240-million-year-old giant “sand creeper” found hidden in retaining wall
Key takeaways
- A fossil dating back 240 million years has finally been formally identified after spending decades hidden inside a retaining wall.
- The specimen was first uncovered by a retired chicken farmer, who had sourced rocks from a nearby quarry to build a garden retaining wall.
- Paleontologist Lachlan Hart, affiliated with both UNSW Science and the Australian Museum, explains that the fossil, now named Arenaerpeton supinatus, meaning 'supine sand creeper', is exceptionally well preserved.
Why this matters: new research or scientific developments with potential real-world impact.
A fossil dating back 240 million years has finally been formally identified after spending decades hidden inside a retaining wall. Researchers from UNSW Sydney and the Australian Museum have now named and described the ancient amphibian, bringing new attention to an unusual discovery that began in the 1990s.
The specimen was first uncovered by a retired chicken farmer, who had sourced rocks from a nearby quarry to build a garden retaining wall. Among those stones was the fossil, which was later donated to the Australian Museum in Sydney.
Paleontologist Lachlan Hart, affiliated with both UNSW Science and the Australian Museum, explains that the fossil, now named Arenaerpeton supinatus, meaning 'supine sand creeper', is exceptionally well preserved. It includes almost the entire skeleton and even faint outlines of the animal's skin.