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Time of India
24-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Are Monitor lizards modern dinosaurs? Scientists discover they share a hidden bone structure with the extinct species!
The past often hides clues about the present, especially when it comes to evolution. And sometimes, the most surprising discoveries don't come from deep expeditions into the wild, but from the hidden fossils or preserved museum archives. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Using technological advances like micro-CT scanning, researchers can now revisit old specimens and find out secrets hidden beneath the surface, without damaging the samples. These breakthroughs allow us to find connections across time, between the creatures that walked the earth millions of years ago to animals still living today. One among these is an area of recent study involving osteoderms, which are small bony plates located under the skin. While this is commonly associated with dinosaurs, armadillos, and crocodiles, new research shows they may be much more widespread in today's reptiles than anyone previously thought. Monitor Lizards share an ancient bone structure with Dinosaurs Scientists have found that monitor lizards, known as goannas in Australia, have hidden bone structures called osteoderms beneath their skin. Surprisingly, it is a feature they share with prehistoric creatures like the Stegosaurus. This research, published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, represents the first large-scale study of osteoderms in lizards and snakes. The team scanned over 2,000 reptile specimens using high-resolution micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), according to Museums Victoria. 'We were astonished to find osteoderms in 29 Australo-Papuan monitor lizard species that had never been documented before,' said Roy Ebel, lead author of the study and researcher at Museums Victoria Research Institute and the Australian National University. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'It's a fivefold increase in known cases among goannas,' he added in a press release. What are Osteoderms Osteoderms are well-known bone structures in animals like armadillos, crocodiles, and dinosaurs, including the iconic Stegosaurus. Their purpose isn't completely understood, but researchers believe they provide protection, help regulate body temperature, store calcium, and may even support movement. Jane Melville, Senior Curator of Terrestrial Vertebrates at Museums Victoria Research Institute, explained the bigger picture, 'What's so exciting about this finding is that it reshapes what we thought we knew about reptile evolution. It suggests that these skin bones may have evolved in response to environmental pressures as lizards adapted to Australia's challenging landscapes.' The researchers also talked about the vital role of museum archives in this discovery. Some of the studied specimens were over 120 years old. By using the non-destructive micro-CT scanning, these preserved reptiles could be examined in detail for the first time. The study reveals that more than half of all lizard species may have osteoderms, about 85% more than previously thought. With this growing dataset, researchers are now poised to look for even more secrets hiding in plain sight, bridging the gap between ancient dinosaurs and the reptiles we see today.
Scoop
24-07-2025
- Science
- Scoop
New Zealand Part Of Hidden Global Deep-Sea Network Beneath The Waves
Study of ancient sea creature's DNA links New Zealand to oceans around the world A world-first study of marine life, including sea creatures found in New Zealand's dark, cold, pressurised ocean depths, has revealed that deep-sea life is surprisingly more connected than previously thought. The research, led by Australia's Museums Victoria Research Institute and just published in Nature, found that while marine life in shallow waters is regionally unique, deeper ocean life shows more global connectivity, with some deep-sea species found across vast distances, even on opposite sides of the world. A previous lack of global data meant that the connections of deep-sea species weren't fully known, but the researchers from 19 different institutions, including Earth Sciences New Zealand (formerly NIWA), were able to discover how marine life is connected across the sea floor. The landmark study mapped the global distribution and evolutionary relationships of brittle stars (Ophiuroidea), an ancient, spiny animal found from shallow coastal waters to the deepest abyssal plains, and from the equator to the poles. In the most comprehensive study of its kind, brittle star DNA from four dozen collections, including from Earth Sciences New Zealand's invertebrate collection in Wellington, was examined. By analysing over 2,500 DNA samples collected from over 300 research voyages in all oceans and at various depths, the researchers were able to uncover how the deep-sea invertebrates have evolved and migrated across the oceans over the past 100 million years, linking ecosystems from Iceland to Tasmania. 