Scientists Have Identified a New Fossil Species of Axolotl in Mexico

Researchers astatine the Zaragoza School of Advanced Studies (FES Zaragoza) astatine the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) person identified a caller fossil taxon of axolotl successful the authorities of Hidalgo.

Named Ambystoma quetzalcoatli, it is the archetypal fossil salamander taxon to beryllium formally described successful Mexico and the oldest known grounds of the genus Ambystoma ever documented successful the country. According to the researchers, the find provides an important caller portion of the puzzle for knowing the root and improvement of the biodiversity that characterizes modern Mexican fauna.

The fossils were discovered successful the municipality of Atotonilco el Grande, successful Hidalgo, a portion that was erstwhile location to an extended freshwater water strategy covering astir 85 quadrate kilometers. The lakes apt formed erstwhile the people of the Amajac River was temporarily blocked. This temperate, subhumid situation has yielded fossils of galore plants, diatoms, gastropods, ostracods, beetles, and fish. Until now, however, the amphibian remains recovered from the tract had ne'er been formally studied oregon described.

The researchers examined a twelve fossil salamander specimens collected successful the aboriginal 2000s by the FES Zaragoza Paleobotany Research Group. Many of the fossils were exceptionally good preserved, with complete, articulated skeletons that allowed for a elaborate anatomical investigation and a precise appraisal of their morphology.

The remains were initially identified arsenic belonging to a taxon of the genus Ambystoma, the radical that includes modern axolotls. However, a squad led by researchers Jorge Herrera Flores and María Patricia Velasco de León revisited the worldly utilizing modern techniques, including computed tomography (CT) scanning and elaborate anatomical comparisons with surviving species, to find its individuality much accurately.

Their investigation revealed that the fossils collected astir 3 decades agone belonged to an wholly caller species, distinguished from modern axolotls by respective important anatomical differences.

According to the study, published successful Palaeontologia Electronica, the fossils show distinctive features of the skull and skeleton that are absent successful surviving species. Among the astir notable are an elongated opening connected the apical of the skull, a otherwise structured palate, variations successful the statement of respective cranial bones, and the beingness of 17 trunk vertebrae. This past diagnostic is peculiarly significant, arsenic modern axolotls person 16 oregon less trunk vertebrae.

To found the fossils’ identity, the researchers compared them with 13 surviving Ambystoma species, including respective endemic to Mexico, specified arsenic the Xochimilco axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), arsenic good arsenic tiger salamanders from Mexico and the United States. They relied connected three-dimensional imaging and CT scans disposable done planetary technological collections.