A groundbreaking discovery in Australia has revealed fossilized claw prints that suggest the ancestors of reptiles, birds, and mammals—known as amniotes—evolved a staggering 40 million years earlier than previously believed!

The ancient footprints, embedded in sandstone aged between 354 to 358 million years, were likely left behind by prehistoric reptiles traversing terrain marked by raindrop impressions. This incredible find represents the oldest known evidence of amniotes on Earth.

According to lead researcher Prof. John Long, a paleontologist at Flinders University, this discovery has "profound implications," potentially reshaping our understanding of amniote evolution. "It's rewriting the amniote narrative—one that suggests they emerged much earlier than we had thought," Long emphasized.

Adding to its significance, researchers noted that these trackways may indicate that amniotes first appeared on the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana, rather than their previously assumed origins in the northern hemisphere. In comparison, previous amniote fossils and tracks discovered in Europe and North America only date back to about 318 million years ago.

The fossilized footprints were unearthed near the Broken River close to Mansfield, located 200 kilometers northeast of Melbourne. Fossil hunters Craig Eury and John Eason stumbled upon this remarkable find, and Long was "gobsmacked" when Eason shared the photograph of the footprints.

The surface of the sandstone slab they discovered was pockmarked by an ancient rain shower, which was later traversed by reptiles leaving five-toed prints—some showcasing claw imprints and scratch marks from digging.

Specialists at Flinders University, along with experts from Uppsala University in Sweden, conducted detailed analyses using advanced CT scanning to confirm the significance of these trackways.

This incredible find pushes the timeline for the arrival of amniotes back to the early Carboniferous period, known for its rich coal deposits and thriving ecosystems. This was a pivotal moment in Earth’s history, characterized by high oxygen levels, vast forests, and diverse animal life including massive amphibians and predatory sharks.

Long described this era as "a changing of the guard," marking a transition from ancient fish and plants to the more modern life forms that dominate today.

Amniotes, distinguished by their unique amniotic membrane that enables reproductive life on land, signify an important adaptation to terrestrial existence.

"This is an extremely exciting chapter for Australian science," Long added, emphasizing the need for continued exploration and further fieldwork to uncover bones of these ancient creatures.

Dr. Erich Fitzgerald, a senior curator at Museums Victoria Research Institute, labeled this discovery as "provocative" with vast implications. He stated that the next step involves finding skeletal remains to validate the existence of these amniotes so long ago.

Fitzgerald also highlighted the importance of Australia's rich and largely underexplored fossil record, showcasing the successful partnership between scientists and enthusiastic members of the public.