Triassic Tetrapods from Antarctica: Evidence for Continental Drift
During the austral summer of 1969-1970 bones of Lower Triassic vertebrates were excavated from coarse quartzose sandstones forming stream channel deposits of the Fremouw Formation at Coalsack Bluff, in the Transantarctic Mountains of Antarctica. This is the first assemblage of fossil tetrapods of si...
Published in: | Science |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
1970
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.169.3951.1197 https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.169.3951.1197 |
id |
craaas:10.1126/science.169.3951.1197 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
craaas:10.1126/science.169.3951.1197 2024-06-09T07:38:56+00:00 Triassic Tetrapods from Antarctica: Evidence for Continental Drift Elliot, David H. Colbert, Edwin H. Breed, William J. Jensen, James A. Powell, Jon S. 1970 http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.169.3951.1197 https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.169.3951.1197 en eng American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science volume 169, issue 3951, page 1197-1201 ISSN 0036-8075 1095-9203 journal-article 1970 craaas https://doi.org/10.1126/science.169.3951.1197 2024-05-16T12:55:14Z During the austral summer of 1969-1970 bones of Lower Triassic vertebrates were excavated from coarse quartzose sandstones forming stream channel deposits of the Fremouw Formation at Coalsack Bluff, in the Transantarctic Mountains of Antarctica. This is the first assemblage of fossil tetrapods of significant geologic age to be found on the Antarctic Continent. The fossils include labyrinthodont amphibians, presumed thecodont reptiles, and therapsid reptiles, including the definitive genus, Lystrosaurus . This genus is typical of the Lower Triassic of southern Africa, and is also found in India and China. Lystrosaurus and associated vertebrates found in Antarctica were land-living animals: therefore their presence on the South Polar Continent would seem to indicate the contiguity of Antarctica, Africa, and India in Early Triassic times. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica AAAS Resource Center (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Antarctic Austral Coalsack Bluff ENVELOPE(162.417,162.417,-84.233,-84.233) The Antarctic Transantarctic Mountains Science 169 3951 1197 1201 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
AAAS Resource Center (American Association for the Advancement of Science) |
op_collection_id |
craaas |
language |
English |
description |
During the austral summer of 1969-1970 bones of Lower Triassic vertebrates were excavated from coarse quartzose sandstones forming stream channel deposits of the Fremouw Formation at Coalsack Bluff, in the Transantarctic Mountains of Antarctica. This is the first assemblage of fossil tetrapods of significant geologic age to be found on the Antarctic Continent. The fossils include labyrinthodont amphibians, presumed thecodont reptiles, and therapsid reptiles, including the definitive genus, Lystrosaurus . This genus is typical of the Lower Triassic of southern Africa, and is also found in India and China. Lystrosaurus and associated vertebrates found in Antarctica were land-living animals: therefore their presence on the South Polar Continent would seem to indicate the contiguity of Antarctica, Africa, and India in Early Triassic times. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Elliot, David H. Colbert, Edwin H. Breed, William J. Jensen, James A. Powell, Jon S. |
spellingShingle |
Elliot, David H. Colbert, Edwin H. Breed, William J. Jensen, James A. Powell, Jon S. Triassic Tetrapods from Antarctica: Evidence for Continental Drift |
author_facet |
Elliot, David H. Colbert, Edwin H. Breed, William J. Jensen, James A. Powell, Jon S. |
author_sort |
Elliot, David H. |
title |
Triassic Tetrapods from Antarctica: Evidence for Continental Drift |
title_short |
Triassic Tetrapods from Antarctica: Evidence for Continental Drift |
title_full |
Triassic Tetrapods from Antarctica: Evidence for Continental Drift |
title_fullStr |
Triassic Tetrapods from Antarctica: Evidence for Continental Drift |
title_full_unstemmed |
Triassic Tetrapods from Antarctica: Evidence for Continental Drift |
title_sort |
triassic tetrapods from antarctica: evidence for continental drift |
publisher |
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) |
publishDate |
1970 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.169.3951.1197 https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.169.3951.1197 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(162.417,162.417,-84.233,-84.233) |
geographic |
Antarctic Austral Coalsack Bluff The Antarctic Transantarctic Mountains |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Austral Coalsack Bluff The Antarctic Transantarctic Mountains |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica |
op_source |
Science volume 169, issue 3951, page 1197-1201 ISSN 0036-8075 1095-9203 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.169.3951.1197 |
container_title |
Science |
container_volume |
169 |
container_issue |
3951 |
container_start_page |
1197 |
op_container_end_page |
1201 |
_version_ |
1801376267524636672 |