This new discovery is a first for Nova Scotia - there has never been a sail-back reptile found in the province before. This sail-back reptile (also known as a mammal-like reptile) lived during either the late Carboniferous Period or early Permian Period – making it somewhere between 290 and 305 million years old.
The bones from this sail-back reptile, nicknamed “Superstar”, include the rib cage, backbone, part of the sail, shoulder blades, parts of the arms, and the skull. There are possibly more bones currently hidden from view that may be revealed as the fossils are prepared.
* Impression of part of the rib cage, sail and skull of the sail-back reptile in the cliff.
Palaeontologists and other staff from the Nova Scotia Museum, the Fundy Geological Museum and the Joggins Fossil Institute are working together to unravel the mystery.
“Superstar” will be on display for two weeks at the Museum of Natural History on Summer Street from August 18th to September 3rd.
Read the Communities, Culture and Heritage news release to find out how a Family Makes Province's Most Significant Fossil Find.
You can also follow Deborah Skilliter, Curator of Geology for the Nova Scotia Museum, on Nova Scotia Museum Facebook page from August 20th to August 24th, as she will be sharing the story of “Superstar”. Deborah will be posting about “Superstar's” discovery, the dig, and the important research that is already underway. She'll also be sharing behind-the-scenes photos and videos!
* Palaeontologists from the Nova Scotia Museum, Fundy Geological Museum, and the Joggins Fossil Institute at the dig site.