Latest news with #LaRioja
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
236-million-year-old Triassic fossil reveals earliest known butterfly, moth scales
Paleontologists associated with different institutions in Argentina, along with a scientist from the U.K., have identified specks of scales from lepidopterans—a family of winged insects including several species of butterflies and moths—in samples of dung recovered from an excavation site at Talampaya National Park, located in the Argentina's western La Rioja Province. Digging at the national park began in 2011, revealing that the area had once served as a communal latrine used by many animals, including large plant-eaters, who returned regularly to urinate and defecate. Researchers collected dung samples from the Talampaya site and sent them to different institutions for analysis. One of these samples ended up at the Regional Center for Scientific Research and Technology Transfer of La Rioja, where the team behind this new study made the discovery. Researchers examined the sample using multiple methods and determined it to be around 236 million years old—dating to the middle of the Triassic period and just 16 million years after the end-Permian extinction, which wiped out roughly 90% of Earth's animal species. Among the contents, paleontologists found tiny scales, each about 200 microns long, which they identified as belonging to a lepidopteran. Previous research has estimated that Lepidoptera first evolved around 241 million years ago. However, until now, the oldest known physical evidence of their existence dated back only to about 201 million years ago. This left a significant 40 million-year gap between their predicted origin and the earliest fossil record, making it difficult for scientists to confirm when these insects first appeared and how they fit into early ecosystems. However, the new discovery by the team in Argentina helps fill in a key gap in the evolutionary record of Lepidoptera. It also led to the identification of what may be a previously unknown species, which the researchers have named Ampatiri eloisae. The researchers noted that, based on the age of the fossil, the newly identified species likely belonged to a subgroup called Glossata—meaning it would have had a proboscis similar to the long, tube-like mouthparts used by modern moths and butterflies to feed on liquids like nectar. During the Triassic period, forests were made up only of conifers and cycads, as flowering plants had not yet evolved. These nonflowering plants produced sugary droplets to aid pollination—small treats that would have provided an ideal food source for early insects with proboscises. It is estimated that the proboscis first appeared between 260 and 244 million years ago, soon after the mass extinction event. This suggests that the distinctive feeding structure of butterflies likely developed not from feeding on flowers, but for accessing these ancient nectar-like secretions. This key adaptation probably enabled early butterflies and moths to thrive by feeding on sugary pollination drops, ultimately setting the foundation for their future interaction with flowering plants, which wouldn't evolve until nearly 100 million years later. The study of the discovery has been published in the Journal of South American Earth Sciences
Daily Mail
02-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Revealed: Spain's quiet and uncrowded hidden gems that still want tourists
Spain might be one of the UK's favourite summer holiday destinations, but protests against tourists in leading hotspots such as Barcelona and Majorca have left some Brits put off. But while more than 18 million British tourists visited Spain in 2024, there are a few regions that fall outside the limelight. So, where are Brits unlikely to run into other tourists in 2025? La Rioja According to Spain's National Institute of Statistics (INE), La Rioja was the country's least visited region in 2024. The gorgeous destination, known for its wine production, welcomed just 123,123 visitors last year. La Rioja is an inland region in northern Spain and deserves far more attention than it tends to get. Lonely Planet reveals: 'Wine goes well with the region's ochre earth and vast blue skies, which seem far more Mediterranean than the Basque greens further north. 'This diverse region offers more than just the pleasures of the grape, though, and a few days here can see you mixing it up in lively towns and quiet pilgrim churches, and even hunting for the remains of giant reptiles.' Head to the Museo de la Rioja, a history museum located in an 18th-century baroque building, to find out more about the region's past. And of course, make sure to visit one of the region's more than 500 wineries to sample one of it's world-renowned reds. El Hierro and La Gomera While the Canary Islands are one of Spain's busiest destinations, a couple of the islands get much less attention. According to Statista, both La Gomera and El Hierro received just 69,000 visitors in 2022. And Marek Bron, travel expert at the Indie Traveller, told MailOnline Travel that La Gomera is the most underrated of the Canary Islands. He said: 'It has these very lush forests that feel like rainforests and they're amazing for hiking.' Meanwhile El Hierro is the smallest Canary Island with far fewer crowds than popular spots like Tenerife and Lanzarote. Tourists can visit the pretty hidden gem by taking a ferry or plane from Tenerife or Gran Canaria. Marina Lucense According to statistics from the INE and Turespana, Mariña Lucense is the Spanish stretch of coast that's the least visited. The breathtaking region is located on Spain's northern Galician coast where some of the country's least well-known beaches are. While the weather can't be guaranteed to be sunny, the beaches in Marina Lucense are much quieter than in the Costa del Sol or Costa Blanca. Visit Spain explains: 'The Marina Lucense has around 100km of coastline where you'll find old whaling ports and a variety of landscapes.' One of the region's most spectacular beaches is As Catedrais, or the Cathedrals. The 1.5km long beach earned its name from the Gothic-looking rock towers and arches on its sands. Cabrera Maritime-Terrestrial National Park Of Spain's 16 national parks, the Cabrera Maritime-Terrestrial National Park is the country's least visited according to INE statistics. Just an hour's boat ride from Majorca, the archipelago will 'definitely surprise you', says Spain's tourism board. It says: 'This oasis has one of the best-preserved examples of marine life in the whole of the Mediterranean Sea. 'Its almost untouched sea shore hosts a wealth of species native to the Balearic Islands.' The national park can be enjoyed on a boat trip and is home to more than 400 botanical species and 200 fish species.
