The largest fossil of a frog ever found on Earth has recently been found in Madagascar. The genetic relatives of this mysterious creature, known as the 'devil frog' (scientific name - Beelzebufo ampinga), are found on the other side of the globe in South America. David Krauss and his team of archaeologists at Stony Brook University in New York have unearthed a 70 million-year-old fossil of a devil frog. This frog, which was a companion of dinosaurs during the Cretaceous, was 41 cm long and weighed four and a half kilograms. David and his team assembled 75 pieces of fossils from an excavation that began ten years ago. Susan Evans, a frog-fossil expert at University College London, helped assemble the fossil pieces. The devil lurked in the woods and in the woods, catching reptiles and other frogs in front of him and cursing them. Researchers speculate that newborn dinosaurs may also have been victims. I think the devil's strong jawbone and big toe may have helped.
Researchers are baffled by the fact that the devil's closest genetic relatives are the 'Pac-Man' frogs' found in South America. Some species of Peruvian frogs have two small horns. According to a report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the devil's frog must have been horned to make a name for itself. Today, the largest frogs on earth are found in West Africa; The Goliath frogs are a maximum of 32 cm long and weigh 3.3 kg.
The devil's frog is becoming a new chapter in the discussions about the unique biodiversity of Madagascar. The 'plate theory' states that Africa, Madagascar and India were part of the ancient Gondwana continent, and that the Madagascans separated from Africa about 160 million years ago (see: Ocean Origin). India was then annexed by Madagascar. The Indian subcontinent, which seceded from Madagascar 8.8 million years ago, moved northeast and merged with Asia. (The Himalayas came up under the pressure of that collision of major continents). The Madagascans thus considered it to be an isolated area by the sea.
However, some researchers do not agree with this model. They argue that the mainland, which includes India and Madagascar, was connected to South America via Antarctica (Antarctica was then a hot region). It has been argued that they have split apart and are now in different places. That argument is reinforced by the fact that the Madagascar Frogs have genetic relatives only in South America. Susan Evans says the new discovery supports the Madagascar-Antarctica-South American relationship.
credit: third party image reference Christie Curie Rogers of Macaulay Ster College, St. Paul, points out that there is a great deal of evolution between dinosaurs, geckos, birds, and mammals, both in Madagascar and in South America. Close relatives of many Madagascar species have also been found on the Indian subcontinent. David Krauss points out that this is only natural.
