New Fossils Show Antarctica May Have Been Refuge during End-Permian Extinction
03.12.2009 - Atmosphere & Space, Land & Geology, Flora & Fauna, Other, Antarctic
Researchers have identified a new fossil species, Kombuisia antarctica, a species they believe survived the massive End-Permian Extinction 252 million years ago (an extinction event that wiped out most living species on the planet and may have been caused by global warming) by living in cooler climates in Antarctica.
The newly-discovered species, which seems to belong to a larger group of extinct mammals, would have been about the size of a small house cat and was different from present day mammals by the fact that it probably laid eggs, did not nurse its young and did not have fur. Whether it was warm-blooded or not is uncertain.
The debate is still on as to what exactly caused the End-Permian Extinction; a theory is that it was likely associated with a large amount of volcanic activity in Siberia, which could have triggered global warming. Antarctica - which was then located further north than its current location and not covered in an ice sheet - might have served as a refuge for Kombuisia antarctica as well as other small to medium-sized animals, which might have adopted habits such as hibernation, torpor, and burrowing in order to survive in the challenging environment.
Although earlier work had predicted the existence of animals such as Kombuisia antarctica, the discovery of these new fossils fills a gap in the fossil record and provides better insight into how vertebrates survived the End-Permian Extinction. While searching for fossils in Antarctica might be difficult, it is well worth the effort.
