossils that change our view of prehistory?
How did proteins survive for 289 million years, shattering previous scientific beliefs?
Can this ancient mummification process inspire new technologies for long-term biological preservation?
How can scientists be certain these ancient molecules are original proteins and not just contamination?