Ancient Reptile Fossil Reveals Oldest Known Proteins and Breathing System
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A 289-million-year-old reptile fossil discovered in Oklahoma has revealed the oldest known traces of original proteins, preserved nearly 100 million years older than any previous find. The exceptionally preserved specimen also shows a three-dimensional ribcage structure that provides the earliest evidence of efficient, rib-based breathing in reptiles. The non-destructive analysis offers new insights into early reptile evolution and soft tissue preservation.
Facts First
- A fossil of the reptile Captorhinus aguti contains the oldest known protein traces, nearly 100 million years older than any previously identified.
- The specimen reveals the earliest evidence of costal aspiration breathing in reptiles, a rib-based system more efficient than amphibian breathing.
- The fossil's skin, cartilage, and bone were preserved in 3D by oil seep hydrocarbons and oxygen-free mud in an Oklahoma cave system.
- Researchers used neutron computed tomography and synchrotron infrared spectroscopy to examine the fossil non-destructively and detect the protein remnants.
- The study, co-led by Ethan Mooney and Professor Robert R. Reisz, was published in Nature, and the fossils are housed at the Royal Ontario Museum.
What Happened
A fossil of the small reptile Captorhinus aguti, which died approximately 289 million years ago, was discovered in cave systems near Richards Spur, Oklahoma. The fossil preserves three-dimensional skin, calcified cartilage, and traces of original proteins. Researchers, co-led by Ethan Mooney and Professor Robert R. Reisz, used neutron computed tomography (nCT) at a specialized facility in Australia to examine the fossil non-destructively. Synchrotron infrared spectroscopy was used to detect the protein traces within the bone, cartilage, and skin. The fossil was preserved by oil seep hydrocarbons and oxygen-free mud.
Why this Matters to You
This discovery pushes back the known timeline for the preservation of biological molecules by nearly 100 million years, which could change how scientists search for evidence of life in ancient rocks on Earth and potentially other planets. The detailed view of the reptile's breathing system helps explain a key evolutionary adaptation—efficient rib-based breathing—that may have contributed to the success of reptiles on land. For anyone interested in deep history or evolution, this fossil provides a remarkably clear, three-dimensional window into life from a time long before dinosaurs.
What's Next
The fossil is housed at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, where it will remain available for further study. The non-destructive analytical techniques used in this study... are likely to be applied to other exceptionally preserved fossils to search for more ancient biomolecules. Ethan Mooney, now conducting research at Harvard University, and other scientists may use these findings to better understand the early evolution of reptiles and the conditions that allow soft tissues to fossilize.