Geneva scientists New fossil species of coelacanth discovered
Using a particle accelerator, the smallest details of the coelacanth's skeleton could be observed.
Image: Keystone
Researchers at the University of Geneva have discovered an extinct species of fish.
Image: Keystone
Using a particle accelerator, the smallest details of the coelacanth's skeleton could be observed.
Image: Keystone
Researchers at the University of Geneva have discovered an extinct species of fish.
Image: Keystone
A team of researchers from Geneva has discovered a new fossil species of coelacanth. Using a particle accelerator, fine details of the skeleton of the 240-million-year-old fossils were made visible.
12.11.2024, 17:08
12.11.2024, 21:16
SDA
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- Geneva scientists have identified a new fossil species of coelacanth.
- The discovery was made with the help of a particle accelerator.
- Thanks to this technology, the researchers were able to visualize fine details of the skeleton of the 240-million-year-old fossils.
A team of scientists from Geneva has made an important discovery: they have identified a new fossil species of coelacanth. This species was named after the Graoully, a dragon from the folklore of Lorraine. The discovery was made with the help of a particle accelerator.
The research was made possible by the use of the European Synchrotron in Grenoble. This instrument makes it possible to analyze matter down to the smallest detail. Thanks to this technology, the researchers were able to visualize fine details of the skeleton of the 240-million-year-old fossils that could not be observed before.
The fossils, which were found in clay nodules from the Middle Triassic period, come from the Lorraine region in France. The synchrotron light made it possible to create detailed images of the fossils preserved in the rock, which led to the reconstruction of the skeleton.
A new species with special characteristics
The newly discovered species is called Graulia branchiodonta. The name refers to the large teeth that these fish have on their gills. This discovery expands our knowledge of coelacanths, of which only two species were previously known, living off the coasts of East Africa and Indonesia.
Scientists from the Senckenberg Research Institute and the Natural History Museum in Frankfurt am Main were also involved in the study. The results of the research were published in the scientific journal "Plosone".