280 million years old giant fossil of top predator Salamander dinosaur discovered by paleontologists

Dinosaurs (Representative Image - Canva)

A revolutionizing discovery made by palaeontologists has found a giant salamander dinosaur fossil in Namibia. The fossil is one of the top predators during the age of dinosaurs.

This discovery sheds light on the complex story of the first tetrapods and their adaptation to different climates. The name “Gaiasia” honours the rock formation where the fossils were found and the late palaeontologist Jennifer Clack, who studied tetrapod evolution.

After the research, it was found that the fossil was of a creature named Gaiasia Jennyae which is 2.5 meters long, the skull of the fossil is around 2 feet (60 cm) long and has sharp teeth to hunt its prey according to the researchers.

Researchers have been examining these ancient predators for a very long time to uncover these giant four-legged animals that clambered onto land. Gaiasia Jennyae's research paper was published in the journal Nature. This dinosaur was found on the face of the Earth around 280 million years ago, this apex predator managed to adapt there environment and due to their strong jaws and build they were able to hunt down the prey.

Gaiasia most likely lived near the bottom of lakes and wetlands. Its feeding technique involved sucking in and chomping on prey with its head and front teeth, much like an aggressive stapler.

This finding reveals that Namibia was once part of Gondwana and located near the South Pole. Surprisingly, these fossils were found in modern-day Namibia, an area once covered by glaciers and ice, challenging our understanding of early tetrapods’ distribution.

The distinct characteristics of Gaiasia Jennyae challenge previous ideas about the evolution of land animals. Historically, most significant discoveries regarding early land animals have been made in ancient equatorial regions. However, the emergence of Gaiasia Jennyae in Namibia adds a new dimension to our understanding.