Crustacean Fossil Found in East Antarctica
23.07.2008 - Flora & Fauna, Other, Antarctic
Researchers from the University of Leicester, North Dakota State University, the British Geological Survey, Queen Mary University of London, and Boston University have just made a new discovery in East Antarctica: fossil ostracods dating back 14 million years. The presence of ostracods in Antarctica suggests the presence of a high latitude lake in the past with conditions favourable enough to allow the tiny creatures to colonise and lends greater credence to the theory that the Antarctic was once much warmer.
The small crustaceans were found in the Dry Valleys of the East Antarctic region and are believed to come from an ancient lake. Aside from the fact that these fossils were exceptionally well preserved, the very presence of lake ostracods at this latitude, 77 degrees south, is a noteworthy.
Today, the mean annual temperature in the area is minus 25°C, impossible conditions to sustain lake fauna and ostracods. This has brought the researchers to theorize that there could have been a substantial and very intense cooling of the Antarctic climate after this time interval, from tundra conditions 14 million years ago to the colder climate we know today.
The researchers do caution, however, that the presence of these ostracods does not necessarily imply that ostracods were widespread on the continent. They could very well have been introduced by chance, attached to migratory birds' feathers and/or feet, as is often the case with modern day ostracod distribution.
