KU researchers discover ‘big possum' species from 60 million years ago in Texas
Paleontologists at the University of Kansas have discovered a new 'big possum' species that lived in the warm, tropical and vegetation-filled ecosystem of far west Texas 60 million years ago.
The scientists discovered a new species of ancient near-marsupials, or Swaindelphys, while analyzing fossils from Texas' Big Bend National Park, according to a news release from KU. The 800,000 acre park is roughly 500 miles southwest of Fort Worth.
The fossils were originally found decades ago, but they had not been thoroughly studied. The project's lead author, doctoral student Kristen Miller, was particularly interested in unknown molar fossils. She wanted to find out what species they represented.
The researchers, who published their findings last week in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, were surprised at what they found.
This new species, called Swaindelphys solastella, is remarkable for multiple reasons. First, it is much larger than any other similar species known from the Paleocene period, according to the release. This is the period that occurred just after the extinction of dinosaurs.
The Swaindelphys solastella 'was gigantic by the standards of Swaindelphys,' but researchers estimate it was the size of a modern hedgehog.
'Since everything is bigger in Texas, this is perhaps not surprising,' said curator and professor Chris Beard, co-author of the study.
Miller said the Swaindelphys solastella is also the youngest and most southern species from this time period.
While the fossils were found in Texas, the ecosystem they came from was drastically different than the one we see today.
Miller said the environment would have been warmer and more tropical than it is now, with lots of vegetation and rivers. The fossils were found in a deposit from an ancient river system, even though that river is long gone today.
Researchers said Swaindelphys are very similar to early primates. So, they hope to use this new discovery to inform studies about early primates in the same ecosystems in Texas.
Miller also said she wants to continue this research to see if ancient landscapes posed obstacles to species distribution, like the distribution of the Swaindelphys.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
SpaceX sets new date for private Axiom-4 astronaut launch to the International Space Station
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The crew of Houston-based Axiom Space's next launch to the space station is back on the board. Axiom's fourth astronaut mission (Ax-4) to the International Space Station (ISS) has a new launch date. The crew of four will liftoff aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft atop a Falcon 9 rocket no earlier than June 25, NASA announced Monday evening (June 23). Liftoff is scheduled for 2:31 a.m. EDT (0631 GMT) from Launch Complex-39A, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, in Florida.. The launch had been indefinitely delayed last week due to a leak detected aboard the ISS. No update was given about that leak in NASA's announcement of the new launch date. The leak in the station's Zvezda module isn't new, but a change in the pressure data that measures the leak's severity prompted NASA and Axiom to postpone the Ax-4 launch until safety could be assured. The Ax-4 crew consists of former NASA astronaut and Axiom's director of human spaceflight Peggy Whitson. Whitson will serve as mission commander to Shubhanshu Shukla of India, Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu, from Hungary. All three will be the first astronauts from their respecitve nations to launch on a mission to the ISS. Related stories: — Axiom Space: Building the off-Earth economy — International Space Station: Everything you need to know about the orbital laboratory — Top 'safety risk' for the ISS is a leak that has been ongoing for 5 years, NASA audit finds The mission is expected to last two weeks. While aboard the orbiting lab, the Ax-4 crew will conduct more science experiments and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) outreach events than any previous Axiom mission — more than 60 in total. If all stays on schedule with Wednesday's early morning launch, the crew's Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to dock with the ISS at approximately 7:00 a.m. EDT (1100 GMT) Thursday, June 26. A livestream of the launch and rendezvous will be lived stream on
Medscape
an hour ago
- Medscape
Docs Urged to Use Genome Tests to Diagnose Kids Early
