Palaeontologist raves over fossilized footprints
A Newfoundland and Labrador paleontologist acknowledges the significance of fossilized tetrapod footprints found in a Pynn’s Brook quarry, and says determining the environment in which it walked would be a great next step.
Duncan McIlroy, a professor of paleontology at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, examined the pictures of the footprints found in a sandstone slab by Newfoundland Flagstone this spring. He agreed it is likely a four-footed creature, likely an amphibian.
The footprints are estimated to be some 350 million years old
McIlroy initially thought the markings shows semblance of a tail, but when examining more pictures, he said there was not. He believes the creature to resemble a salamander, about 7080 centimetres in length with an eel-like body. It had five toes, which is normal for amphibians.
He tentatively classified the trace fossil as pseudobradypus, which is typically attributed to amphibian-like group of terrestrial tetrapods called temnospondyli (likely ancestors to frogs and salamanders).
As far as he is aware, there has only been one other account of such a find in the province, and that is an unpublished account. In 2010, a fossilized bone believed to belong to an amphibian was discovered near Larkin Point in St. Andrew’s in more than 300million-year-old sandstone.
However, this Pynn’s Brook find is not something he is surprised to hear. In fact, he said he has made several trips to the Co- droy Valley area in search of such fossils — unsuccessfully.
“I always thought they ought to be there, and I have never found any,” McIlroy said. “It is a very interesting discovery.”
While it is of major significance provincially, he said such finds from that age are common in Atlantic Canada, particularly in Nova Scotia. He downplayed the international significance.
“It shows there were amphibian-like creatures walking around on the riverbanks of Newfoundland 350 million years ago,” he said. “It makes the comparisons with Nova Scotia more robust.”
McIlroy is interested in whether there are any other trace fossils in the area. Often times around such finds, there would be insect tracks or burrows.
As a paleontologist, he hopes the fossil will be showcased publicly in the future. He suggested The Rooms would as a good place, or the fossilized forest site in Stephenville.