In the Montagne Noire region, paleontologists have discovered one of the most impressive and varied fossil deposits dating back to the Lower Ordovician, 470 million years ago.
Called the Cabrières Biota, the site contains over 400 fossils, including soft tissues such as the digestive system and cuticle, in an amazing state of preservation.
The study carried out by scientists from the University of Lausanne (UNIL), in collaboration with the CNRS and other international groups, revealed a great biodiversity in this place. Arthropods, dragonflies, algae and sponges are present, indicating that the site was a refuge for species fleeing the high temperatures characteristic of equatorial regions at that time.
Farid Saleh, a researcher at the University of Lausanne, notes that during periods of intense global warming, animals actually migrated to higher latitudes where more acceptable temperature conditions persisted. This discovery provides a unique opportunity to better understand how climate change could affect animal life in the future.
Eric Montseret and Sylvie Montseret-Goujon, the enthusiastic paleontologists who discovered the site, emphasize its importance and the enormous potential for further research. They hope that innovative methods and technologies will be used to study fossils and reveal their phylogenetic relationships.
This discovery will be the start of a long research program that will involve large-scale excavation and in-depth analysis of the fossils. It will expand our knowledge of the ancient world and its inhabitants and contribute to the study of the evolution of life on Earth.
2024-02-13 00:30:50
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