'You might think of the deep sea as remote and isolated, but for many animals on the seafloor, it's actually a connected superhighway,' said study lead Dr Tim O'Hara, Senior Curator of Marine Invertebrates at Museums Victoria Research Institute. 'Over long timescales, deep-sea species have expanded their ranges by thousands of kilometres. This connectivity is a global phenomenon that's gone unnoticed, until now. 'The brittle star was chosen because the animals, which have lived on Earth for over 480 million years, are found on all ocean floors, including at depths of more than 3,500 metres, says Dr O'Hara. "These animals don't have fins or wings, but they've still managed to span entire oceans. The secret lies in their biology; their larvae can survive for a long time in cold water, hitching a ride on slow-moving deep-sea currents." With the yolk-rich larvae able to drift on deep ocean currents for extended periods, the brittle stars have been able to colonise far-flung regions. Unlike marine life in shallow waters, which is restricted by temperature boundaries, deep-sea environments are more stable and allow species to disperse over vast distances, the study found. "The research shows that deep-sea communities, particularly at temperate latitudes, are more closely related across regions than their shallow-water counterparts. This may be due to historic ocean currents and temperature patterns that allowed species to spread over time. For example, marine animals found off southern Australia share close evolutionary links with those in the North Atlantic, on the other side of the planet." However, the deep sea is not uniform, and while species can spread widely, factors such as extinction events, environmental change, and geography have created a patchwork of biodiversity across the seafloor. Deep-sea ecosystems are more connected than first thought, says study co-author Sadie Mills, invertebrate collection manager at Earth Sciences New Zealand (formerly NIWA). "Understanding how species are related and their connections in the ocean at different depths and different latitudes is key to protecting marine biodiversity across the entire planet. These global links should be taken into account in planning." As threats from deep-sea mining and climate change increase, this new appreciation of how life is distributed and moves through this vast environment is essential if we want to protect it, says Dr O'Hara. "It's a paradox. The deep sea is highly connected, but also incredibly fragile."
Scoop
24-07-2025
- Science
- Scoop
New Zealand Part Of Hidden Global Deep-Sea Network Beneath The Waves
Press Release – Earth Sciences New Zealand In the most comprehensive study of its kind, brittle star DNA from four dozen collections, including from Earth Sciences New Zealand's invertebrate collection in Wellington, was examined. Study of ancient sea creature's DNA links New Zealand to oceans around the world A world-first study of marine life, including sea creatures found in New Zealand's dark, cold, pressurised ocean depths, has revealed that deep-sea life is surprisingly more connected than previously thought. The research, led by Australia's Museums Victoria Research Institute and just published in Nature, found that while marine life in shallow waters is regionally unique, deeper ocean life shows more global connectivity, with some deep-sea species found across vast distances, even on opposite sides of the world. A previous lack of global data meant that the connections of deep-sea species weren't fully known, but the researchers from 19 different institutions, including Earth Sciences New Zealand (formerly NIWA), were able to discover how marine life is connected across the sea floor. The landmark study mapped the global distribution and evolutionary relationships of brittle stars (Ophiuroidea), an ancient, spiny animal found from shallow coastal waters to the deepest abyssal plains, and from the equator to the poles. In the most comprehensive study of its kind, brittle star DNA from four dozen collections, including from Earth Sciences New Zealand's invertebrate collection in Wellington, was examined. By analysing over 2,500 DNA samples collected from over 300 research voyages in all oceans and at various depths, the researchers were able to uncover how the deep-sea invertebrates have evolved and migrated across the oceans over the past 100 million years, linking ecosystems from Iceland to Tasmania. 'You might think of the deep sea as remote and isolated, but for many animals on the seafloor, it's actually a connected superhighway,' said study lead Dr Tim O'Hara, Senior Curator of Marine Invertebrates at Museums Victoria Research Institute. 'Over long timescales, deep-sea species have expanded their ranges by thousands of kilometres. This connectivity is a global phenomenon that's gone unnoticed, until now. 'The brittle star was chosen because the animals, which have lived on Earth for over 480 million years, are found on all ocean floors, including at depths of more than 3,500 metres, says Dr O'Hara. 