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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
 Posted - 02/16/2007 : 17:31:32
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From CNN:quote:
MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AP) -- A miner in Chiapas discovered a tiny tree frog that has been preserved in amber for 25 million years, a researcher said.
If authenticated, the preserved frog would be the first of its kind found in Mexico, according to David Grimaldi, a biologist and curator at the American Museum of Natural History who was not involved in the find.
The chunk of amber containing the almost 0.4-inch frog was uncovered by a miner in Mexico's southern Chiapas state in 2005 and was bought by a private collector, who lent it to scientists for study.
Only a few other preserved frogs have been found in chunks of amber -- a stone formed by ancient tree sap -- mostly in the Dominican Republic. Like those, the frog found in Chiapas appears to be of the genus Craugastor, whose descendants still inhabit the region, said biologist Gerardo Carbot of the Chiapas Natural History and Ecology Institute, who announced the discovery this week.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
Edited by - HalfMooner on 02/16/2007 17:36:19
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Vegeta
Skeptic Friend
United Kingdom
238 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2007 : 13:41:16 [Permalink]
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| be interesting to know what species this is and if it is extinct. |
What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen a pink shirt before?
"I was asked if I would do a similar sketch but focusing on the shortcomings of Islam rather than Christianity. I said, 'No, no I wouldn't. I may be an atheist but I'm not stupid.'" - Steward Lee |
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Gorgo
SFN Die Hard
USA
5310 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2007 : 13:47:05 [Permalink]
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I found my frog!!
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I know the rent is in arrears
The dog has not been fed in years
It's even worse than it appears
But it's alright-
Jerry Garcia
Robert Hunter
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2007 : 14:59:31 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Vegeta
be interesting to know what species this is and if it is extinct.
There appear to be 119 species within genus Craugastor, but if the 25-million year figure is correct, it's somewhat unlikely that that frog's species is still around (though dependent species may be). Because according to Gould - if I remember correctly - the average "lifespan" of species, historically, is ten million years. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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Vegeta
Skeptic Friend
United Kingdom
238 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2007 : 15:05:09 [Permalink]
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| thats interesting, i never heard that stat before. For some reason now I need to find out what the oldest known species is... |
What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen a pink shirt before?
"I was asked if I would do a similar sketch but focusing on the shortcomings of Islam rather than Christianity. I said, 'No, no I wouldn't. I may be an atheist but I'm not stupid.'" - Steward Lee |
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Neurosis
SFN Regular
USA
675 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2007 : 16:33:08 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Vegeta
thats interesting, i never heard that stat before. For some reason now I need to find out what the oldest known species is...
Water Lilly. |
Facts! Pssh, you can prove anything even remotely true with facts.
- Homer Simpson
[God] is an infinite nothing from nowhere with less power over our universe than the secretary of agriculture.
- Prof. Frink
Lisa: Yes, but wouldn't you rather know the truth than to delude yourself for happiness?
Marge: Well... um.... [goes outside to jump on tampoline with Homer.] |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2007 : 17:52:22 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.
quote:
Originally posted by Vegeta
be interesting to know what species this is and if it is extinct.
There appear to be 119 species within genus Craugastor, but if the 25-million year figure is correct, it's somewhat unlikely that that frog's species is still around (though dependent species may be). Because according to Gould - if I remember correctly - the average "lifespan" of species, historically, is ten million years.
I've little doubt that some (many?) modern species sprang from it's extended line. And if the fossil were mine, I wouldn't let extraction attempts to gather DNA proceed, either. Too much risk of spoiling a museum-quality piece for a mere off-chance of recovering anything worth anything.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2007 : 20:04:54 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Gorgo
I found my frog!!
Thanks for that reference, Gorgo. I wasn't around here when that was posted, Pretty funny stuff!
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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Gorgo
SFN Die Hard
USA
5310 Posts |
Posted - 02/28/2007 : 02:15:37 [Permalink]
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hopkin_Green_Frog was the explanation that most seemed to fit.
The real frog thing is fascinating as well. |
I know the rent is in arrears
The dog has not been fed in years
It's even worse than it appears
But it's alright-
Jerry Garcia
Robert Hunter
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 02/28/2007 : 02:41:40 [Permalink]
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That's really cool. So the original fliers for Hopkins Green Frog were real, and made by an autistic adolescent. And Hopkins was a stuffed toy frog, so no living things were lost in the creation of the story. A kind of relief, that. Unlike the poor fellow at the top of this page, who got stuck in sap.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
| Edited by - HalfMooner on 02/28/2007 02:43:34 |
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ktesibios
SFN Regular
USA
505 Posts |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2007 : 00:43:34 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by ktesibios
"Ancient frog in amber" sounds like something from a machine-translated Chinese restaurant menu 
Unfair! Those made me choke, and you provided no warning! "Fragrant spring onion sauce explodescow son," indeed. Yum.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2007 : 07:10:15 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Vegeta
thats interesting, i never heard that stat before. For some reason now I need to find out what the oldest known species is...
I wrote a screed sometime back that dealt in small part with the evolution of frogs, including the oldest fossil found thus far. It came from Jurassic strata, if memory serves me.
I think I called it: A Song Sung Green, and it's floating around the archives, somewhere. Don't have time to hunt for it now, but if someone wants to run a search....
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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beskeptigal
SFN Die Hard
USA
3834 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2007 : 00:27:29 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by HalfMooner
quote:
Originally posted by ktesibios
"Ancient frog in amber" sounds like something from a machine-translated Chinese restaurant menu
Unfair! Those made me choke, and you provided no warning! "Fragrant spring onion sauce explodescow son," indeed. Yum.
"Retchup" that's funny. The frog phenom is pretty interesting as well.
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| Edited by - beskeptigal on 03/10/2007 00:28:03 |
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Ancient frog in amber
