Gondwana’s hidden tetrapod survivors

A newly described tetrapod, Tanyka amnicola, shows that deep branches of early four‑legged vertebrates survived far later than thought in southern landmasses; nine twisted lower jaws from a Brazilian riverbed (published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B) provide the empirical basis. The morphology — outward‑pointing lower teeth and denticle plates — implies a previously unrecognized herbivorous feeding strategy and highlights how geographic sampling gaps distort evolutionary timelines. — This reframes how we interpret the fossil record and can shift research funding, collecting priorities, and public narratives about biodiversity and continental histories.