In the caves of France found the remains of a turtle that survived the mass extinction of animals
The tortoise, or rather its ancient remains, was found by researchers from the National University of Distance Education in Spain in France. Paleontologists believe that she managed to survive the massive extinction of animals that occurred 60 million years ago.
Spanish scientists believe that they found the only animal that managed to fully survive the mass extinction in the northern hemisphere. They became a primitive land turtle Laurasichersis relicta, published on the website of the institute.
This 60-cm turtle could not pull its neck into its carapace to hide from danger. Therefore, this physical limitation allowed her to develop other protective mechanisms. For example, armor with large spikes located on the neck, legs and tail.
“The reason Laurasichersis survived the mass extinction, while none of the other primitive North American, European, or Asian land turtles could do this, remains a mystery,” says paleontologist Perez Garcia from the Evolutionary Biology Group of the National University of Distance Education in Spain .
60 million years ago, in the lands of Laurasia, which was located on the territory of the current northern hemisphere, a cataclysm happened, thanks to which all dinosaurs and more than 70% of life on the planet died out.
Before that, a scientist from NASA presented a new project, which shows land without oceans. The agency made a remake of the video on the theme "What will the Earth be like if all the oceans are dry."
Spanish scientists believe that they found the only animal that managed to fully survive the mass extinction in the northern hemisphere. They became a primitive land turtle Laurasichersis relicta, published on the website of the institute.
This 60-cm turtle could not pull its neck into its carapace to hide from danger. Therefore, this physical limitation allowed her to develop other protective mechanisms. For example, armor with large spikes located on the neck, legs and tail.
“The reason Laurasichersis survived the mass extinction, while none of the other primitive North American, European, or Asian land turtles could do this, remains a mystery,” says paleontologist Perez Garcia from the Evolutionary Biology Group of the National University of Distance Education in Spain .
60 million years ago, in the lands of Laurasia, which was located on the territory of the current northern hemisphere, a cataclysm happened, thanks to which all dinosaurs and more than 70% of life on the planet died out.
Before that, a scientist from NASA presented a new project, which shows land without oceans. The agency made a remake of the video on the theme "What will the Earth be like if all the oceans are dry."
