Discovery of New Tapir Species Confirms Native Testimony

Photographs of the newly discovered Kabomani tapir (Image Source is here)

The discovery of the largest new terrestrial mammal species since the Vu Quang Ox (found in 1992) was just announced this past Monday. This breaking finding involved a new species of tapir being discovered in Brazil and Colombia by a team of scientists which had been investigating reports of the animal by local indigenous tribes since ten years ago. The description of the previously unknown perissodactyl named Tapirus kabomani, or the Kabomani tapir, has been published in the Journal of Mammology with the lead author being paleontologist Mario Cozzuol. The Kabomani tapir is regularly hunted by the Karitiana tribe and lives in open grasslands and rainforests. In comparison to its closest relative, the Brazilian tapir, the Kabomani tapir weighs around 110 kilograms and has darker hair, shorter legs, a distinctly-shaped skull, and a less prominent crest. Genetic research conducted by the authors shows that the Kabomani tapir and Brazilian tapir separated around 300,000 years ago, and it has been hypothesized that the species may have evolved during dry periods of the Pleistocene which were associated with forest fragmentation. While the discovery of this new member of the modern megafauna is exciting in itself, details of how the discovery of this animal came to be make it even more compelling.

Fossil Evidence Sheds Light on Pterosaur Inaccuracies

Excellent painting of two Istiodactylus feeding on the remains of a stegosaur, by paleoartist Mark P. Witton.

(Notice: I had originally written this article for use on the upcoming Fortean Slip podcast which is hosted by Christopher York and Steve Alcorn. I decided to share it here also for the benefit of viewers, as pterosaurs are an interesting group of animals which definitely fit into the realm of bizarre zoology. I have also been meaning to post more articles on paleontological topics, so here is one which I wrote referencing an excellent article by paleoartist Mark Witton.)

Surely if you've seen dinosaur-themed movies such as Jurassic Park then you have heard of pterosaurs. Although these strange creatures are often the sinister "villains" of such media, recent discoveries have revealed that many of the portrayed characteristics are incorrect and have shined light on the true appearance of these bizarre prehistoric reptiles. Pterosaurs were archosaurian reptiles which lived throughout the Mesozoic era, a period of time starting 250 million years ago and ending 65 million years ago. These animals possessed wings with membranes which were supported by a single finger and ranged in size from wingspans of 10 inches to 10 meters, with some species growing as tall as giraffes! However, as mentioned before, there are many inaccuracies regarding these interesting prehistoric animals often spread in movies and other media sources. Rather than being unsuccessful prehistoric equivalents of modern day seabirds, fossil evidence suggests that pterosaurs were a diverse group of reptiles which inhabited a variety of niches. Interestingly, many paleontologists suggest that a group of pterosaurs known as the azhdarchids may have stalked small animals (possibly even juvenile dinosaurs) on the ground like giant, reptilian storks! Pterosaurs were not the scrawny or leathery-skinned monsters depicted in many popular films, but were actually covered in hair-like fuzz which suggests that they were likely warm blooded. These flying reptiles did not struggle to takeoff from the ground, which would put themselves at constant risk to predators such as theropod dinosaurs, but likely launched themselves efficiently using all four legs and their powerful muscles which allowed them to leap off flat ground without assistance of cliffs or wind. Although many inaccuracies regarding these amazing prehistoric animals have been corrected, scientists still have many questions as to what their lifestyles and intermediate ancestors were like. Hopefully, with further research by devoted paleontologists and other scientists, some of the many questions regarding these bizarre Mesozoic reptiles may be answered. To read more about discoveries on the likely appearance and lifestyle of pterosaurs, click this link: Why pterosaurs weren't so scary after all







A likely inaccurate depiction of a leathery and rather demonic-looking Pteranodon from Jurassic Park III.

New Primitive, Knobby-Skulled Pareiasaur Discovered

A new Permian era (266-252 million years ago) reptile has recently been discovered in northern Niger, suggesting that an isolated desert on the supercontinent Pangea had a unique fauna of its own. The newly discovered animal was a pareiasaur, a form of herbivorous reptile common to Permian ecosystems. This animal had a body which was about the size of a cow's, with bony scutes called osteoderms on its back. The feature which especially made this reptile unique were the large, bony knobs which adorned its head; the largest of any known pareiasaur. These large cranial knobs were likely covered in skin, similar to those of giraffes. Due to this strange feature, the new pareiasaur genus was named Bunostegos, meaning "knobby [skull] roof." Even more intriguing is a discovery made through analysis of the specimen, which revealed that the pareiasaur was part of a primitive lineage isolated in the region for millions of years. It appears that several Permian reptiles, amphibians, and plants were isolated in this centrally located desert of the Pangea supercontinent due to its unique hyper-arid conditions which discouraged other species from entering. Due to this isolation in such a harsh climate, the animals living in the region possessed novel adaptations and anatomical features which are evident in their fossilized remains; thus helping us gain a better idea of what some of the truly bizarre fauna during the Permian period was like. To read more about this intriguing discovery, go to this link: Pareiasaur: Bumpy beast was a desert dweller