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| Specimen found in Spain. (Photo: BBC) |
Scientists have successfully extracted the bone marrow of frogs and salamanders that died 10 million years ago in the peat bogs of northeastern Spain.
These first-known fossilized bone marrows provide a rare insight into the physiological characteristics of prehistoric animals.
Until now, it has typically been hard tissues like bones that remain in fossils, while soft tissues often degrade and disappear over long periods.
The newly discovered bone marrow is preserved in a three-dimensional state, retaining its original structure and a reddish-yellow color.
“The discovery of soft tissues like this is very important as it provides information about the physiological characteristics of ancient organisms, as well as the mechanisms of their bodily functions,” said research team member Maria McNamara from Trinity College Dublin.
The frogs and salamanders were found in a fossil-rich sediment layer from the Miocene epoch, a period that spanned from 5.3 to 23 million years ago.
McNamara and her colleagues believe they will find more bone marrow samples, raising hopes of reconstructing proteins and even DNA from these prehistoric beings.
T. An
