24,000-Year-Old Skeletons of 7,000 Extinct Animal Species Unearthed in Chile

[Judi Lynn]

By Rich Co Mar 06, 2023 01:37 PM EST

Along the coasts of Chile, archaeologists and paleontologists have discovered more than 7,000 skeletons of extinct animal species, some of which date back as far as 24,000 years.

Ancestor Species
The extinct species that were uncovered were remains of Camelidae, which were ancestors of camels; Cervidae which are ancestors of deer; Equidae, which are ancestors of horses; Mylodontidae which is an extinct group of giant land sloths; Xenarthra, which is an ancestor of sloths, anteaters, and cingulatel; Canidae, which are an ancestor of dogs, foxes, and wolves; myocastorinae and octodontidae, which are two ancestors to rodents; and multiple mylodons which is another extinct type of giant sloth.

The wetlands that once covered the area where the remains were discovered were frozen between 24,000 and 17,000 years ago during an ice age. The area is now completely underwater.

The discovery of the fossils was made in the central Chilean coastal region of Quintero Bay, where researchers have been conducting excavations at a location known as GNL Quintero 1 (GNLQ1).

More:
https://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/55726/20230306/24-000-year-old-skeletons-7-extinct-animal-species-unearthed.htm