'These animals don't have fins or wings, but they've still managed to span entire oceans. The secret lies in their biology; their larvae can survive for a long time in cold water, hitching a ride on slow-moving deep-sea currents.' With the yolk-rich larvae able to drift on deep ocean currents for extended periods, the brittle stars have been able to colonise far-flung regions. Unlike marine life in shallow waters, which is restricted by temperature boundaries, deep-sea environments are more stable and allow species to disperse over vast distances, the study found. 'The research shows that deep-sea communities, particularly at temperate latitudes, are more closely related across regions than their shallow-water counterparts. This may be due to historic ocean currents and temperature patterns that allowed species to spread over time. For example, marine animals found off southern Australia share close evolutionary links with those in the North Atlantic, on the other side of the planet.' However, the deep sea is not uniform, and while species can spread widely, factors such as extinction events, environmental change, and geography have created a patchwork of biodiversity across the seafloor. Deep-sea ecosystems are more connected than first thought, says study co-author Sadie Mills, invertebrate collection manager at Earth Sciences New Zealand (formerly NIWA). 'Understanding how species are related and their connections in the ocean at different depths and different latitudes is key to protecting marine biodiversity across the entire planet. These global links should be taken into account in planning.' As threats from deep-sea mining and climate change increase, this new appreciation of how life is distributed and moves through this vast environment is essential if we want to protect it, says Dr O'Hara. 'It's a paradox. The deep sea is highly connected, but also incredibly fragile.'
The Guardian
29-03-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
Magnificent, rare worm with its own campaign song: the giant Gippsland earthworm
The giant Gippsland earthworm already has an upbeat campaign song. 'I am a real worm, I am an actual worm,' bangs the chorus of Doctor Worm, a late-90s novelty hit by the American indie rock band They Might Be Giants. Of course, Gippsland's worms definitely are giants – some reportedly stretching as long as 2 to 3 metres. And they are actually earthworms, albeit magnificent ones. Their size is truly remarkable, says Dr Beverley Van Praagh, a species specialist. A garden variety earthworm might be the length of your finger, whereas an average giant Gippsland earthworm is longer than an outstretched arm, its body as thick as a thumb. 'To be really honest, little worms kind of freak me out,' she reveals, 'they're all squiggly and squirmy.' These earthworms don't move like that, she says, they move slowly and gracefully. Yet despite their immense size, a song is needed, as you won't see these introverted invertebrates on the campaign trail, if at all. Giant Gippsland earthworms live underground in burrows, in small, isolated colonies scattered across 40,000 hectares (98,842 acres) in south-eastern Australia, and rarely come to the surface. Experts prefer not to dig them up, as doing so causes harm. 'There's an old rumour that if you cut a worm in half, you get two worms,' says Simon Hinkley, the collection manager of terrestrial invertebrates at Museums Victoria Research Institute. Don't even think about doing that with a Gippsland giant, he warns. 'If you cut a giant Gippsland worm in half, or even nick it, it's not going to survive.' Instead, scientists study the species by stomping about on the surface and listening for the sucking and gurgling of live worms squelching through their subterranean tunnels. 'The worm in the burrow gets a fright, and pulls back, retracts back down its burrow to go deeper,' Hinkley says, producing a sound like water draining from the bath. 'As far as we know, nothing else makes that sound.' Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion These curious noises inspired an early 'talkie' in 1931 featuring the giant worms, filmed near the village of Loch in Gippsland, Victoria. The lead was a 6ft specimen, which lifted its head inquiringly for the camera, according to newspaper reports at the time. Seventy-five years later they starred again, alongside Sir David Attenborough in Life in the Undergrowth, who declared them 'one of the rarest and most extraordinary of all earthworms'. These giants have little need for such notoriety. These elusive animals seem to prefer a humble life, a colony of one or two worms might occupy a patch of suitably moist slope or creek bank as small as 10 square metres. Hinkley says: 'Everything about them is big and slow.' The Gippsland worm is thought to live to more than 10 years, possibly even 20, and produce only one amber-coloured egg cocoon each year, which emerges about 12 months later as a 20cm-long big baby. Patient, gentle and understated. If this sounds the perfect antidote to 2025, catch the earworm and cast your vote for the giant Gippsland earthworm. Between 24 March and 2 April, we are profiling a shortlist of 10 of the invertebrates chosen by readers and selected by our wildlife writers from more than 2,500 nominations. The voting for our 2025 invertebrate of the year will run from midday on Wednesday 2 April until midday on Friday 4 April, and the winner will be announced on Monday 7 April.
