The Cork Geological Association will be holding a lecture via Zoom on 29th January at 7.30pm when they are delighted to host Dr. Iwan Stӧssel (University of Zurich) discoverer of the Valentia Island tetrapod trackway.
Title of lecture: “Steps in Time – Discovering the Irish Tetrapod Trackway”.
The discovery of a Devonian tetrapod trackway on Valentia Island was published 30 years ago.
This turned out to be a minor scientific sensation, because until then only a few body fossils and even fewer trackway finds had been known from the Devonian period. However, the track from Ireland stood out due to its size and exceptional preservation. Since then, our knowledge of Devonian tetrapods has expanded considerably. But new findings have also been added to the discovery on Valentia.
The tracks are still an important source of information on the question of how and when the first land vertebrates evolved. Iwan will look back at the time of the discovery and give an overview of the more recent findings.
To receive the Zoom link please register by emailing b.higgs@ucc.ie