A prehistoric armored fish fossil has been discovered by Swedish researchers from Uppsala University, Sweden.
They believe that this latest archaeological find could help scientists understand the evolution of the “six-pack.”
In a similar way to how bird fossils led researchers to discover that bird extinctions were caused by humans, this fossil could help determine how and way our abs have developed.
The discovery allowed researchers to thoroughly examine the remains, leading them to discover that the prehistoric fish had powerful, well-developed abdominal muscles.
The remarkably preserved fossil was uncovered in the Gogo Formation, a sedimentary rock formation in Kimberley, north-western Australia.
This site is renowned for its well preserved fish fossils, including the placoderms, which are an extinct group that details some of the earliest evidence of jawed fishes.
Normally researchers find working with bones and teeth fossilise easier because they are usually the only remains of the animal left; however, this prehistoric fish had such well preserved soft tissue, it made the find all the more valuable.
Discoveries such as this could not only help scientists understand muscle development but could also help uncover other discoveries, similar to how Africa’s last penguins were linked to a new fossil find.
The researchers, led by Professor Per Ahlberg, also noted that this particular fish had very strong, highly developed neck muscles in addition to its abdominal definition.
From these findings, Ahlberg’s team, with assistance from the ESRF synchrotron in France, has pieced together a visual reconstruction of the prehistoric fish.
The prehistoric fish, in comparison to modern-day fish, clearly shows that vertebrates developed more sophisticated muscles a lot earlier than previously thought.
Furthermore, the technique of interpreting fossil organisms soft tissue from living counterparts isn’t as accurate as first thought, according to Ahlberg.
Normally the process involves “draping” the fossilized skeletons in the soft tissue of a modern-day ancestor; however, cases such as this prove that such means might not result in accurate findings every time.
There is no doubt that this prehistoric fish is an amazing breakthrough for researchers and scientists alike.