A novel species of amphibian that existed in Australia approximately 247 million years ago has been successfully identified by scientists.

This revelation finally solves a puzzle that has intrigued researchers since the 1990s when the fossilized remains of this creature were unearthed by a retired chicken farmer in New South Wales.

Across the world, fewer than 10 fossils of this lizard-like species have been recognized.

Experts are suggesting that this discovery might significantly alter the existing understanding of the evolution of amphibians in Australia. The extraordinary fossil was stumbled upon by Mihail Mihailidis nearly thirty years ago, triggered by a deteriorating garden wall at his Umina residence, located around a 90-minute drive north of Sydney.

The retired chicken farmer had purchased a massive sandstone slab, weighing about 1.6 tonnes, to repair the wall. However, as he started cutting through the stone's external layers, the preserved outline of an unfamiliar creature emerged.

Mr. Mihailidis got in touch with the Australian Museum in Sydney, sharing his remarkable discovery, and subsequently handed over the fossil in 1997.
Inside a climate-controlled exhibition space at the museum, Lachlan Hart, the paleontologist who would eventually decipher the petrified remains, first encountered the fossil when he was a child.

"I had a fascination with dinosaurs... so my 12-year-old self saw that fossil on exhibition back in 1997. And now, 25 years later, it has become a part of my PhD, which is quite incredible," reflects Mr. Hart.

According to Mr. Hart, it was a stroke of luck that his team, delving into life during Australia's Triassic era around 250 million years ago, was assigned the task of identifying the fossil.

Strikingly, the mold encompasses an "almost complete skeleton," a rarity in itself, Mr. Hart elucidates. He notes that the fossilization preserves the creature's skin and fatty tissues around its body, along with the head and body, making this an exceptionally unique find.

Using this data, Mr. Hart and his colleagues estimate that the amphibian was approximately 1.5 meters in length and possessed a body resembling that of a salamander. The newfound species has been christened Arenaepeton supinatus, signifying "sand creeper on its back" in Latin.

Scientists reveal that this carnivorous amphibian once inhabited the freshwater lakes and streams of Sydney. Belonging to the Temnospondyli family, this species was among the resilient amphibians that endured two of the planet's five major extinction events, including the volcanic eruptions that wiped out 70-80% of all dinosaurs 66 million years ago.

In Australia, only three other fossils of the Temnospondyli species have been successfully identified.

These published findings, unveiled on Tuesday, underscore that "Australia was a favorable hub for animals to evolve and find refuge following mass extinctions," as articulated by Mr. Hart.

This exceptional fossil is scheduled to be showcased on a permanent basis at the Australian Museum later this year.