A recent study has uncovered that two small, oval fossils, originally believed to be prehistoric plants, are in fact the preserved remains of young marine turtles.
During the mid-20th century, Padre Gustavo Huerta, a priest with a particular interest in fossil plants, discovered fossils in Colombia that can be dated back to a period between 132 and 113 million years ago.
At first, it was believed that the fossils belonged to a type of sphenophyllum, a plant that is now extinct but related to modern-day “horsetails.” These sphenophyllum were thought to have leaves that were divided into triangular shapes with veins spreading out from their bases. However, specialists have since determined that this was an error.
“While re-examining the fossils, our goal was to locate leaf veins. However, our observations revealed a fragile layer of spongy bone tissue, causing us to eliminate the idea that these fossils originated from plants,” stated Professor Edwin Cadena, a co-author of the research from Universidad del Rosario in Bogotá.
“Instead, we started to compare them to fossilized vertebrates, and the thought of hatching turtles quickly came to mind.”
The researchers published a paper in the journal Palaeontologia Electronica, detailing their examination of the fossils in relation to both present-day marine turtle specimens and fossils of a different sphenophyllum species.
The team has discovered oval fossils, measuring 5cm and 6cm, that are believed to be the carapaces of marine turtles. Previous assumptions that these fossils were veins of leaves were proven wrong as they actually show bone growth patterns. Additionally, the fossils also contain evidence of bone structures called neurals and costals, as well as heavily serrated joints between them.
According to the study, the turtles were most likely less than one year old and potentially belonging to the species Desmatochelys padillai. This particular species was a type of protostegid, a group of marine turtles that are now extinct and known for being some of the largest in history.
Nevertheless, in a gesture towards the initial misidentification, the group has playfully dubbed them “Turtwig”, inspired by a Pokémon creature with characteristics of both a turtle and a plant.
An expert in studying prehistoric vertebrates at National Museums Scotland, Dr. Nick Fraser, who was not part of the research team, commented that the revised interpretation is more logical. This is because sphenophyllum existed in the Palaeozoic era, while the fossils were found in deposits from the later Mesozoic era. This difference, according to Cadena, is similar to suggesting that dinosaurs coexisted with mammoths, which is incorrect.
Fraser stated, “The new interpretation holds significance and accurately portrays the identity of hatchling turtles. These early stage turtles are uncommon in the fossil record, and further analysis, such as CT scanning, could provide valuable insights for species identification.”
According to Professor Andy Gale of the University of Portsmouth, the specimens in question are without a doubt newly hatched turtles, not plants. He also noted that this uncommon mistake highlights how people may perceive things based on their own desires, even when it may not be accurate.
Source: theguardian.com