'Knowing what's going on at the genetic level can make a huge difference,' Stoler said. 'It's about clarity, not just for doctors, but for families navigating an uncertain journey.' Access and Adoption Challenges Remain Pediatricians are generally willing to refer or order genetic testing but face several barriers, said Julian Martinez-Agosto, MD, PhD, an associate professor of genetics at UCLA Health. 'Perceptions about lack of clinical utility or impact on patient outcomes have been a primary barrier,' said Martinez-Agosto, who was not involved with the AAP report. 'Other barriers include lack of time due to high clinic volumes, unfamiliarity with the testing process, and insecurity about discussing results — especially when they're uncertain or relate to reproductive planning.' Martinez-Agosto said health systems can improve access by offering primary care clinicians accessible education and tools to support counseling and interpretation. Still, interpreting genetic results can be complex. Some findings may present unclear significance. Others may uncover unrelated but medically relevant information, such as a predisposition to adult-onset diseases. 'It would be optimal for the pediatrician to have the involvement of a trained genetic professional,' Stoler said. Indeed, the report states that genetic counseling should be offered both before and after testing, especially when test results carry uncertain significance or broader family implications. Additional barriers include cost and inconsistent insurance coverage. However, Pastinen noted recent signs of improvement. 'In the last 3 years, there's been a substantial increase in Medicaid coverage for early genomic sequencing in unsolved pediatric disease,' Pastinen said He also said the new AAP guidance could help push insurance companies still hesitant to cover these tests. 'Every year we see better coverage by insurers,' he said. 'I hope this is another piece in the reimbursement puzzle.' Demarest had consulted for, received grant funding from, and served on advisory boards of BioMarin, Neurogene, and Marinus, among others. The Precision Medicine Institute at Children's Hospital Colorado has ongoing partnerships with Illumina, although Demarest reported not receiving any direct compensation from this partnership. Stoler, Pastinen, and Martinez-Agosto reported no relevant financial conflicts of interest. Lara Salahi is a health journalist based in Boston. Lead image: Moment/Getty Images
Medscape
2 hours ago
- Medscape
Amelanotic Melanoma Tied to Worse Survival
TOPLINE: Patients with amelanotic melanoma showed poorer disease-specific survival (DSS) than those with melanotic melanoma in a Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database analysis. METHODOLOGY: Researchers analyzed data on patients with invasive cutaneous amelanotic melanoma (n = 1598) and melanotic melanoma (n = 417,974) from the SEER 17 database between 2000 and 2021. Patients with amelanotic melanoma were older at diagnosis and presented with more advanced-stage disease than those with melanotic melanoma (regional/distant stages: 26.8% vs 12.4%), ulceration (35.6% vs 13.1%), and Breslow thickness > 2 mm (42% vs 17%). The primary outcome was DSS. TAKEAWAY: Five-year DSS was significantly lower in patients with amelanotic melanoma (78.6%) than in those with melanotic melanoma (91.3%; P < .001). Patients with amelanotic melanoma carried a 31% higher risk for mortality after adjusting for sex, age, and stage (P < .001). Among those with amelanotic melanoma, men (hazard ratio [HR], 1.38; P = .014 vs women) had a higher disease-specific mortality, and mortality was higher among adults aged 85 years and older (HR, 1.86; P = .002 vs patients aged 45-64 years). Amelanotic melanoma diagnoses made 2011 onward were associated with a lower mortality risk (HR, 0.55; P < .001) than those diagnosed before 2011, with 2-year DSS for distant metastases more than doubling from 26.4% during 2000-2005 to 58.8% during 2016-2021. IN PRACTICE: 'This study underscores the poorer survival outcomes associated with AM [amelanotic melanoma] compared to MM [melanotic melanoma] and highlights a potential survival improvement following the availability of immunotherapy,' the study authors wrote. They called for prospective trials 'to validate these findings and guide tailored management strategies for AM.' SOURCE: The study was led by Trang M. Nguyen, MD, National Hospital of Dermatology and Venereology, Hanoi, Vietnam, and was published online on June 12 in Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. LIMITATIONS: Limitations included selection bias and limited follow-up for recent cases. DISCLOSURES: The authors reported having no funding sources or relevant conflicts of interest. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
