Syndyne
Shaun Galman
Hi all,
Let me introduce you to one of the most important opalised fossil discoveries to ever happen in Australia. I'll quote the information directly from journals and books we have here. I have two sides of the story, both from my father Alan Galman and uncle David Galman, along with the story told from Professor Alex Ritchie who made the discovery while looking through our collection, and how it came about.
Photo used on behalf of the Australian Museum, Sydney and copyright of John Fields.
Australia's Oldest Mammal.
STEROPODON GALMANI new genus and species.
Age and Formation: Early Cretaceous Griman Formation.
Locality: Lightning Ridge, northern New South Wales.
Derivation of name: Steropodon comes from the Greek words meaning 'Flash of lightning' and 'Tooth"; the other name, galmani, acknowledges the contribution made by Dave and Alan Galman in saving this unique Australian fossil for science.
Description: Part of right lower jaw with three molar teeth in place. The original bone and tooth material has disappeared and been completely replaced by silica (opal), preserving every detail.
Interpretation: The presence of several cusps on the teeth show that they belong to a Mammal. The cusp pattern indicates that Steropodon is related to Australia's living Monotremes, the egg laying Platypus and the Echidnas.
Australia's opal fields have produced many interesting examples of opalised fossils and remains of long extinct animals and plants. Opalised fossils are often, unfortunately, cut up for their opal content, jewelry or sold as curio's to tourists and any scientific information they contain is irretrievably lost.
For over sixteen years brothers Dave and Alan Galman, opal miners at Lightning Ridge in northern New South Wales, collected opalised fossils. The Galman Collection, containing many unique or interesting fossil specimens, illustrated the range of animals (invertebrates, fish and reptiles) and plants that lived in northern New South Wales over 100million years ago when the opal-bearing deposits were laid down.
In late 1984 The Galman Collection was put up for sale. The Australian Museum in Sydney took immediate steps to prevent it's dispersal and, if possible, to acquire it. In November 1984 the collection was transferred to the Australian Museum for study, identification and evaluation. With sponsorship from ESSO Australia PTY LTD the entire Galman Collection was acquired by the Museum in December 1984.
Major Scientific Discovery
Examination of the Galman Collection revealed a unique scientific specimen, one of the most important discoveries made in Australia this century. The fossil consists of part of the right lower jaw of a small animal with three teeth still in place. The teeth are those of a Mammal related to the living Platypus. Until 1984 the oldest known Australian Mammal fossils were only about 24 million years old. The Lightning Ridge Mammal is over 100 million years old and lived in the Early Cretaceous times during the Age of Dinosaurs. The known history of Mammals in Australia was increased fourfold by a single specimen.
Australia's oldest Mammal, formally described in the leading international scientific journal, "NATURE" of 28th November 1985 has been named Steropodon galmani.
The discovery of Steropodon galmani reveals that:-
a) MONOTREMES (egg laying Mammals) are more closely related to MARSUPIALS (pouched Mammals) than was previously thought.
b) The ancestors of today's Monotremes lived in Australia over 100 million years ago.
c) The presence of Steropodon in rocks over 100 million years old renews hopes that an intensive search will locate Mammal fossils in younger rocks in Australia and begin to fill in the missing 75 million years of Australia's Mammal history.
I'll get a bit of the journey Dad and Dave went on throughout the whole process. I'll try and type out the story from Dr. Ritchie's point of view also. It really conveys his sheer excitement of making a once in a lifetime historic discovery like this. Though he leaves out the Champagne laced celebrations that took place behind the scenes at the Museum when the discovery was made
Kindest regards,
Shauno.
[Edited for spelling corrections]
Let me introduce you to one of the most important opalised fossil discoveries to ever happen in Australia. I'll quote the information directly from journals and books we have here. I have two sides of the story, both from my father Alan Galman and uncle David Galman, along with the story told from Professor Alex Ritchie who made the discovery while looking through our collection, and how it came about.
Photo used on behalf of the Australian Museum, Sydney and copyright of John Fields.
Australia's Oldest Mammal.
STEROPODON GALMANI new genus and species.
Age and Formation: Early Cretaceous Griman Formation.
Locality: Lightning Ridge, northern New South Wales.
Derivation of name: Steropodon comes from the Greek words meaning 'Flash of lightning' and 'Tooth"; the other name, galmani, acknowledges the contribution made by Dave and Alan Galman in saving this unique Australian fossil for science.
Description: Part of right lower jaw with three molar teeth in place. The original bone and tooth material has disappeared and been completely replaced by silica (opal), preserving every detail.
Interpretation: The presence of several cusps on the teeth show that they belong to a Mammal. The cusp pattern indicates that Steropodon is related to Australia's living Monotremes, the egg laying Platypus and the Echidnas.
Australia's opal fields have produced many interesting examples of opalised fossils and remains of long extinct animals and plants. Opalised fossils are often, unfortunately, cut up for their opal content, jewelry or sold as curio's to tourists and any scientific information they contain is irretrievably lost.
For over sixteen years brothers Dave and Alan Galman, opal miners at Lightning Ridge in northern New South Wales, collected opalised fossils. The Galman Collection, containing many unique or interesting fossil specimens, illustrated the range of animals (invertebrates, fish and reptiles) and plants that lived in northern New South Wales over 100million years ago when the opal-bearing deposits were laid down.
In late 1984 The Galman Collection was put up for sale. The Australian Museum in Sydney took immediate steps to prevent it's dispersal and, if possible, to acquire it. In November 1984 the collection was transferred to the Australian Museum for study, identification and evaluation. With sponsorship from ESSO Australia PTY LTD the entire Galman Collection was acquired by the Museum in December 1984.
Major Scientific Discovery
Examination of the Galman Collection revealed a unique scientific specimen, one of the most important discoveries made in Australia this century. The fossil consists of part of the right lower jaw of a small animal with three teeth still in place. The teeth are those of a Mammal related to the living Platypus. Until 1984 the oldest known Australian Mammal fossils were only about 24 million years old. The Lightning Ridge Mammal is over 100 million years old and lived in the Early Cretaceous times during the Age of Dinosaurs. The known history of Mammals in Australia was increased fourfold by a single specimen.
Australia's oldest Mammal, formally described in the leading international scientific journal, "NATURE" of 28th November 1985 has been named Steropodon galmani.
The discovery of Steropodon galmani reveals that:-
a) MONOTREMES (egg laying Mammals) are more closely related to MARSUPIALS (pouched Mammals) than was previously thought.
b) The ancestors of today's Monotremes lived in Australia over 100 million years ago.
c) The presence of Steropodon in rocks over 100 million years old renews hopes that an intensive search will locate Mammal fossils in younger rocks in Australia and begin to fill in the missing 75 million years of Australia's Mammal history.
I'll get a bit of the journey Dad and Dave went on throughout the whole process. I'll try and type out the story from Dr. Ritchie's point of view also. It really conveys his sheer excitement of making a once in a lifetime historic discovery like this. Though he leaves out the Champagne laced celebrations that took place behind the scenes at the Museum when the discovery was made
Kindest regards,
Shauno.
[Edited for spelling corrections]
