Beijing discovers Asia’s first Middle Jurassic amphibian footprints

Researchers in China have identified the first scientifically documented amphibian footprint fossils from the Middle Jurassic period in both China and Asia, marking a major breakthrough in the study of ancient vertebrate life in the region, as reported by Global Times, a partner of TV BRICS.

The discovery was made in Beijing and dates back approximately 160 million years, to the Middle Jurassic Yaopo Formation. The findings close a long-standing gap in the fossil record, where evidence of Jurassic amphibians had previously been absent despite extensive documentation of dinosaurs and other reptiles.

The fossil slab preserves two distinct footprints, interpreted as a connected forefoot–hindfoot trackway left by a single animal moving across soft ground. One exceptionally well-preserved imprint, measuring just 1.5 centimetres in length, shows four slender toes arranged in a fan-like pattern, with sharply defined tips.

Using high-resolution three-dimensional digital modelling, scientists were able to examine minute surface details of the tracks. Based on anatomical features, the researchers concluded that the trackmaker most likely belonged to the salamander lineage, a group that today includes salamanders and axolotls and represents the most diverse order of tailed amphibians.

The discovery suggests that small, land-active amphibians were already thriving in lake and marsh environments in what is now Beijing during the Middle Jurassic. At the time, the region supported lush vegetation such as ferns, ginkgoes and cycads, forming a complex and biodiverse ecosystem.

Experts say the find provides valuable new evidence for reconstructing the palaeogeography, ecology and biodiversity of North China during the Jurassic period, offering fresh insight into how early amphibians adapted to terrestrial habitats alongside dinosaurs and other vertebrates.

Photo: sueuy song / iStock