ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science → Biology

Scientists find Salamander in Amber in the Caribbean

Mihai AndreibyMihai Andrei
August 18, 2015
in Biology, Geology, News
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

RelatedPosts

Bat-winged dinosaur discovered in China — only the second of its kind
Fossil Friday: researchers discover new, ancient relative of the tilapia
Smuggled Tyrannosaur case finally solved – Florida paleontologist charged with smuggling
Fossil dino discovered in Argentina might have been the largest-ever animal on dry land

Finding insects, plants or even dinosaur feathers trapped in amber s rare and exciting. But finding a fossil salamander in amber… that’s something else – it’s actually unique. But the salamander’s unfortunate fate sparked immediate interest from researchers: not only is it a unique finding, but it’s from a never-before seen species of salamander, and it comes from the Caribbean – a place where there are no salamanders today.

GEORGE POINAR, JR., COURTESY OF OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY

The little creature suffered a most unfortunate fate. It was only a baby when it got into a skirmish of some kind and its back limb got torn off. Then, through a series of unknown events, it somehow got trapped in resin, where it remained stuck for the next 20-30 years. But one salamander’s misfortune is another paleontologist’s fortune.

“There are very few salamander fossils of any type, and no one has ever found a salamander preserved in amber,” said George Poinar, Jr., a professor emeritus in the OSU College of Science, in a press release. “And finding it in Dominican amber was especially unexpected, because today no salamanders, even living ones, have ever been found in that region.”

Salamander fossils of all types are rare. The amphibians with a lizard-like appearance are found in the Holarctic and Neotropical regions, though some researchers believe that they previously lived in other areas as well – and this is a fine piece of evidence.

The new species has been called Palaeoplethodon hispaniolae by the authors of the paper, and it adds more hint not only about the biology of the Caribbean area, but also about its geology and climate; salamanders require very specific conditions to be able to thrive, and finding a salamander basically ensures that those conditions were fulfilled at one point in time.

The family in which Palaeoplethodon belonged is fairly common in North America, especially in the Appalachian mountains, but this ancient species has some significant differences from the salamanders we see today. For starters, it didn’t have the distinctive “salamander legs”, and instead sported a kind of webbing that might have made it a worse climber.

But the species also raises some important questions: why is it that all salamanders went extinct in the Americas? Was there some predator that simply killed them all, some climatic event? Or did they simply drift with the tectonic movement of the Americas? We’re still far away from answering those questions, but this little guy might provide some valuable hints.

Tags: amberfossilsalamander

ShareTweetShare
Mihai Andrei

Mihai Andrei

Dr. Andrei Mihai is a geophysicist and founder of ZME Science. He has a Ph.D. in geophysics and archaeology and has completed courses from prestigious universities (with programs ranging from climate and astronomy to chemistry and geology). He is passionate about making research more accessible to everyone and communicating news and features to a broad audience.

Related Posts

News

Couple Finds Giant Teeth in Backyard Belonging to 13,000-year-old Mastodon

byTibi Puiu
6 days ago
a denisovan skull
Anthropology

The Face of a Ghost: 146,000-Year-Old Skull Finally Reveals What Denisovans Looked Like

byMihai Andrei
2 weeks ago
Geology

Identical Dinosaur Prints Found on Opposite Sides of the Atlantic Ocean 3,700 Miles Apart

byTibi Puiu
3 weeks ago
News

Amateur paleontologist finds nearly complete 70-million-year-old massive Titanosaur while walking his dog

byTibi Puiu
4 weeks ago

Recent news

Coolness Isn’t About Looks or Money. It’s About These Six Things, According to Science

July 1, 2025

Ancient Roman Pompeii had way more erotic art than you’d think

July 1, 2025

Wild Orcas Are Offering Fish to Humans and Scientists Say They May Be Trying to Bond with Us

July 1, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.