Palaeontologists in China's Sichuan Basin have unveiled the fossilized remains of a previously unknown species of prehistoric amphibian that lived during the Early Jurassic. The creature, named Sichuanobrachium, represents a unique evolutionary branch of burrowing proto-salamanders. Remarkably, the fine-grained volcanic ash that buried the specimen has preserved the delicate impressions of external feathery gills, indicating that the species remained in a larval-like state even as an adult—a trait known as neoteny.
Analysis of the fossil reveals specialized skeletal adaptations for life in subterranean mud tunnels, including a flattened skull and robust forelimbs. This discovery suggests that specialized burrowing lifestyles among amphibians are far older than previously thought, highlighting the evolutionary diversity of the Jurassic wetlands. The find provides crucial data on how early tetrapods adapted to fluctuating aquatic and terrestrial environments in the ancient supercontinent of Laurasia.