Zhaotong discovered a striped rabbit 6 million years ago.
A major paleoanthropological discovery. It is related to Zhaotong, Yunnan.
Zhaotong, a descendant of the Yue ethnic group, was discovered for the first time! More than 400 million years ago
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@ Zhaotong Daily WeChat (ID: ztrbwx)
has reported the above archaeological discoveries
In addition,
has recently made major discoveries
Zhaotong discovered that 6 million years ago
the panda pseudo Thumb fossil
Figure 1 Ecological restoration of panda in Zhaotong Reservoir, Yunnan (painted by Mauricio Antón) The individual on the right shows a pseudo-thumb grasping function, and the individual on the left shows a walking posture
Recently, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Wang Xiaoming, guest researcher and researcher at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, Deng Tao, researcher at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ji Xueping, researcher at the Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University , University of Arizona In cooperation with colleagues, a paper on the evolution of the panda's "sixth finger", or "pseudo-thumb", was published in the international journal "Scientific Reports" . This is another new scientific research result after the discovery of fossils such as saber-toothed elephants, striped rabbits, skulls of ancient apes, and monkeys.
Figure 2 The anatomical structure of the pseudothumb of giant panda (A, C) and Eopanda (B, D)
The key pseudothumb and molars of Eopanda fossil, from the 2015 Paleovertebral Research Laboratory led by Deng Tao and Ji Xueping Scientific excavation of the late Miocene fossil site in Shuitangba jointly organized by the Institute, the Yunnan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, and the Zhaotong Municipal Government. Research results show that Eo-panda has the earliest enlarged radial sesamoid bone, which has formed the "thumb" function of the opposite grip. However, since the late Miocene, the panda's "thumb" has not increased further, because it must not only hold bamboo but also take into account the load-bearing function of plantar walking, and cannot favor either side. Limitations on sharing body weight may be the main reason why the panda's pseudo-thumb never evolved into a full finger, but this rudimentary "thumb" suggests that the giant panda's habit of exclusively eating bamboo originated at least 6 million years ago.
Figure 3 Comparison of the hands of giant pandas (B, D, E) with primitive bears (A) and humans (C)
The giant panda, which belongs to the order Carnivora, is different from its brothers in the same family. It has many "stunts" that allow it to adapt Yu lives exclusively eating bamboo. Of these stunts, the giant panda's extra "thumb" is arguably the most famous but also the most mysterious. In addition to the normal five fingers on the forelimbs of most mammals, giant pandas also have a strongly enlarged wrist bone, the radial sesamoid bone, which acts as a sixth finger and forms an opposable "thumb" for grasping bamboo.
Figure 4 Giant panda grasps and chews bamboo (Photo by Sharon Fisher)
The release of this result is based on the earliest known enlarged radial sesamoid bone of the panda, and its pseudo-thumb shows an intermediate shape. It is the first time to record the direction of the panda. Possible timing and steps in the evolution of bamboo feeding. Among carnivores, Ursids have the most complex molars because they also chew large amounts of non-meat food. Among bears, the panda has the most exquisite tooth pattern, with many very obvious tooth tips formed by folds. With the help of a strong mandible and temporomandibular joint , it is conducive to chewing hard bamboo. The tooth shape of primitive pandas has reached the level of complexity of modern giant pandas, or even more complex. Have pandas started eating bamboo? A pseudo-thumb that helps grip bamboo poles is another key piece of evidence.
Figure 5 The evolutionary relationship between the pseudo-thumb and molar teeth of the panda family and the habit of eating bamboo
At the beginning of the project in 2007, project leader Ji Xueping speculated that the remains of rare ancient animals such as ancient apes and ancestors of giant pandas might be discovered. Zhaotong, Yunnan is the place where major evolutionary events occurred during the earliest period of the origin of human upright walking in the Miocene. A large number of new biological genera and species have been discovered here. With the unremitting efforts of scientists from many disciplines, more may be discovered in the future. Paleontological species.
Source丨@ Zhaotong Daily WeChat (ID: ztrbwx)丨"Zhaotong Daily" all-media reporter Cao Fujin Liu Jianzhong Yin Jie
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