Ancient Find
Paleontologists discovered the oldest tadpole fossil, dating back 161 million years to the middle Jurassic, in , . This fossil belongs to the species and is remarkably well-preserved, showcasing soft tissue imprints like eyeballs and gills.
The discovery challenges previous notions about frog evolution, particularly the existence of a tadpole stage in ancient frogs, by providing evidence of an advanced developmental stage of the species, complete with ossified vertebrae.
Evolutionary Insights
This fossil not only sets a new record as the oldest tadpole but also matches it to its adult counterpart, potentially settling debates on the evolution of the tadpole stage in frog development.
The tadpole's anatomical features, such as the filter-feeding system for consuming plankton and algae, indicate that similar survival strategies have persisted for millions of years, contributing to the amphibians' resilience through mass extinctions.