Latest news with #Sekhmetops
CBC
21-02-2025
- Science
- CBC
Newly discovered ancient apex predator had knife-sharp teeth and bone-crushing jaws
What had the body of a dog, the face of a cat, and jaws powerful enough to potentially crush the bones of an elephant? Meet the Bastetodon, a newly discovered species of apex predator, roughly the size of a leopard or a hyena, that roamed the lush forests of ancient Egypt some 30 million years ago. "It is really the king of the ancient forests," Shorouq Al-Ashqar, a palaeontologist at Mansoura University and the American University in Cairo, told As It Happens guest host Helen Mann. Al-Ashqar is the lead author of a new study identifying the species based on an analysis of a remarkably intact skull discovered in the Egyptian desert. The findings were published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 'Like it died yesterday' Researchers unearthed the skull in 2020 during an expedition to the Fayum Depression, an archeologically rich site in Egypt's western deserts. For days, the scientists meticulously excavated layers of rock, when suddenly, team member Belal Salem, who is now with Ohio University, noticed a large set of teeth sticking out of the ground. Salem "shouted excitedly" to the rest of the team to come look, says Al-Ashqar. "That was a moment," she said. When she first laid eyes on the fossil, Al-Ashqar says she was blown away. It was almost perfectly intact, save for a few cracks, "like it died yesterday." "For any paleontologist to find a three-dimensional skull … or fossil, it's very rare because it's buried under the rocks for millions of millions of years," she said. After analyzing the skull, and comparing it with other fossils on record, the team determined it belonged to an extinct order of mammals called hyaenodonta — fearsome carnivores who evolved before modern-day cats, dogs and hyenas. Because of its cat-like teeth structure, the team decided to call it Bastetodon, after the cat-headed ancient Egyptian goddess Bastet, who symbolizes protection, pleasure, and good health. The researchers also compared the fossil to that of another lion-sized species of hyaenodonta discovered in Fayum more than 120 years ago, which they have dubbed Sekhmetops, after Sekhmet, the lion-headed Egyptian goddess of wrath and war. "We are super proud of our ancient Egyptian history," Al-Ashqar said. While Sekhmetops was originally believed to have originated in Europe, the team concluded both it and Bastetodon came from Africa before spreading to Asia, Europe, India, and North America. What did it eat? Hans Larsson, a Canadian paleontologist who was not involved in the study, called it "pretty cool." "It's a remarkably complete specimen from a time and place where such complete fossils are incredibly rare," Larsson, curator of vertebrate paleontology at McGill University in Montreal, said in an email. Larsson says he wonders what kind of impact the Bastetodon would have had on the food chain. "The presence of Bastetodon must have had implications for the complexity of the ecosystem to be able to support such a large carnivore," he said. "This 'top dog' in the food chain must have had an equally impressive diet." Al-Ashqar suspects it preyed on primates, early hippos and early elephants, all of which have been found on the fossil record for that time. While it only weighed roughly 27 kilograms, its knife-like teeth, powerful jaws and sheer strength meant it could take down large animals, and would not have had any predators of its own. "They were really, really fearsome animals," she said. But if hyaenodonta were so tough, why did they die out? That's a matter of debate among scientists, Al-Ashqar said. Some theorize a changing climate and dying vegetation reduced the availability of prey and caused them to perish. The desert where the skull was found, for example, was once a lush rainforest. Others, she says, believe they were wiped out when they were forced to compete with the ancestors of modern cats, dogs and hyenas, which arrived in Africa when tectonic shifts changed the shape of Earth's continents. Whatever happened to them, she says studying fossils in places like Fayum helps scientists understand how animals adapted — or, in this case, failed to adapt — to huge global changes. "When we study the impact of climate change and the ecological pressures on the past animals, we can know or have a scenario about what would happen for our ecosystem, or for us as humans in the ecosystem," she said.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists Rescued the 15-Million-Year-Old Skull of a Hypercarnivore From Obscurity
Scientists have discovered a nearly complete skull of a Hyaenodonta, a hypercarnivore that that lived during the Oligocene Epoch some 20 million years ago. Scientifically known as Bastetodon syrtos, this impressive apex predator likely hunted elephants, early hippos, and even humanity's monkey-like ancestors. This discovery should help scientists further investigate the ecosystems of ancient Africa and the evolution of many modern mammals. Some 30 million years ago, during what's known as the Oligocene Epoch, a leopard-like hypercarnivore—that is, an animal whose diet is at least 70 percent meat—stalked the lush forest of Fayum, Egypt. Its impressive set of razor-sharp teeth ensured its position as the region's apex predator, and its evolutionary progeny eventually became some of the largest mammalian meat eaters to ever roam the planet. But despite its place at the top of the food chain, paleontologists knew nothing about this ancient mammal—until, that is, a nearly complete skull of one of these impressive predators was discovered. Back in its heyday, this animal