By: Stephanie Pappas, LiveScience Senior Writer
Published: 10/03/2012 04:57 PM EDT on LiveScience
A one-of-a-kind fossil thought for more than 100 years to be a lemur without a nose is not a primate at all, scientists have found. It's a fish.
A new analysis of the 2-inch (5-centimeter)-long fossil corrects an error first made in 1898, when a fossil collector named Pedro Scalabrini sent the specimen to Argentine naturalist Florentino Ameghino. Apparently having an "off" day, Ameghino gave the fossil a quick look and classified it as Lemuridae, or part of the lemur family. He named it Arrhinolemur scalabrinii, which translates to "Scalabrini's lemur without a nose."
Ameghino noted that the supposed lemur fossil was odd, and suggested it be assigned to a new order of bizarre mammals, which he suggested naming Arrhinolemuroidea.
Ameghino was a controversial figure in paleontology, said study researcher Brian Sidlauskas, an assistant professor of fisheries at Oregon State University. Ameghino wanted to prove that mammals originated in South America (they didn't), so "he really wanted things to be mammals," Sidlauskas told LiveScience.
Ameghino was also making his identification based on only bits of the fossil, which was still mostly encased in rock when he saw it, Sidlauskas said. [Image Gallery: Freaky Fish]
Over time, the single fossil, which dates back to between 6 million and 9 million years ago, remained the only example of A. scalabrinii ever found. About 50 years after Ameghino's mistake, American paleontologist George Gaylord Simpson suggested the fossil might not be a mammal, but a fish. The wheels of science continued their slow grind in 1986, when another scientists named Alvaro Mones suggested the possible fish family might be Characidae, a group that includes popular aquarium fish such as tetras.
But no one had ever done a full taxonomic work-up on the fossil. Two years ago, Argentine scientists Sergio Bogan and Federico Agnolin decided to change that. They contacted Sidlauskas, who had researched South American fishes during his doctoral work, along with Smithsonian ichthyologist Richard Vari. This dream team of fish experts did a complete examination of photos of the fossil.
They concluded that no one had ever got this "noseless lemur" quite right. In fact, Sidlauskas said, the fossil is a fish from the Anostomidae family, a group of South American freshwater fish.
The fish is of the genus Leporinus, another clue to the misidentification, Sidlauskas said: Fish of this sort have somewhat mammal-like teeth, of the kind that might be found on a rabbit.
Today, between 90 and 100 species of Leporinus swim in South American lakes and rivers, Sidlauskas said. The fossil appears to be of an extinct variety
Understanding how the fish fossil fits into history helps researchers date the biodiversity of South American fish, one of the richest groups of fish fauna on the planet, Sidlauskas said.
"It tells us something about biodiversity in the past, so now we know that 6 to 9 million years ago, a fish very much like the ones we have today was in that place and time," he said.
Sidlauskas and his colleages reported their findings in the journal Neotropical Ichthyology.
Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter @sipappas or LiveScience @livescience. We're also on Facebook & Google+.
Copyright 2012 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.