Dr Adrian Kin, a graduate of the Jagiellonian University and paleontologist from the "Phacops" Association of Friends of Geosciences has discovered Jurassic fossils of marine and terrestial animals in a guarry near Sławno. Among them are unknown species.

The finds include a well preserved wing of an ancient dragonfly (unknown species), the jaw of a marine reptile, helically spiralled ammonite's shells with fine ornaments as well as imprints and remains of fishes.

"In 2005, during an onsite inspection I discovered a sheer repository of the primeval world dating back to 148 millions of years. As far as its age is concerned, the find is the closest equivalent of the famous paleontological excavation site in Solnhofen, in southern Germany," says Kin.

Calcareous rocks in the Polish quarry are younger than those in Solnhofen by 2 million years but they provide a lot of information about extinct life forms and about the environment and evolution of the Late Jurassic sea, which used to take up a considerable part of Łódź voivodeship and a large part of the Poland of today.

"About 148 million years ago, a relatively cool and shallow Jurassic sea was inhabited by a large number of organisms. Among the discovered fossils are marine and terrestrial animals such as Atlantic horseshoe crab, shrimps, fishes, sea reptiles, bivalves with finely ornamented shells, helically spiralled ammonites with beautifully ribbed shells as well as dragonflies, beetles, and pterosaurs, flying reptiles," explains Dr Kin.

Many fossils revealed in the late Jurassic geological strata represent genera and species new to scientists. A number of fossils, including the two specimens of the Atlantic horseshoe crab, have been discovered in Poland for the first time. According to Dr Kin, they are living fossils of unknown species. The finds are ancestors of the contemporary Atlantic horseshoe crabs, whose appearance hasn't changed for millions of years.

Dr Kin's discoveries also include a wing of a Jurassic dragonfly (first such specimen in Poland) of unknown species belonging to the family identified in Solnhofen. Another new species discovered in the quarry is a sea reptile, ancestor of the contemporary tuatara, a living fossil. The rocks also revealed the remains (a tooth and a bone) of a pterosaur, which up till now has been the first pterosaur (flying reptile) found in Poland.

The excavation site turned out to be so rich in fossils that it was necessary to create a special international research team led by Dr Adrian Kin. The team reports its findings in journal "Lethaia", a prestigious scientific magazine.

The spectacular fossils from the quarry are available to see in the National Geological Museum in Warsaw (ul. Rakowicka 4). The exhibition is to be open till 12 July.

Source: PAP - Szymon Zdziebłowski