A new extinct amphibian was identified in Portugal and has just been described by science, based on fossils found in Lourinhã and the old Guimarota coal mine. The animal lived around 150 million years ago, in the Jurassic period, and was named Nabia civilcientrix, becoming part of the group of albanerpetontids, extinct lissamphibians that coexisted with dinosaurs.
According to RTP, the identification of the new genus and species is based on the analysis of 468 bones collected in the Lourinhã Formation, complemented by thousands of fossil remains from the Alcobaça Formation, in Leiria. The set made it possible to reconstruct, for the first time, the global anatomy of this type of amphibian.
The albanerpetontids were small vertebrates similar to salamanders, but with characteristics that were uncommon among current amphibians. According to the same source, Nabia civilcientrix was less than five centimeters long and was distinguished by having a ballistic tongue, similar to that of modern chameleons, dry and scaly skin, small claws and movable eyelids.
The identification involved an international team, with researchers from the Faculty of Science and Technology of the NOVA University of Lisbon and the Lourinhã Museum, in collaboration with Spanish and British experts. The work resulted from several years of collecting, comparing and reviewing fossil material.
Value of Rarely Preserved Bones
Part of the scientific advance was due to the identification of unusual bones in the fossil record of this group. The publication adds that elements, such as the quadrates and iliac bones, were essential to complete the anatomical view of the animal, something that had not been possible until now.
Miguel Moreno-Azanza, from the University of Zaragoza, explained that some bones were easily recognizable, but that the real surprise was the presence of these rare elements, which allowed a much more complete reconstruction of the skeleton.
Review what you thought you knew
The researchers also compared the new material with ancient fossils from the Guimarota deposit, studied for decades. According to the same source, these remains were provisionally assigned to the genus Celtedens, but had never been formally defined as a species.
Alexandre Guillaume, main author of the study, stated that the data now analyzed confirms that this framework was incorrect, leading to the creation of a new genus and species. It is the oldest albanerpetontid identified in the Iberian Peninsula and one of the oldest in the world.
Technology at the service of paleontology
Some of the best preserved fossils were analyzed in London using microcomputed tomography. This technique allowed the creation of detailed three-dimensional models of the bones, essential for reviewing the known anatomy of albanerpetontids.
The study revealed that, for decades, research was limited to bones that were easier to identify, leaving others unrecognized. Alexandre Guillaume said that this led to the description of incomplete species, which were difficult to compare with each other.
Ecosystem beyond dinosaurs
Although Lourinhã is known above all for its dinosaurs, such as Lourinhanosaurus or Miragaia, he says that the study highlights the diversity of small vertebrates that inhabited the same ecosystem, often ignored by research.
The research was part of a Citizen Science project, involving residents and visitors in valuing the local paleontological heritage. The results were published this January in the scientific journal Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, paving the way for new analyzes on the evolution of these amphibians.
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