Groundbreaking investigations by paleontological experts in Australia and China, utilizing advanced imaging technologies on fossilized Devonian lungfish specimens, have brought to light previously unobserved anatomical characteristics and significantly enhanced our comprehension of the evolutionary trajectory of early vertebrates. The findings from these independent research endeavors are disseminated in the esteemed publications, the Canadian Journal of Zoology and the journal Current Biology.
Paleolophus yunnanensis, a species of lungfish that inhabited the ancient seas of South China approximately 410 million years ago. The visual representation is credited to Brian Choo of Flinders University.
The initial investigation, spear-headed by Alice Clement, a paleontologist affiliated with Flinders University, and her team, concentrated on the examination of Cainocara enigma, a peculiar fossil specimen originating from the Late Devonian Gogo Formation in Western Australia, notable for being represented by a solitary example.
Dr. Clement remarked, “The ongoing research is gradually contributing to the narrative of the rich biodiversity of lungfishes found at this seminal Australian fossil site, which includes the re-evaluation of specimens that were previously not well-preserved.”
She further elaborated, “One such damaged artifact has proved to be a source of invaluable new insights. This particular find originates from what is recognized as Australia’s inaugural ‘Great Barrier Reef,’ a Devonian-period reef system located in the Kimberley region of northern Western Australia.”
“The unusual nature of this specimen was so pronounced that the initial describers in 2010 posited it might represent an entirely novel form of fish, previously unknown to scientific community.”
“By employing sophisticated scanning techniques, we were able to generate comprehensive, modern digital depictions of both the external and internal cranial structures, thereby illustrating the intricate complexity of the braincase within this intriguing lungfish species.”
“Moreover, our analysis has allowed us to ascertain that prior interpretations regarding its orientation were likely inaccurate, possibly viewed upside down and from the reverse perspective.”
Hannah Thiele, also a paleontologist at Flinders University, stated, “We were enabled to conduct a comparative analysis of its most intact inner ear region with that of other Gogo Formation lungfish specimens.”
“This provides an additional valuable data point within the remarkable collection of lungfish and early vertebrate species that have been identified.”
“It contributes to a broader understanding of the evolutionary development of these nascent lobe-finned fishes, both within the supercontinent Gondwana and across the globe.”
In the subsequent research initiative, Brian Choo of Flinders University, alongside his colleagues, documented a new species of Devonian lungfish discovered in China, which they designated as Paleolophus yunnanensis.
Dr. Choo explained, “Paleolophus yunnanensis affords us an unparalleled perspective on a lungfish from a period situated between its earliest emergence and its significant diversification that occurred several million years later.”
“This was a critical epoch during which the lineage began to acquire the distinct feeding characteristics that would prove advantageous for them throughout the remainder of the Devonian period and persist into modern times.”
“Lungfish represent an extraordinarily ancient evolutionary branch, encompassing the still-extant Australian lungfish native to Queensland, and have long captivated researchers due to their close phylogenetic ties to tetrapods, or vertebrate animals possessing limbs, a group that includes humankind.”
“The remarkably preserved skull of this lungfish, unearthed from rock strata dating back 410 million years in Yunnan province, offers profound insights into the accelerated evolutionary diversification observed between the Early, Middle, and Late Devonian epochs.”
“The newly discovered specimen exhibited both shared and distinct features when contrasted with the earliest and most basal Diabolepis fossil found in southern China, as well as with species such as Uranolophus from Wyoming in the United States, and other lineages like Australia’s Dipnorhynchus.”
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Hannah S. Thiele et al. Deciphering Cainocara enigma from the Late Devonian Gogo Formation, Australia. Canadian Journal of Zoology, published online January 28, 2026; doi: 10.1139/cjz-2025-0109
Tuo Qiao et al. 2026. A new fossil fish sheds light on the rapid evolution of early lungfishes. Current Biology 36 (1): 243-251; doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.11.032
