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Platypuses swam with dolphins 25 million years ago, reveals “exciting” fossil find

Artist's impression of the toothed platypus that lived 25 million years, probably with other other aquatic animals including ancient lungfish, flamingos and freshwater dolphins. (Gen Conway / Flinders University Palaeontology Lab via SWNS)

By Stephen Beech

Platypuses swam with dolphins 25 million years ago, reveals an "exciting" new platypus fossil find.

Platypuses swam with dolphins 25 million years ago, reveals “exciting” fossil find

Excavations at the fossil site in Billeroo Creek in 2017 when one of the fossils was recovered. (Aaron Camens / Flinders University via SWNS)

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Michael Jerrard

Platypuses swam with dolphins 25 million years ago, reveals “exciting” fossil find

The new fossils of Obdurodon insignis. Lower premolar (upper left). Lower molar (upper right), and drawings (by Gen Conway, Flinders University) of other views (middle row). Two views of the shoulder bone - scapulocoracoid - next to the same bone of a modern platypus. (Gen Conway / Flinders University Palaeontology Lab / via SWNS)

Platypuses swam with dolphins 25 million years ago, reveals “exciting” fossil find

Associate Professor Trevor Worthy (left) excavating the fossil layer at Billeroo Creek in 2020 when the scapulocoracoid was found. (Gregg Borschmann via SWNS)

Originally published on talker.news, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.

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