The Guardian
03-03-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
Mysterious and vulnerable: the secret lives of Australia's giant worms
One of the world's largest worms might escape notice, if not for the loud gurgling noises that can be heard coming from underground as the species burrows and squelches through its moist clay. The giant Gippsland earthworm, a purple and pink colossus that lives in a small, wet patch about 100km east of Melbourne in south-east Australia, reportedly stretches as long as 2 to 3 metres. These slow-moving and graceful giants, according to species specialist Dr Beverley Van Praagh, are quite unlike the 'squiggly and squirmy' garden variety, which Guardian readers crowned UK invertebrate of the year in 2024. Even an average sized individual would eclipse the UK's largest recorded specimen, a 40cm-long lob worm named Dave found in a Cheshire vegetable patch. Worm researchers such as Van Praagh say it is challenging to study an animal that lives underground, even one so immense. She said the main way to detect them was to stomp about on the surface, and listen out for the distinctive sound – like water draining from a bath – of a startled worm retracting deeper underground. Sometimes researchers look for evidence of burrows, complex tunnels with rippled sides, according to Simon Hinkley, the collection manager of terrestrial invertebrates at the Museums Victoria Research Institute. They might find a cocoon, shaped like a cocktail sausage, where the worms laid a single egg that produced one large baby – about 20cm long – after a year. Egg cocoons were a beautiful amber colour, he said. 'And if you hold them up to the light, you can actually see there's one worm inside.' Sorry your browser does not support audio - but you can download here and listen $ Extreme care has to be taken when digging, as these are vulnerable creatures. If you accidentally nick a giant worm it bleeds, and is unlikely to survive, Hinkley says. Anecdotal accounts describe 'horrific' scenes of fields running 'red with blood' when the worm's habitat was first cleared and ploughed. The gentle giants remain in small, isolated colonies, but as a long-lived species that produce few young, and continue to be threatened by changes to the water table, soil disturbance and excavation. Dr Pat Hutchings, a senior fellow at the Australian Museum, said Australia had a huge diversity of worms, including many endemic species and several giants found on land, in sand and under the sea. Hutchings specialises in sea worms, known as polychaetes. She described one large specimen, measuring at least 1 metre long, found in sediments under shallow waters about 180km north of Sydney. The species was named Eunice dharastii after the fisheries scientist Dr Dave Harasti, who managed to entice the iridescent worm out of its underwater tube by dangling an offering of fish head over the burrow. Hutchings said another sea worm species, found in the Kimberley region of northern Australia, was long enough to be slung around her neck like a feather boa. Hutchings said even though worms might be gathered together as one group of animals, they were incredibly diverse in their forms, behaviour and reproductive strategies. 'We've got this amazing biodiversity in Australia,' she said, including thousands of worm species. There just weren't enough worm scientists yet to describe them. The Guardian is asking readers to nominate species for the second annual invertebrate of the year competition. Read more about it and make your suggestions here or via the form below. You can tell us which species you would like to nominate by filling in the form below. Please include as much detail as possible. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian.
