Fossil of "Sphinx" discovered in NE China (transitional mammal)

[TechBear_Seattle]

Fossil of "Sphinx" discovered in NE China

The legendary "Sphinx" eventually found its counterpart version in archeological fossil. Chinese and American paleontologists found two distinct kinds of bone characteristics in the fossil of a sharp-mouthed mammal excavated in China's Liaoning province. The mammal's upper part makes people believe it was viviparous while its lower part looks like oviparous, reports Wen Hui Daily.

The latest issue of the British magazine Nature reports the unprecedented discovery. The magazine editor as well as paleontologists marveled at the discovery and believed it might change the traditional theory on mammals evolution.

Li Gang, one of the coauthors of the paper, said the existing mammals are classified into two groups - the viviparous therian which have fully evolved bones such as kangaroos and elephants, and the oviparous monotreme which have comparatively primitive bones. The newly discovered fossil possesses the characteristics of both bones, a fact which won it the title "world No.1".

The article continues at http://english.people.com.cn/200601/23/eng20060123_237626.html

I have to wonder what creationists will make of this one :shrug:


Added "oviparous monotreme"... The platypus? That is the only oviparous (egg-laying) mammal I know of; are there any others?

More added Answered my own question with a look to the Wikipedia article on monotremes. I don't think I've ever heard of an echidna, before.

[JuniperLea]

1. God put those bones there to test your faith n/t

[nomo]

2. I have to wonder what creationists will make of this one

Wel duh... "God moves in mysterious ways." Oh, and of course it's not a 120 million years old, more like 3000.

[The Doctor.]

3. I'm amazed at the naivete of the 'it's not in the fossil record' agrument.

For years I've been hearing that "Because these transitional creatures that would prove evolution aren't in the 'fossil record'... so evolution's just a theory."

:puke:

It never occurs to these dolts that we have maybe unearthed one-one millionth of the 'fossil record' with a great deal more to go... if even that.

When the entirety of the Earth's surface, including what is below the oceans, is excavated, then we will have a 'full fossil record'.

Meanwhile it's nice to have something else to shove down their throats.

[TechBear_Seattle]

4. Better yet...

Something entirely new and heretofor undiscovered to shove down their throats. :toast:

[MrMonk]

10. "If it's such an important fossil, why haven't more of them been

discovered? HMMMM?"

You'll never win the argument.

[bowens43]

8. Actually. ALL creatures that

haven't become extinct are transitional. When a crreationist asks me 'Where are the tranistionals?' , I tell him to look in the mirror.

[NickB79]

5. There are two species of echidna as well as the platypus

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/mammal/monotreme.html

They are called spiny anteaters, and they do look like a cross between a hedgehog and an anteater.

[Wilber_Stool]

7. How the hell did I miss your post?

[Wilber_Stool]

6. The Echidna (sp)

[Mabus]

9. Interesting.

Thanks. I've learned a lot and am still learning.

[emad]

11. Fossil of "Sphinx" discovered in NE China

The legendary "Sphinx" eventually found its counterpart version in archeological fossil. Chinese and American paleontologists found two distinct kinds of bone characteristics in the fossil of a sharp-mouthed mammal excavated in China's Liaoning province. The mammal's upper part makes people believe it was viviparous while its lower part looks like oviparous, reports Wen Hui Daily.

The latest issue of the British magazine Nature reports the unprecedented discovery. The magazine editor as well as paleontologists marveled at the discovery and believed it might change the traditional theory on mammals evolution.

Li Gang, one of the coauthors of the paper, said the existing mammals are classified into two groups - the viviparous therian which have fully evolved bones such as kangaroos and elephants, and the oviparous monotreme which have comparatively primitive bones. The newly discovered fossil possesses the characteristics of both bones, a fact which won it the title "world No.1".

Analysis of the fossil revealed that the mammal was 12 centimeters long and weighed about 15 to 20 grams. It lived about 120 million years ago in early Cretaceous period.

http://english.people.com.cn/200601/23/eng20060123_237626.html