On September 29, the paper "The Oldest Intact Jawed Vertebrate in the Early Silurian in China" was jointly completed by Chongqing Planning and Natural Resources Bureau, the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was publishe

On September 29, the paper "The Oldest Completed Jawed Vertebrate in the Early Silurian in China" was jointly completed by Chongqing Planning and Natural Resources Bureau, , the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was published as the cover paper in "Nature", and has made another major breakthrough in the research direction of jawed origin and early evolution.

research team newly discovered and named the early Silurian fish fossil combination "Chongqing Special Buried Fossil Library" in Xiushan . The ancient fish fossils found are not only numerous and complete in species, but also very complete and exquisitely preserved, containing the earliest complete record of jawed vertebrate fossils to date, providing key insights to solve the hidden radiation of jawed vertebrates during this period.

The discovery of "Chongqing Special Buried Fossil Library" has for the first time in the history of paleontology. It has shown the appearance of the Silurian fish, especially the jaw species, on a large scale, revealing the early rise of jaw species. As of 436 million years ago, various major groups of jaw species had already flourished in South China. By the late Silury, more diverse and larger jaw species appeared and began to spread to the world, starting the process of fish landing and eventually evolving into humans.

After learning about the team's above work, Professor John Long, former president of the International Society of Vertebrate Paleontology and Australia, wrote an article saying, "This is indeed an amazing fossil discovery that changes the evolutionary pattern, rewriting almost all aspects of the early evolutionary history of jawed vertebrates."

"Chongqing Special Buried Fossil Library" includes the latest discoveries of three new species of Silurian ancient fish: the miracle Xiushan fish of shield skin fish, the creeping Shen's sprig fish of cartilage fish and the agile Tujia fish of armor fish. (Science and Technology Daily reporter Yong Li, photo provided by the interviewee)

Source: Science and Technology Daily