likely stalked hyraxes, elephants, early hippopotamuses, and even humanity's own monkey-like ancestors. A member of the extinct order of Hyaenodonta (which means 'hyena teeth'), this fearsome meat-eater received the name Bastetodon syrtos—an allusion to the Ancient Egyptian lion-headed goddess Bastet. Details about B. syrtos and its impact on understanding ancient African ecology were published earlier this week in the Journal of Invertebrate Paleontology. Paleontologists located B. syrtos' football-sized skull in the Fayum Depression—an area with a century-long paleontological history that, crucially, straddles a 15-million-year window including both the Eocene's global warming to the Oligocene's global cooling. Experts from the Mansoura University and the American University in Cairo actually almost missed the skull entirely, until an eagle-eyed team member glimpsed something surprising. 'For days, the team meticulously excavated layers of rock dating back around 30 million years,' Shorouq Al-Ashqar, lead author of the study from Mansoura University, said in a press statement. 'Just as we were about to conclude our work, a team member spotted something remarkable—a set of large teeth sticking out of the ground. His excited shout brought the team together, marking the beginning of an extraordinary discovery: a nearly complete skull of an ancient apex carnivore, a dream for any vertebrate paleontologist.' Thanks to this discovery, the team was also able to re-analzye another member of the Hyaenodont genus, Sekhmetops (named for Sekhmet, another lion-headed goddess), which was originally discovered 120 years ago. Although it was originally thought to have a European origin, this study shows how both B. syrtos and Sekhmetops would have actually spread from Africa in multiple waves to nearly every continent on the globe. Sadly, the good times didn't last, and specialized Hyaenodonts eventually declined in genetic diversity. They finally went extinct in the late Miocene and gave way to new top predators, including the ancient ancestors of modern cats. 'The discovery of Bastetodon is a significant achievement in understanding the diversity and evolution of hyaenodonts and their global distribution,' Shorouq said in a press statement. 'We are eager to continue our research to unravel the intricate relationships between these ancient predators and their environments over time and across continents.' You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Al-Ahram Weekly
18-02-2025
- Science
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Bastetodon, a new 30-million-year-old species of predatory mammal unearthed in Egypt - Society
Mansoura University announced on Monday that a research team from the university's Vertebrate Paleontology Centre has discovered a new species of predatory mammals that lived in Egypt 30 million years ago. The team, led by renowned Egyptian paleontologist Dr Hesham Sallam, has also reclassified a group of predatory mammals that was first identified 120 years ago. The study, conducted by lead researcher Shorouq Al-Ashqar, was recently published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. Dr Sallam emphasized that this discovery highlights the critical role of climate change in shaping ancient ecosystems. The fossil was unearthed during a 2020 expedition by the Sallam Lab team in the Fayoum Depression. The excavation yielded an exceptionally well-preserved, three-dimensional skull, allowing for detailed anatomical and morphological studies. The team identified the newly discovered species as Bastetodon, named after the ancient Egyptian goddess Bastet. Additionally, a previously recognized group of lion-sized mammals, classified initially as Pterodon, has been renamed Sekhmetops in honour of the goddess Sekhmet. More about Bastetodon According to lead researcher Dr Al-Ashqar, Bastetodon was a formidable predator, weighing approximately 27 kilograms — comparable to a modern hyena or leopard. It possessed razor-sharp teeth and powerful jaw muscles, enabling it to prey on a diverse range of animals that roamed the region at the time, including early primates, ancestral hippos, elephants, and hyraxes. Al-Ashqar emphasized the significance of this discovery in providing new evidence for the evolution of predatory mammals in Africa. The findings challenge the long-held assumption that these creatures evolved elsewhere before migrating to the continent. Instead, the study supports the idea that Africa was the original homeland of these apex predators before they spread globally. More about Sekhmetops The study also reassessed the classification of Pterodon, which was previously thought to have existed in Europe and Africa. However, new analyses confirmed that its true origin was solely in Europe. As a result, the research team assigned the name Sekhmetops to another species discovered in the ancient forests of Fayoum from the same era. The suffix '-ops' derives from the Greek word for 'face,' further linking the name to the revered Egyptian warrior goddess Sekhmet. Dr Al-Ashqar noted that this change is not merely a renaming but a precise reclassification that reflects the accuracy of modern paleontological research in correcting historical errors. She added that such revisions contribute to a deeper understanding of the evolutionary relationships among species that lived millions of years ago. Morphological and statistical analyses utilizing phylogenetic techniques confirmed that Bastetodon and Sekhmetops belong to the family Hyainailourinae, a subgroup of hyaenodonts. Hyaenodonts were dominant mammalian predators in Africa following the extinction of the dinosaurs. The study further established that this family originated in the Afro-Arabian landmass and spread through multiple migration waves to Asia, Europe, India, and North America. Dr. Sallam stressed the immense scientific value of the Fayoum Depression in advancing the human understanding of mammalian evolution. He described the site as a "scientific treasure trove" that offers a window into Earth's biological history across different geological epochs. 'This discovery would not have been possible without the dedication and collaboration of our research team, who meticulously analyzed the fossil samples and conducted comprehensive classification studies,' Sallam stated. He added that the research focused on identifying new species and explored how environmental and climatic factors influenced their evolutionary pathways. Short link:
