Exquisitely preserved fossil of Jurassic sea turtle includes near-complete skull and limbs | CNN
Exquisitely preserved fossil of Jurassic sea turtle includes near-complete skull and limbs CNN
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About the Jurassic Sea Turtle Fossil
About 150 million years ago, a marine turtle with a massive head dived through a shallow, tropical sea covering what is now Europe. Few complete fossils of this Jurassic sea turtle, named Solnhofia parsonsi, have been discovered. However, scientists recently described a remarkable fossil that has all its limbs with nearly all the bones of the feet in place — revealing the shape and structure of the turtle’s extremities for the first time.
Emphasis on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Goal 14: Life Below Water – The discovery of the Jurassic sea turtle fossil contributes to our understanding of ancient marine ecosystems and the diversity of species that existed millions of years ago.
- Goal 15: Life on Land – The study of fossils helps us reconstruct past terrestrial habitats and ecosystems, providing valuable insights into Earth’s history.
Limbs and Adaptation
Today’s marine turtle species all have elongated, rigid flippers to propel them through the ocean depths. But the newly described fossil’s limbs were stumpier than those of modern sea turtles relative to its body size. These shorter limbs suggest that S. parsonsi swam in coastal waters rather than in the open ocean, scientists reported July 26 in the journal PLOS One.
The Best Preserved Individual
Fossils of this marine turtle were first discovered in the 1970s, but the new specimen “is the best preserved individual of this species,” said lead study author Felix Augustin, a doctoral candidate in the department of geosciences at the University of Tübingen in Germany. “It is the first that preserves the complete skull, the complete shell, and also all four complete limbs.”
Size and Diet
In life, S. parsonsi measured about 12 inches (30 centimeters) long from nose to tail, and its head was “relatively large” — the skull measured about 4 inches (10 centimeters) long, Augustin told CNN.
Such a large skull may have been useful for crunching through the hard shells of bottom-dwelling crustaceans and mollusks, but such conclusions are “highly speculative at this point” as paleontologists have yet to find direct evidence of the extinct turtle’s diet, said study coauthor Dr. Márton Rabi, a postdoctoral researcher in the University of Tübingen’s department of geosciences.
Excavation and Habitat
The fossil was excavated in 2014 from a limestone quarry in southeastern Germany at a site rich in fossils from the latter part of the Jurassic Period (199.6 million to 145.5 million years ago). Plenty of turtles are preserved there, along with fishes, crocodilians and even marine reptile giants such as plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs, according to the study. The site has been an actively mined quarry since the 1950s, but fossil excavations only began there about 20 years ago.
Complete View of Limbs
S. parsonsi was described as a species in 1975 based on two near-complete skulls: one from Bavaria and one from Switzerland. Over the decades, discoveries of partial skeletons — all found in Jurassic marine deposits — provided more clues about the turtle’s anatomy and aquatic lifestyle. In 2000, scientists discovered a skeleton with a more complete shell than had ever been seen before. The specimen also included some bones from the reptile’s paddling limbs.
The newly described fossil presents a far more complete view of those limbs, showing that they differed dramatically from the extremities of sea turtles alive today.
Adaptation to Coastal Waters
“In modern-day sea
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 14: Life Below Water
- SDG 15: Life on Land
The article discusses the discovery of a fossil of a marine turtle from the Jurassic period. The preservation and study of fossils contribute to our understanding of past ecosystems and biodiversity, which aligns with SDG 14 and SDG 15.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans.
- SDG 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.
The preservation and study of the marine turtle fossil contribute to the understanding and protection of marine and coastal ecosystems (SDG 14.2) and contribute to the knowledge of past biodiversity and species preservation (SDG 15.5).
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Indicator for SDG 14.2: Number of scientific studies or publications on the preservation and restoration of marine and coastal ecosystems.
- Indicator for SDG 15.5: Number of new fossil discoveries and their contribution to understanding past biodiversity and species preservation.
The article mentions the discovery of a remarkable fossil that provides new insights into the anatomy and aquatic lifestyle of the marine turtle. This discovery can be considered a scientific study or publication that contributes to the preservation and restoration of marine and coastal ecosystems (SDG 14.2). Additionally, the fossil discovery adds to the knowledge of past biodiversity and species preservation (SDG 15.5).
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 14: Life Below Water | 14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans. | Number of scientific studies or publications on the preservation and restoration of marine and coastal ecosystems. |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species. | Number of new fossil discoveries and their contribution to understanding past biodiversity and species preservation. |
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Source: cnn.com
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