Fossilised claw prints discovered in sandstone in Australia are redefining the timeline of amniote evolution, suggesting it occurred 40 million years earlier than earlier estimations. Dated between 354 and 358 million years old, these tracks represent the oldest evidence of reptiles, birds, and mammals' ancestors. Researchers believe the footprints were made by amniotes in a rain-dimpled area, revealing new insights into their emergence in the southern continent of Gondwana. The discovery challenges previous fossil evidence found in Europe and North America, providing a new perspective on the ancient history of these creatures.
These footprints represent the oldest evidence of amniotes on the planet, indicating their evolution occurred about 40 million years earlier than previously thought.
The trackways discovered are not only older than past amniote fossils but also suggest that their emergence likely occurred in ancient Gondwana, rather than the Northern Hemisphere.
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