The world-renowned Posidonia Shale fossil beds in Germany have yielded another incredible discovery – a new species of ancient marine reptile that has been hiding in plain sight for nearly 47 years. Paleontologists have identified a previously unknown type of plesiosauroid, which they’ve named Plesionectes longicollum (“long-necked near-swimmer”). This remarkable find expands our understanding of prehistoric ocean ecosystems that existed during the Jurassic period, around 183 million years ago.

The specimen, a nearly complete skeleton with remnants of fossilized soft tissue, was originally excavated from a quarry in Holzmaden, Southwest Germany, in 1978. However, its unique anatomical features were only fully recognized through comprehensive scientific analysis, led by Sven Sachs of the Naturkunde-Museum Bielefeld.

“The specimen has been in collections for decades, but previous studies never fully explored its distinctive anatomy,” said Dr. Sachs. “Our detailed examination revealed an unusual combination of skeletal features that clearly distinguish it from all previously known plesiosaurs.”

This research, published by Dr. Sachs and co-author Dr. Daniel Madzia from the Polish Academy of Sciences, demonstrates that the Posidonia Shale contained even greater marine reptile diversity than previously recognized. The Plesionectes specimen is particularly significant as it represents the oldest known plesiosaur from the Holzmaden area.

“This discovery adds another piece to the puzzle of marine ecosystem evolution during a critical time in Earth’s history,” explained Dr. Madzia. “The early Toarcian period when this animal lived was marked by significant environmental changes, including a major oceanic anoxic event that affected marine life worldwide.”

The fossil is permanently housed at the Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart (Stuttgart State Museum of Natural History), where it is cataloged as specimen SMNS 51945. The Posidonia Shale has previously yielded five other plesiosaur species, further cementing its status as one of the world’s most important windows into Jurassic marine life.

The discovery of widespread parasite extinctions in ancient bird droppings has revealed a hidden crisis affecting endangered species everywhere. Researchers from the University of Adelaide, Manaaki Whenua-Landcare Research, and the University of Auckland have made this groundbreaking find by analyzing faeces dating back over 1500 years.

Their study, published in Current Biology, shows that more than 80% of parasites detected in kākāpō poo prior to the 1990s are no longer present in contemporary populations. Nine out of 16 original parasite taxa disappeared before the 1990s, when the endangered parrot came under full-population management. An additional four were recorded as lost in the period since.

According to Dr. Jamie Wood from the University of Adelaide, “parasites are increasingly appreciated for their ecological importance.” They play a crucial role in ecosystems, helping with immune system development and competing to exclude foreign parasites that may be more harmful to their hosts. However, their dependence on living hosts makes them susceptible to extinction.

The phenomenon of coextinction, where a parasite goes extinct alongside its host, often occurs at a faster rate than for the host animal itself. Predictive models indicate that parasites may go extinct before their hosts during this process as opportunities to transmit between host individuals diminish. This has significant implications for faunal declines and parasite communities.

Lead author Alexander Boast from Manaaki Whenua-Landcare Research was surprised by the degree of parasite loss in kākāpō populations, stating that “the level of parasite loss was greater than we had expected.” The study suggests that endangered species everywhere may possess fractions of their original parasite communities.

As we reckon with the impacts of biodiversity loss, Dr. Wood emphasizes the need to give due attention to parasitic life. Global rates of climate change, ecosystem modification, and biodiversity decline continue to rise, making it increasingly urgent to recognize and understand the downstream impacts on dependent species like parasites, mutualists, or predators.

Documenting parasite extinction, how quickly it can unfold, and estimating the number of presently threatened parasites are key first steps toward a “global parasite conservation plan” and supporting informed predictions for past, present, and future parasite losses.

The world has witnessed a remarkable shift in the way scientists conduct research, thanks to the power of citizen science. One such platform, iNaturalist, has revolutionized the field by tapping into the collective efforts of everyday people who share wildlife photos via its website and app. This study reveals how iNaturalist is not only connecting users with nature but also becoming a cornerstone of scientific research.

The international study, led by researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), analyzed the platform’s data growth over five years. The findings demonstrate that the scientific use of iNaturalist has grown tenfold, closely tracking the platform’s data growth. This surge in observations, particularly in lesser-documented geographic areas and species groups, is expanding its research applications.

The study highlights various trends that shape the future of biodiversity science. Firstly, iNaturalist is being used extensively in species distribution modeling and range mapping, enabling scientists to track how organisms are spread across the planet. Secondly, the platform’s images are increasingly being utilized in scientific research, providing new insights into species behavior, coloration, and habitat preferences.

The exponential rise in scholarly articles using iNaturalist data suggests that as participation grows, particularly in underrepresented regions and among lesser-studied species groups, so will its impact on science. The study reveals the platform’s utility in various fields, including conservation planning, habitat modeling, education, machine learning, and species discovery.

The global reach of iNaturalist is staggering, with contributions from 128 countries and 638 species groups. This collaborative effort has made meaningful contributions to scientific knowledge, with millions of people helping scientists track biodiversity in ways that would be impossible through traditional fieldwork alone.

As the platform continues to grow, its potential impact on biodiversity research will only increase. By strategically pairing iNaturalist data with other biodiversity data, researchers can inform conservation work and tackle one of the planet’s most pressing challenges: biodiversity loss. The study concludes that an important frontier remains in understanding how iNaturalist data can be used to inform biodiversity and conservation work in the future.

The study, published in BioScience, involved researchers from 15 institutions across several countries, emphasizing the global nature of this collaborative effort.