Unveiling the Ancient Mystery: Fossil Revealed as Baby Turtle Disguised as a Plant

Fossils originally thought to be plant remains from the Early Cretaceous period in Colombia have been re-examined and identified as the fossilized remains of baby turtles. The fossils, nicknamed "Turtwig" after a Pokémon, were initially classified as a type of fossil plant by a Colombian priest in the 1950s. However, researchers noticed key features that didn't match plant characteristics and reached out to a paleontologist who confirmed that the fossils were actually the inside of a turtle's shell. The discovery of these rare fossilized baby turtles sheds light on the growth and development of ancient turtle species and highlights the need to re-evaluate historical collections in paleontology.
- The “Turtwig” Revelation: Unveiling a Baby Turtle Disguised as a Plant Fossil SciTechDaily
- Fossil Thought for Years to be a Plant is Really a Baby Turtle–Now Nicknamed after Pokemon Character Good News Network
- Once Thought to Be Plants, These Rare Fossils Are Actually Baby Turtles, Scientists Say Smithsonian Magazine
- Meet ‘Turtwig,’ an ancient turtle species once thought to be a plant CNN
- Mystery fossil’s real identity revealed after 132 million years and named after popular Pokémon... The US Sun
Reading Insights
0
1
5 min
vs 6 min read
90%
1,055 → 107 words
Want the full story? Read the original article
Read on SciTechDaily