US EditionPrehistoric water-dwelling weirdo with sideways teeth and a twisted jaw was already a 'living fossil' 275 million years ago
Tanyka amnicola, an early Permian stem tetrapod, had twisted jaws and grinding denticles, suggesting it was a rare plant-eating species among mostly carnivorous relatives.
- Researchers published a description of Tanyka amnicola on March 4, 2026, in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
- From a dry riverbed in northeastern Brazil, the team recovered nine lower jawbones showing the same twist across specimens, suggesting repeated find rather than deformation claims.
- Analysis showed the lower jaws were twisted so teeth pointed outward to the sides, with denticles forming a grinding surface, suggesting a plant-grinding feeding inference.
- Field Museum collaborators note Tanyka represents persistence of an older stem tetrapod lineage and suggests some may have been herbivorous, challenging assumptions of strict carnivory.
- They estimate Tanyka may have reached around 3 feet, but scientists caution that without associated skull bones many details remain unknown.
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Gurning sea creature discovered by scientists is whole new species, new research reveals
Scientists have unearthed a peculiar prehistoric creature featuring a contorted jaw and teeth that faced sideways rather than upwards.The animal's mouth appeared so unusual that researchers believed it must have suffered from some form of abnormality.Only after discovering eight additional specimens with identical jaw structures did the team conclude this was the creature's natural look.Named "Tanyka amnicola", this species inhabited modern-day …
Prehistoric water-dwelling weirdo with sideways teeth and a twisted jaw was already a 'living fossil' 275 million years ago
Scientists have described Tanyka amnicola, a newly identified species of prehistoric creature that lived 275 million years ago and had a bizarre twisted jaw with sideways-facing teeth.
Paleontologists have discovered an unusual fossil with a curved jaw and teeth pointing sideways. According to them, it was a “living fossil” when it lived on Earth 275 million years ago, Live Science reports. The new species was named Tanyka amnicola. It is an archaic representative of tertrapods, a large group of tetrapods that today includes reptiles, birds, mammals, and amphibians. YOU WILL BE INTERESTED The oldest vertebrates could have fo…
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