Frogs flourished after dinosaurs croaked, new study revealsJuly 4, 2017 - 10:58 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A massive asteroid strike that wiped out the dinosaurs millions of years ago created room for frogs to colonize the Earth, said a study Monday, July 3, that shows how frogs became among the most diverse vertebrates in the world, AFP reports. As many as 10 types of frogs are believed to have survived the mass extinction some 66 million years ago, which erased three-quarters of life on Earth, said the report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Of these survivors, just three major kinds of frogs went on to diversify and populate the planet. Some 6,700 known frog species exist today. Nearly nine in 10 -- 88 percent -- of modern frogs can trace their roots back to these three lineages of hardy ancestors. "Frogs have been around for well over 200 million years, but this study shows it wasn't until the extinction of the dinosaurs that we had this burst of frog diversity that resulted in the vast majority of frogs we see today," said study co-author David Blackburn, associate curator of amphibians and reptiles at the Florida Museum of Natural History. "This finding was totally unexpected." Until now, scientists believed that most modern frog species emerged at a steady pace between 66 million and 150 million years ago. But the latest research shows frogs burst onto the scene more like an "explosion," as the tiny amphibians swept into habitats left vacant by other creatures. Photo. Jaime Culebras Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | 17 bridges collapse as a result of floods in Armenia As a result of floods in Armenia’s northern Lori and Tavush provinces, 17 bridges, including five large ones, have collapsed. Armenia: Top cleric to retain title as he bids to become interim PM Galstanyan said earlier that the interim government would be tasked with stopping the “destruction of our homeland”. Ex-mayor of Karabakh capital arrested in Yerevan Ex-mayor of the Nagorno-Karabakh city of Stepanakert David Sargsyan has been arrested for 20 days. 269 people evacuated amid severe floods in Armenia’s north According to the Interior Ministry, 269 people have been evacuated from their homes in Lori and Tavush provinces. |