The summer excavations at the world famous Bromacker fossil site in Germany have concluded. Hundreds of new fossil discoveries have been recorded.  The Bromacker Lagerstätte is considered one of the most important fossil sites in Germany. An international research team, consisting of experts in palaeontology, geology, fossil preparation and collection management have been working at the site for four weeks. They have unearthed amazing fossil discoveries.  New finds include vertebrate fossil remains, trace fossils, ancient crustaceans, plant imprints and insect wings.  In addition, over the course of the dig programme the scientists received over 2,300 visitors.  Members of the public taking an active interest in the exploration of deposits laid down in the Permian.

Field team members working at the famous Bromacker fossil site. Picture credit: Anastasia Voloshina/Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin.

Picture credit: Museum für Naturkunde (Berlin)

The Remarkable Bromacker Fossil Site

Researchers from the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, the Friedenstein Foundation Gotha, the Friedrich Schiller University Jena and the UNESCO Global Geopark Thuringia Inselsberg – Drei Gleichen are involved in the project.  The fossils are approximately 290 million years old.  They present a record of a unique Palaeozoic ecosystem. The exceptionally well-preserved fossils provide information on the development of early terrestrial vertebrates.  New finds include fragments of a skull incorporating a jaw with long, thin teeth.

Since 2020, over three hundred and fifty finds have been documented each year. New taxa have been described based on Bromacker fossil site discoveries. For example, two recent early vertebrates have been named (Bromerpeton subcolossus and Diadectes dreichgleichenensis).

To read about the discovery of B. subcolossus: A New Lower Permian Amphibian is Named.

To learn more about Diadectes dreichgleichenensis: A Newly Described Early Tetrapod from the Bromacker Fossil Site.

Project and excavation manager Professor Jörg Fröbisch, from the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin was very pleased with this season’s finds.

The professor commented:

“This year’s excavation at Bromacker was once again a complete success and far exceeded our expectations. The finds include numerous and varied trace fossils of invertebrates and vertebrates, including walking, swimming, scratching tracks and burrows.  By discovering and researching the prehistoric dinosaur bones and small skeletons, trace fossils, prehistoric crustaceans, plant imprints and insect wings, we hope to gain further insights into the entire ecosystem at Bromacker 290 million years ago.”

Piecing Together the Palaeoclimate

Some of the small invertebrate and plant remains are particularly significant.  For example, the crustaceans found are reminiscent of extant forms that live in temporary pools and puddles.  Therefore, if they occur in clusters in the Bromacker deposits, it can be inferred that these remains represent evidence of flooding.  The plant root finds indicate that other parts of the Bromacker fossil site were not as prone to flooding events.

The scientists hope to publish several papers based on these new, exciting fossil discoveries.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin in the compilation of this article.

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