Scientists Discover the Oldest Sign of Parental Love

In a recent development, scientists found the fossils of a couple of lizards from Canada. Researchers revealed that the remainings are around 309 million years old. The recently found lizard is still with its young ones remaining. As a result, scientists got crucial inputs about parental love in the animal kingdom, and the evolution of that love with time. 

Scientists confirm that the elder lizard was a female. Researchers revealed that the family died suddenly in a forest ecosystem, situated in present-day Scotia. In the forest, the adult lizard made a den for bringing up its child, researchers added. The recently found lizard species does not exist on the earth today, but they were quite similar to the present-day Monitor Lizard.

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Scientists named the species as Dendromaia Unamakiensis. The name derived from a couple of Greek words. Hillary Maddin, an expert in this matter, revealed that though the found animal seems like a lizard, it was closer to the human species. She further revealed that the fossils confirm the existence of parental care in that age. 

The climate in that age was hotter than that of today, Maddin claimed. Scientists previously confirmed the existence of small vertebrates in that age. Dendromaia Unamakiensis had long jaws, big tails, extremely sharp teeth, and thin leg structure. As a result, they used to eat small animals and insects. The species looks like a bulky lizard, but it had certain characteristics like present-day mammals. 

The species became extinct before 250 million years, owing to the volcanic eruptions in Siberia. Before extinction, this species was dominant across the globe. The most important aspect of the recent findings is parental love, even today; it exists among many birds, mammals, reptiles, and fish.

Previously, scientists found a similar pair of fossils from South Africa. Researchers revealed that the pair is around 270 million years old.