Discovery of the lungfish Ferganoceratodus edwardsi
Fossil hunter Steve Edwards discovers and names new species of lungfish, Ferganoceratodus edwardsi, contributing to paleontology and understanding of evolution.
Fossil hunter Steve Edwards has recently been awarded the most prestigious recognition among nature enthusiasts: a new species of lungfish has been named in his honor. In addition to being a safari guide in northern Zimbabwe, Edwards made an extraordinary discovery: a fossil of a curious fish that lived about 210 million years ago, at the time when dinosaurs were beginning to appear.
The fossil belongs to a new species of lungfish, named Ferganoceratodus edwardsi in honor of Edwards's contributions to paleontology. This discovery adds to his previous ones, which include a phytosaur and a new dinosaur in his repertoire of fossil discoveries.
Lungfish are a group of animals that have existed for over 420 million years and are still present today. These animals are known for their unique way of breathing, which involves a swim bladder that transforms into an adapted lung, allowing them to breathe outside of water.
These fish played a crucial role in evolution, as they gave rise to tetrapods, the four-limbed animals that include all terrestrial vertebrates. The genome sequencing of these fish in 2021 revealed many valuable insights about the early innovations related to the transition to terrestrial life.
One of the most extraordinary features of lungfish is their ability to sleep through heat, cocooning themselves in a mucous cocoon in a burrow and remaining without food and water for long periods, up to four years. This unique behavior is just one of the fascinating aspects of these animals that scientists are still studying.
The discovery of a new species of lungfish like Ferganoceratodus edwardsi represents an important contribution to ichthyological collections and underscores the fact that one does not need to be a professional paleontologist to make a history-changing discovery.
Professor Paul Barrett, co-author of the research at the Natural History Museum in London, emphasized the importance of Steve Edwards's work, who discovered several Late Triassic sites in southern Africa. This period marks the beginning of the era of dinosaurs and the diversification of bony fish, and Edwards's discoveries are significantly contributing to our understanding of this critical moment in evolution.
The detailed study on Ferganoceratodus edwardsi was published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology (https://doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2024.2365391), confirming the importance of this new species in the history of paleontology.
