New Fossil Discovery Reveals Evolutionary Impact of Tectonic Activity

The Ngamugawi wirngarri coelacanth fossil highlights how Earth's shifting plates influenced species evolution during the Devonian Period.

The Ngamugawi wirngarri coelacanth, discovered in Western Australia's Gogo Formation, is an exceptionally well-preserved ancient fish fossil.
Researchers linked the fossil to a period of heightened tectonic activity, suggesting that Earth's shifting plates accelerated coelacanth evolution.
The study, published in Nature Communications, indicates that new species of coelacanth evolved more rapidly during times of significant tectonic movement.
Coelacanths, often referred to as 'living fossils,' have a lineage dating back over 410 million years and are closely related to early vertebrates, including humans.
The discovery challenges the notion that modern coelacanths have remained unchanged, showing they continue to evolve and adapt.