Paleontologists from the Flinders University have been able to make an amazing discovery by digging out the fossils of air breathing tetrapod fish that are dated by 380 million years. The team which was led by the Dr. Brian Choo gave a description of a new genus and species of Devonian tetrapodomorph fish from the old times whose name was Harajicadectes zhumini.
These ancient fish, growing up to 45-50 cm length, were characterized by distinctively large windows positioned on the top of their skulls that were considered as air-breathing noise holes. Analogues of the structures are found in contemporary African bichir fish that allows them during breathing at the water surface the intake of air.
This air-breathing transition may have been a response to decreased oxygen levels of the atmosphere occurring during the time period of Middle-Late Devonian. This process probably gave this type of fish an evolutionary advantage to be able to breathe oxygen in the air as well as gill respiration.
The find is a sandstone unit located the in Harajica Sandstone Member in Northern Territory, about 200 km west of Alice Springs, Australia. Thes fossils indicate the gradual divergence of the species of tetrapodomorph fish during the Devonian period and a convergence of specialized features from the main branches of the ancient lineage.
The above results highlight the value of the fossil sites in Australia for deciphering the secrets of prehistoric existence and broadening our knowledge about evolutionary history.
