South American paleontologists announce new fossil discoveries

Paleontologists have reported significant fossil discoveries in South America. In Bolivia, researchers from the California-based Geoscience Research Institute identified turtle tracks dating back to the Cretaceous period within Torotoro National Park. This discovery marks the first recorded instance of such tracks in South America. The tracks, measuring approximately 20 centimeters long by 15 centimeters wide, suggest the presence of large turtle species. This finding adds to the park's extensive paleontological record, which includes thousands of previously documented dinosaur footprints.

In Argentina, researchers from INIBIOMA and the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales have identified two new fossil plant species belonging to the genus Eucryphia. These fossils, representing fruits and leaves from the early Miocene epoch approximately 20 million years ago, were recovered from collections in Bariloche and General Roca. The discovery provides new evidence regarding the ancient, humid forests that once inhabited northern Patagonia.