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Rare Egyptian skull sheds light on ‘fearsome' new 30-million-year-old leopard-sized predator
Archaeologists have announced a rare and extraordinary discovery made in the Egyptian desert. Scientists found the nearly complete skull of a new 30-million-year-old 'top apex' predator. 'Just as we were about to conclude our work, a team member spotted something remarkable —a set of large teeth sticking out of the ground,' paleontologist Shorouq Al-Ashqar, from Mansoura University and the American University in Cairo, said in a statement. Al-Ashqar was the lead author of a study published Monday in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. The 'fearsome carnivore' is a new species of ancient Hyaenodonta: a deadly and agile mammal the size of a modern-day leopard. Known as a Bastetodon, the animal had sharp teeth and a powerful bite to rip into its prey, including the hyraxes, early elephants and hippos, and primates that lived in the former forest of Fayum. Hyaenodonts hunted in African ecosystems after the extinction of the dinosaurs. Bastetodon was named for the cat-headed Egyptian goddess Bastet, who symbolized protection, pleasure, and good health. It was also an acknowledgment of its cat-like snout and the region where the skull was found. But, in addition to this remarkable finding, the researchers were able to understand more about a new species discovered more than 120 years ago. The group Sekhmetops, lion-sized hyaenodonts also discovered in the rocks of the Fayum, had been placed within a European group. Sekhmetops was named to honor the lion-headed goddess of wrath and war. Now, researchers say it actually belonged to a group of hyaenodonts that originated in Africa, like Bastetodon. In 2019, paleontologists — including the new study's co-author Dr. Matthew Borths — announced the discovery of hyaenodont fossils in Kenya had revealed a new species larger than a polar bear, named Simbakubwa kutokaafrika. Relatives spread from Africa in waves and, by 18 million years ago, their relatives were among the largest mammalian meat-eaters to ever walk the planet. Climate and tectonic shifts in Africa opened the continent to the relatives of modern cats, dogs, and hyenas. And, the carnivorous hyaenodonts went extinct. 'The discovery of Bastetodon is a significant achievement in understanding the diversity and evolution of hyaenodonts and their global distribution,' Shorouq noted.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Rare Egyptian skull sheds light on ‘fearsome' new 30-million-year-old leopard-sized predator
Archaeologists have announced a rare and extraordinary discovery made in the Egyptian desert. Scientists found the nearly complete skull of a new 30-million-year-old 'top apex' predator. 'Just as we were about to conclude our work, a team member spotted something remarkable —a set of large teeth sticking out of the ground,' paleontologist Shorouq Al-Ashqar, from Mansoura University and the American University in Cairo, said in a statement. Al-Ashqar was the lead author of a study published Monday in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. The 'fearsome carnivore' is a new species of ancient Hyaenodonta: a deadly and agile mammal the size of a modern-day leopard. Known as a Bastetodon, the animal had sharp teeth and a powerful bite to rip into its prey, including the hyraxes, early elephants and hippos, and primates that lived in the former forest of Fayum. Hyaenodonts hunted in African ecosystems after the extinction of the dinosaurs. Bastetodon was named for the cat-headed Egyptian goddess Bastet, who symbolized protection, pleasure, and good health. It was also an acknowledgment of its cat-like snout and the region where the skull was found. But, in addition to this remarkable finding, the researchers were able to understand more about a new species discovered more than 120 years ago. The group Sekhmetops, lion-sized hyaenodonts also discovered in the rocks of the Fayum, had been placed within a European group. Sekhmetops was named to honor the lion-headed goddess of wrath and war. Now, researchers say it actually belonged to a group of hyaenodonts that originated in Africa, like Bastetodon. In 2019, paleontologists — including the new study's co-author Dr. Matthew Borths — announced the discovery of hyaenodont fossils in Kenya had revealed a new species larger than a polar bear, named Simbakubwa kutokaafrika. Relatives spread from Africa in waves and, by 18 million years ago, their relatives were among the largest mammalian meat-eaters to ever walk the planet. Climate and tectonic shifts in Africa opened the continent to the relatives of modern cats, dogs, and hyenas. And, the carnivorous hyaenodonts went extinct. 'The discovery of Bastetodon is a significant achievement in understanding the diversity and evolution of hyaenodonts and their global distribution,' Shorouq noted.
